Sharanagati

Nowhere equals everywhere

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 24.06.2017 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Question: Where is guru in the rasa-mandala?

Swami Tirtha: Guru is a heavy guy. Only gopis and such things are mentioned here: the best, the super best and the young ones. But if we say ‘nowhere’, it equals saying ‘everywhere’. Where to find our masters? We must develop the eye to see him or them everywhere.

Guru is the person who will introduce us in the system. And sometimes guru acts like a tamer of the wild animal – with a whip in his hand. A little external of a position, but it’s very useful. Other times he acts like a gatekeeper: ‘No entrance, don’t disturb Them!’ Other times he acts like one of the best. And we feel that he is the best when he tells us what we want to hear, right? And in the moment you receive an instruction which is not according to your taste, you will run away. Then you don’t give a chance to your master to act as super-best.

But of course this is not a joke, because according to our vision, according to our capacity and spiritual development, we can recognize different-different aspects of the master. And maybe we see these different aspects in different personalities; or our vision of one person improves – more and more I can see in one person. First I see a representative of God, then I see an intimate servant of the goswamis, etc, etc. Vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau shri-jiva-gopalakau[1]… So it depends on our consciousness what we perceive in this principle – guru as a principle. But of course you know that guru is not simply a principle.

So please don’t forget about these different lotus flowers: our heart-lotus, the cosmic creative lotus, the yoga-mandala lotus, and the devotional rasa-mandala lotus.

“I worship Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is non other than Krishna, wrapped in Radhika’s external shining and intimate feelings. Just like a dominant and a dominated partner, Radha and Krishna, in Their individual identity are always united. Although different, They are always together. Now in the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu again They united so deeply. And the incredible manifestation of this internal blissful potency of the Lord is coming from the loving pastimes of Radha and Krishna.”[2]

This is a beautiful quotation from Svarupa Damodar Goswami, who was a personal secretary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He says that Radha and Krishna are eternally separate, because They have Their individual identity. But Their affection and attraction to each other are so strong that they are searching for each other and coming so close that They are united in Mahaprabhu. If I say achintya-bhedabheda-tattva, you feel very bored. But if I say: ‘Radha and Govinda are running after each other and They united in Mahaprabhu’, then you say: ‘Ah, so nice!’

So, what can we say? Here is a list of all the different gatekeepers, best, super-best and most intimate servants, but we won’t go into too much details now. But one thing is for sure – you have much more well-wishers than you can ever imagine. Therefore try to follow and serve nicely, take shelter of the holy name, because that is coming from the lotus petals of Goloka. And develop the vision.

[1] Refrain of the song Shri Shri Shad-goswamy-ashtaka by Shrinivas Acharya

[2] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi, 1.5