Sharanagati

Collected words from talks of Swami Tirtha




(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 03.01.2018 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

There are some trees in India which blossom only when a young, pure, chaste lady walks under their shade and softly touches the tree. Why? Because this touch is so powerful that the tree starts to tremble and to be transformed. Just like when the lovers meet. One small little touch or caress brings the utmost happiness! You start to tremble. Do you remember that pure, intense feeling? When we perceive the touch of divinity, when Krishna caresses you – through the sunshine, through the air, the wind, through the touch of another devotee – you can start to tremble.

In the Eleventh Canto of Shrimad-Bhagavatam it is described how to see God Krishna everywhere. And it is mentioned: we can see Him in the sun, we can see Him in the moon. We can worship Him in the sacrificial fire. We can worship Him through a brahmana, we can worship Him in general in the human beings. Then also we can worship Him in our heart. There are so many chances to be connected! Because Krishna cannot escape a pure heart. And when this divine touch, pure divine touch, comes to us, then maybe we shall also start to tremble. Maybe the tree of our consciousness will also blossom. And finally, ultimately it will bring some good fruits as well.

So, shanta-rasa is like an introduction into the further, deeper considerations of devotional service connection. As we agreed, shanta-rasa in a primary sense is the ability to maintain our undisturbed spiritual consciousness and position. But also it was mentioned that shanta-rasa is the ability to always focus on the Lord. So, we should try to achieve at least that platform. This is not the end of our story, not the end of our journey, but this is the beginning. Something more should come beyond this peaceful disposition towards the Supreme. And always remember, if you hear the conch-shell at the beginning of the arati, you can tremble a little bit.

Yet neutrality is a little more focused on ourselves. ‘The name of Krishna, the form of Krishna, the remembrance of Krishna has a positive effect over me.’ So, it is more concerning ourselves. This is when you receive. And the next step is when you give. Then the circle starts to work: you receive and you give; you get and you share.

Have you ever tried, have you ever experienced that? That things start to really happen when you start to give? May I tell you a practical experience?

Maybe I have told you already and don’t take it as a propaganda, please. But you know in our ashram in Ludasto we worship Giriraj as the ultimate shelter of the devotees and the place of Krishna-lila. And sometimes the celebrations are on weekdays and the devotees cannot come together. So, usually we have the celebrations on the weekend and we do some other services on the exact date of the event. So, this was the celebration of the Govardhana-lila. I was engaged with so many different other services. All of a sudden an inspiration came that ‘you should give a donation’. You know, usually it doesn’t happen that you give a donation in your own temple. But when it came to my mind: ‘Wait a minute, this is not my temple, I am also a guest here. This is His temple. So if He wants some donation from me – of course, the first banknote that I find I will give.’ So, I took the first and I gave it: ‘All right, if You want like this, of course I will supply.’ My dear once, in two days 20 times more came to the ashram.

I told you, don’t take it as a propaganda! When at the end of the month you’re running down your money and you go to the temple to give the final banknote, just to receive 20 times more – no, then it will not work. But when the invitation is pure and you are ready to jump, then it will work. Even if more money is not coming, it works. Because it’s not a question of receiving, it’s a question of giving. If first you are invited to give, be sure you will be invited to receive. If you perform your job, He will also be merciful to you. And this is not a financial question. This is a question of exchange. ‘Give me something – so that I can also give you something.’ This is the flow: I receive and I give; I give and I receive. And please, don’t calculate: ‘My Lord, it’s not 20 times more, it’s only 10 times more. Where is the balance?’

Be ready to see these small, little insignificant events in your life – when there is an invitation from the Supreme: ‘Please, join Me! Pay some attention to Me, do something for Me!’ And then you have to be ready to give, and to do, and to jump, and to serve. So, when the divine touch is there, we are ready to tremble. Don’t think that this is theory. It’s not a legend, it’s reality. Even if you are not supplied, your giving is accepted. Your offering is accepted.



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