Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 06.01.2019 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Question of Yadunath: Could you please tell us what is the proper manner to offer sacrifice in two ways. One, these are the good things that we have achieved and we want to offer them back to the source. And the other is when we have some failures or weaknesses – then, what is the proper manner to get rid of them? How to address them to God?
Swami Tirtha: It feels like this is a very surcharged atmosphere, not due to the heat, but because you read my mind. Actually I had on my mind this topic – sacrifice. Because in the Bhagavad Gita[1] it is said that three practices are recommended on the elementary platform and on the perfected platform as well – yagya, dana and tapa. That kind of sacrifice when we invite the sacred fire and we offer prayers and paraphernalia – this is yagya, sacrifice. And the main idea behind such a sacrifice is namaha – ‘it’s not for me, it’s for You’. So, there are two main mantras to offer: namaha or swaha. Swaha is practically the same – this will help the world go round, sacrifice. So whether we are beginners or accomplished, this mood of sacrifice should be carried on. And as you said, we can pray for blessings and we can get rid of shortcomings. Because if you throw the grains into the fire, then you can get rid of your karma and you can make an offering to the Supreme.
The second that we should practice in the beginning and in the accomplished stage as well, this is dana – to give donations. Why? Because human life begins with sharing. They say that the difference between a small animal and a small human is that the small humans are ready to share their food. Small animals don’t share their food. I didn’t try it myself. But they say it’s like this. Well, sometimes I see that grown-up humans are not ready to share their food. Nevertheless, human life starts with sharing what you have. Donation or to give, or to serve – again the service mood – means you share what you have. Therefore we need to collect things – in order to be able to share. You can collect material assets and you can collect spiritual treasures. And they say that by giving you will be supplied.
So the first was yagya, sacrifice; the second was dana, to share what you have; and the third one is tapaha, asceticism or renunciation. It doesn’t sound inviting. We have this enjoying mentality: ‘Renunciation? This is Kali yuga, renunciation is not for this age.’ This ‘renunciation’ sounds very bad. But the original Sanskrit word is very interesting: tapaha means ‘heat’. Spiritual power, energy. Actually when Brahma started to create the universe – it’s quite a big job – he got an instruction, one mantra, and this mantra was tapaha – “practice renunciation”. He started to do this penance and this was the way he generated the energy that was necessary to create the whole world. So tapaha is an absolutely positive term, because this means you generate spiritual energy. Whenever you feel that you are stuck in your spiritual practice or in your life, it is recommended to make tapas. This is the way to release more energy. With these ascetic practices you can achieve a higher level of energy. So these three practices: yagya, sacrifice; dana, sharing; and tapaha, renunciation, should always be practiced – in the beginning, in the middle and at the end.
And you know, we read in the Puranas how the ancient rishi-munis were doing their tapas: on one leg and raising the hands to the sky, standing there for 400,000 years. But this is a step-by-step process, the bodily needs, the appetite, they were simply slowly decreasing: first not taking any solid food; then renouncing drinking; then finally taking only a few dried leaves from the trees once per week; and then giving up breathing. This is tapas. No doubt, we cannot do that today. Without food you can live for let’s say two months. Without water – few days. Without air? 3 minutes. You see, and still we don’t pay attention on our breathing.
So tapaha means to generate more energies. And what is our tapas? To do some small thing, that is a little difficult. If you like something – give it up. Reduce something that you like to do. Reduce your eating, for example. Be serious. Do something that is a little difficult, you have to control yourself, you have to force yourself a little, but something that you can do, that you can achieve and that you can keep to. That kind of tapas – some small thing as a practice – we can all do. That will help. Or you can take up a practice of some positive engagement – that’s even better. If you say ‘For one year I will never miss an opportunity for my meditation’. Or ‘Every weekend I will come to the program and I will offer a candle’. So something that you declare ‘I will do this as an offering, I will do this as a self-control in order to help myself and to serve’ – this you can do. So sacrifice, sharing and self-control.

(to be continued)

1.  Bhagavad Gita 18.3