Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 15.08.2018, Ludasto)

“Madhavendra Puri avoided begging. He was completely unattached and indifferent to material things. If, without his begging, someone offered him some food, he would eat; otherwise he would fast. A paramahamsa like Madhavendra Puri is always satisfied in the loving service of the Lord. Material hunger and thirst cannot impede his activities. When he desired to taste a little sweet rice offered to the Deity, he considered that he had committed an offence by desiring to eat what was being offered to the Deity. Madhavendra Puri left the temple and sat down in the village marketplace, which was vacant. Sitting there, he began to chant. In the meantime, the temple priest laid the Deity down to rest.” [1]
In the purports we read: “The foodstuff that we want to offer to the Deities usually is advised to be covered while being carried to the Deities so that it is not observed, not seen by others. Those who are not accustomed to the high principles of service might desire this foodstuff and this is an offence. Therefore it is good to cover it, but when it is placed or offered in front of the Deities, it should be uncovered. Madhavendra Puri had seen this uncovered food being offered to the Deity and he wanted to prepare the same for his own Deity. But he was so strict that he considered this to be an offence. Therefore he left the temple without a word. He was considered a paramahamsa. And a paramahamsa is such a person who has conquered the six material qualities. These are kama (pleasure), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), illusion, madness and envy; and also, the instincts of eating and drinking. Those who have overcome these enemies are considered paramahamsas.”
You might say that this is obvious that the rules of offering should be followed, the foodstuff should be covered. And we don’t desire the food before being offered – you know that is obvious. Once there was a story. I’ve told it many times, but it describes what is our nature. There was a newcomer in a temple and when he saw many different foodstuffs arranged nicely on a big plate, he asked: “Who is this big plate for?” Devotees told him: “No, no this is not for you, this is for the Deity.” Then our friend asked: “When will I become a Deity?” This is human nature, we are like this. There’s a nice plate for someone: “Wow! I want to be that someone.” I think it’s so sincere, so simple.
Those who can control these urges – kama, krodha, etc. – they are paramahamsas. So beware, if you are in a title hunt, be careful. Before you identify yourself as a paramahamsa, first conquer these enemies. It’s so difficult to introduce yourself, for example: “I am Lakshmi Devi”. How can you say “I am the goddess of fortune in her full opulence”? Therefore, we say: “I am Lakshmi devi dasi. I am the servant of Lakshmi Devi” – that’s easier, safer, truer. Or if you say: “I am Krishna Prabhu. I am Lord Krishna.” Who will accept this? Better to say: “I am Krishna das. I am a servant of Lord Krishna.”
Gurudev was very sensitive to this point. When some devotees told him: “Since I became a devotee…” He didn’t tolerate that: “You think that you are a bhakta!?” He was chastising us very much. And this is not only words. This is a mentality. Therefore I say that he represented a very good school. He provided a very proper training to his disciples.
Question of Krishna Priya: You read that paramahansa controls these six enemies. I was thinking that they are no longer existing in him?
Swami Tirtha: All right, a hansa controls, a paramahansa doesn’t know what to control. May I give you a weird proof for this? Once a westerner asked an old Indian sadhu: “What is your opinion about homosexuality?” And the sadhu said: “What is that?” No idea! If you have no idea of what is this enemy like kama, krodha, lobha, then what is there to control? You see, there are certain levels of conscious existence.

(to be continued)

1. “Chaitanya Charitamrita”, Madhya, 4.123-4.125