Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami Tirtha(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 05.01.2013, morning, Sofia)
(continues from the previous Friday)
Let me tell you a story, a real thing happening. Once we celebrated some event in Mayapur – this is the place of Mahaprabhu’s appearance. There I met a senior friend; he was a very good deeply connected god-brother of my Gurudev. And all of a sudden he said: “Do you want to meet a sahajiya?” You know, sahajiya is like the most dangerous heretic, like an imitator. I was shocked a little bit, but I said: “Yes!” Then we started to go on the little, little roads and pathways. You know the general landscape in this very, very isolated holy place in India is like half ruined buildings and even the temples are in strange shape. There is a little relaxed mood – it is not criticism, but they don’t pay too much attention to the external formalities. Then we went off the main road and all of a sudden we entered a magic garden. Everything is beautiful inside; outside it was garbage and ruins; inside is green like anything, like emerald green. And very nice bushes, shaped in beautiful forms. Very peaceful atmosphere, and a beautiful pavilion is standing in the center of this magic garden. Everything is clean – all those who visited India know what it means. Very unexpected! So, everything is very beautiful. There was one servant going around in a very peaceful way also. So, we had to wait a few minutes and finally our friend came. Very nice dress, very nice hair – he was a man. Very sensitive feeling, his aura was very tender and sensitive. And my senior friend, Shrila Tripurari Maharaj knew this person for a long time. They started to discuss like old acquaintances and our friend also described his activities – translating some important books into English. So, everything looked very nice. And finally he asked: “Tell me, do they really consider me a sahajiya?” Then Tripurari Maharaj started to try to pacify the person. But then when we said goodbye and left, he told me: “You see, he’s not there! He’s not on the realized platform. Because he is still concerned about the opinion of others – whether they consider him like this, or like that.” If you are accomplished, you don’t mind too much whether people consider you a big saint, or a big cheat. You have to make the final balance of your life. It’s not the opinion of others, it’s not the image that you can build about yourself. As our ‘yes” man always accepted: “Yes, I am like this, yes, I’m like that”, a really accomplished person will accept: “Yes, I am like this”. So, is this glorious to become a “yes” man for our spiritual master?
Answer: Yes.
Swami Tirtha: Oh, beware when your spiritual master starts glorifying you: “Oh, my dear one, I am so fortunate to have you in our group!” “Yes, Gurudev! You are very fortunate.” “Oh, my dear, you are like a savior angel for me! “ “Yes, Gurudev!” So, beware whether you want to become a “yes” man, or not.
But you can never know what the opinion of your well-wisher about you is. You might think: “Oh, my master didn’t pay any attention to me throughout this whole lifetime. I was always preparing the chapattis in the kitchen, while he was discussing with my brothers and not with me!” But if you had an extra ear in the room and if you could hear their discussion: “Oh, this boy preparing the chapatti is so nice! He is my most dear devotee!” So, you can never know what the appreciation of our superiors about us is.
Same with Krishna – you can never know who is most dear to Him. It’s impossible! Therefore we should treat everybody very nicely. Because you never know who is the chosen one of Krishna. This is very important – you can never know who is dear to God. And He didn’t come for the high priests, never. He came for the poorer ones.