Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Then in the list of what is knowledge comes simplicity. So beautiful! How much we have overcomplicated our life! Isn’t it true? We are fully in a labyrinth, smilingly we enter it and we are lost. We make our life highly overcomplicated. But the ultimate things are simple and easy. You cannot catch God with some complicated philosophies. It’s impossible! But with pure love you can approach Him very easily. Just as it is said in the Brahma Samhita: vedeshu durlabham – through the Vedas, which are the books of knowledge, it is impossible to achieve Him. Adurlabham atma-bhaktau. Adurlabham means non-difficult to achieve, through atma-bhaktau, dedication of the Self. With this it is very easy. Just think if somebody wants to make friendship with you and comes with very complicated theories, declaring these sophisticated philosophies for long boring hours. You will say “Just give me a break”. But if somebody comes with some sweetmeats at midnight, then you say “Ah, very nice that you came, I am so happy”. So, if we discuss intelligence, we have to be clever. Don’t try to attract God with some dry and boring theories. Better you bring something nice to Him and immediately He will pay attention. If you call Him, He will pay attention. 

So, simplicity is practically equal to spirituality. Because in simplicity there is no double face. If you are simple, you give yourself. 

And then comes a bitter pill: approaching a bona fide spiritual master. First it sounds very promising. But you know, to associate with a sadhu is a little dangerous. We all like the fire, it makes us warm. But if you go too close to the fire, then you burn yourself. Just a little bit. And what is burnt? It’s only the false concepts that are burnt.

In all different lines, even belonging to other schools, everybody appreciates and understands that the master, the service of the master is very important. But here it is mentioned one quality – bona fide. Because this material world is composed of two kinds of people – the cheaters and the cheated. Which group do you belong to? 

Krishna Priya: We should belong to neither. 

Swami Tirtha: Yes, I agree, but sometimes it happens. Because this age is called Kali Yuga, right? In Kali Yuga what kind of students do you have? You have kali-chelas, students of the Kali age. And those who want to be cheated, they need some masters. If there is a need, there is a supply as well. So, kali-chelas are the practitioners of the age. Therefore we shouldn’t be kali-chelas. Better we become students of the divine absolute truth and love. Therefore, if we enjoy the guidance of a spiritual authority, it is very good. 

And then comes cleanliness, which is not only a physical purity of the body, not only a mental purity of the mind, but also this should be a spiritual purity of the heart. But we can start with the bodily purification.

Then steadiness. All the time we have to be ready, because we never know which one is the last moment. So, with great determination and with steadiness to jump anytime, we have to be ready. There is a beautiful story about this readiness from the desert fathers in the early Christianity. Once the senior fathers complained to the leader of the ashram. They said “You are partial, you have a favourite pet son among the young ones – it’s not nice.” He said “Yes, my dear brothers, I accept your criticism. But let’s go around.” So, they were knocking on the doors of the different practitioners: “There is some service, can you come?” “Yeah, I will come very soon”. All right, they went to the next door, again knocking: “Can you come for some service?” “Oh, I’m praying, I will come very soon”. Finally, they came to the door of this young man, knocking on the door: “Can you come for some service?” and without completing their sentence, he was jumping out of the door, ready for service, so they sent him to that service. He was the best copyist, the best writer in the monastery, with beautiful handwriting. And he was doing that job when they called him. When he went, they entered his cell and what did they see? He didn’t even complete the character “o” which he was writing; when he heard there is something to do, he immediately jumped. And then the fathers said to the abbot: “All right, we accept your preference.” This is steadiness – to be always ready for service.

Then self-control is the next one –it’s not the senses that will overpower you, but you can control the senses. 

(to be continued)