Sharanagati

We shall read from the Seventh Chapter of the “Shrimad Bhagavad-gita”, which is a song of God, a divine message. This chapter specifically deals with the knowledge of the Absolute. Because if we can agree that we should come in contact with the Supreme Lord, we should examine how to do this.

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: “Now hear, o son of Pritha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know.” 1

From this we can understand that this is a very special kind of knowledge. If you can understand this, nothing will be there to be known. The Upanishads say that the Supreme Lord is such, that by knowing Him, everything is known; by reaching Him, you have reached everything. This connection is giving full satisfaction to the soul.

“Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” 2

From many thousands one or few will strive for perfection. But this message should not depress you – that “hardly anyone knows Me in reality.” Why not you become this one? You can become this special one, who comes in contact with the Supreme.

And this devotional type of yoga is not only concerning our perfection. „I have helped myself, I do not care for anybody else.” Sometimes we say in Hungarian: “after me the deluge”. “I’m through; it does not matter what happens to the others.” Not so much feeling is there, right? It’s a kind of selfish. But the real thing is when you have achieved something high and you are ready to return to help others. This message is communicated in many different religions. In our tradition they say: “How beautiful that the perfected souls have crossed the ocean of material existence taking one boat. They have reached the other side, but the boat is still on this side.” That is beautiful! And sometimes they even return to help you to get in.