Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Renunciation of the objects of sense gratification is the next in the list of what is knowledge – which is very offensive in a consumer’s society. It’s a direct blow against its principles. But if you start to isolate yourself from the unnecessary things that are dumped upon you, then you can start a better and a more meaningful life. Because if you possess only things that you will lose anyway, then what kind of treasures can you collect? If your hands are full of garbage, how can you keep your precious stones? 

Absence of the false ego. Sometimes we are proud of our knowledge, even though we want to achieve spiritual knowledge, right? So these false concepts are with us for such a long time. But what is the death of false egotism? It’s the birth of your real ego, your real self. So, it’s not simply killing something, but the birth of something else. Try to find something better than your false identification. 

Then comes the perception of the evils of birth, death, old age and disease. This is what we shall discuss in the evenings.

Detachment is the next one. Once Gurudev was riding the train to Vrindavan from Delhi. Somehow he fell asleep in the compartment and when he awoke, he saw one of his two suitcases was gone. You know, it happens. He just said, “Ah, Radhika has taken this”. Immediately the friends around him started to look at him with very special eyes. And then they started to listen to his spiritual talk. Because usually we are attached to our luggage. You carry your heavy load in your many, many suitcases. But ‘finally, somebody has taken some of my baggage!’ Be detached. Because basically we are attached to our limitations. You say, ‘I cannot’, but what will your spiritual master say? ‘Yes, you can’.

What is next. Freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest. I think we discussed that a little bit. It’s not offensive, it’s reality. We have to dedicate so much time and attention to these. But don’t lose the spirit and don’t lose the final goal. Then your home is not a net, but a nest. That’s a big difference. 

Even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events. This is the yogi style. If something pleasant happens to us, we are happy; if something unpleasant comes to us, we are unhappy – this is not the yogi style. Yoga means equilibrium, a fixed state of mind. It doesn’t depend on external conditions. It’s easy to quote, difficult to realize. But the more we collect our treasures on the inside, the less we depend on the external objects of the sense gratification. So, don’t be overjoyed when something is good and don’t be depressed when something doesn’t happen as you expected. There was one year, which was the best year of my life. Whatever we started, it was very successful. Everything was growing, everything was happening. I felt like, ‘Wow, this is so nice!’ I felt so good. Because usually we feel good when things happen according to our plans, right? But immediately I tried to control these feelings, telling myself that whatever good is happening, whatever pleasant is happening, it’s a gift from Krishna. And also I tried to remember that now this is a pleasant time – all right, I am happy. But I have to be happy the same way if a difficult year comes. Because that is equilibrium – this is good and that is also good – no problem. And, then it came.

(to be continued)