Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 05.01.2018 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

“Friends who are younger than Krishna, who are always attached to Him and who give Him all kinds of service are called ordinary friends, or, simply, friends. Such ordinary friends are called sakhas, and the names of some sakhas are Vishala, Vṛṣabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha, Varuthapa, Maranda, Kusumapida, Manibandha and Karandhama. All of these sakha friends of Krishna seek only to serve Him. Sometimes some of them would rise early in the morning and immediately go to Krishna’s place and wait at the door to see Krishna and to accompany Him to the pasturing grounds. In the meantime, Krishna would be dressed by mother Yashoda, and when she would see a boy standing at the door, she would call him, “Well, Vishala, why are you standing there? Come here!” So with the permission of mother Yashoda, he would immediately enter the house. And while mother Yashoda was dressing Krishna, he would try to help put on Krishna’s ankle bells, and Krishna would jokingly strike him with His flute. Then mother Yashoda would call, “Krishna, what is this? Why are You teasing Your friend?” And Krishna would laugh, and the friend would also laugh. These are some of the activities of Krishna’s sakhas. Sometimes the sakhas would take care of the cows who were going hither and thither”. [1]
Another very dear engagement of these friends of Krishna is to have fighting and competition. Competition in running, or wrestling. So, practically all the Olympic games started in Vrindavana. But they are much more ambitious than these Olympic champions, because those ones only want to be champions of the world. But these guys are fighting with Krishna, they are competing with the Supreme Lord, with God! ‘I’m running faster than you, my Lord!’
Maybe you have heard, who is the champion on 100 meters run now? I don’t remember the name.
Answer: Bolt. Usain Bolt.
Swami Tirtha: Yes, what did he say? Did you hear his words: „Now there live 7 billion people on Earth. And previously in history another 7 billion. And from all these 14 billion people I run the fastest.“ I don‘t know the person, maybe this was a humble remark, but anyway it‘s easy to misunderstand. Yet what is said in the secret teachings, in the Upanishads? „Smallest of the smallest, greatest of the greatest. He has no material hands, yet reaching everything. He has no material legs, yet running faster than anybody“, including Usain Bolt.
So, if we are a little bit informed of divine philosophy, we definitely wouldn’t want to be the best in humanity in a competing manner. Because we have one person who has already won all the different possible games and competitions. Therefore we are ready to be united with Him in loving service; and then you are the best servant. Or maybe you are the best servant of the servants, of the servants.

(to be continued)

1. Nectar of devotion, Ch. 41