Sharanagati

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

(continues from the previous Monday)

So what is this devotional mandala? Give me a devotional explanation of the mandala. Who is standing on the gates of the rasa-mandala? Who are the protectors? Krishna’s devotees also form a mandala, a harmonious circle around the Divine Couple. And somebody has to protect this divine intimate circle from outsiders and offensive mentalities. All these different petals and these circles are more and more intimate, ever closer to the Divine Couple.

So at the external gates there are the gatekeepers who will not let you in if you don’t come with a proper mentality. Now you are inside, you have a proper mentality, so you are not excluded from perfection, you could enter the inner gate. So then who is in the most external circle inside of this mandala? Who is standing there? Actually in the external circle there are the best gopis. What?!? The best gopis in the external circle?!? Maybe that’s a mistake, something is wrong. It’s impossible – how can the best stand in the external circle?!

But we have to set aside our human consideration. So, let’s accept that in the external sphere there are the best ones. Who is in the next circle, which is closer to the center? Do you have a wild enough imagination? So, in the middle circle there stand the absolutely best gopis. The absolutely best are only in the middle circle?!?

Then who is there in the inner circle? If there is an external circle and there is a middle circle, there must be an inner circle also. Who are those special ones that can be in the inner circle? These are the young maid-servants. The absolutely innocent. But then who is in the center? This is the Divine Couple.

So, why do we discuss such topics? Because we started to purify the lotus of our heart, right? And in the centre of your heart-lotus is self-reflection. So, you have to find your identity. Who are you: the best, the super-best or a young one?

Baladev: The wild animals are outside the fence.

Swami Tirtha: The gatekeepers didn’t let them in. So this is what we have to decide, this is the topic of our ultimate self-reflection: Where am I, what is my position? Am I a best one? Am I a super-best? Or not?

But real self-reflection means that you have to find your position. And as they are the very dear companions of the Divine Couple, we have to find some references, some entrance to all these concepts. Because we are not there, so how can we achieve, how can we identify ourselves? Therefore the external circle, where the best gopis are, is manifested for us in the form of very intimate servants of the Divine Couple. In the middle circle there are the supremely intimate servants. And in the inner circle there are the goswamis – they represent this inner circle for us. And then, according to this reference system, who is in the absolute center of this lotus? This is the Golden Avatar and His expansions.

So if you want to find the way to enter that beautiful divine lotus flower of rasa-mandala, this is how we can approach – through the intimate devotees, through the very intimate devotees and through the goswamis.

(to be continued)