Sharanagati

Real religion is very important. And as we live in a kind of transition period we always have to search for new ways to express our religious feelings. We are searching for perfection, so we have to find the path to perfection. Therefore we shall focus on one song[1] about this path of perfection. The song describes the general situation of a human being – very fallen, very low position we have. But it’s not a lost case, because savior has come. Actually the path of liberation is chalked out or shown by God. The path of perfection is not invented by humans, it is given by God Supreme. But as humans are very weak in understanding God’s desire therefore He has to express it very obviously. Therefore He chooses special persons like saviors, preachers, prophets and gurus to disseminate the truth and to help the people to find the way back home, back to Godhead.

The first verses speak about this – that somebody has come to save us also. Because all the human beings have a birthright – you also, every one of us. We have a birthright to be part of the divine harmony. And what do you experience day by day instead of that divine harmony? Sometimes we see not really the sunny side of the life; nevertheless we have this birthright to be part of the divine sphere. Somebody has to show us how to get there, how to take our share from this divine inheritance. Somebody who knows the secret how to do that.

Generally people think that the fruit of religion is liberation or perfection. But here this verse describes something much higher. Here it is said that “the ecstatic love of Godhead is freely distributed”. Not simply perfection. Just try to understand, “a simple perfection” – perfection is very high! But still, compared to the limits, or the unlimited limits of ecstatic divine love, it’s just insignificant. The divine bliss, the bliss of the soul is much more beyond simple perfection. Some of our masters had written that so far we had passed the time, we had survived the time in this way or in another by searching for perfection, or following the path of perfection. But now this time, this period is over. “Shrimati Radharani, without Your mercy I cannot tolerate living anymore, not even for a moment.”[2] And this is very obvious that you Bulgarians come from the banks of the Ganges, because you preserve the memory of this beautiful young girl Radha.

Yamuna: There is no ugly Rada in our folklore.

Swami Tirtha: Of course! And if you meet this beautiful Radha, you will be happy. So, the bliss is coming from Her. So, if we meet that beautiful divine partner of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, then this inner happiness, inner harmony will definitely come.

Only in very short this is the version what is beyond perfection. Beyond liberation there is something much higher. And I think we all agree that we want to take our share in this divine inheritance where the ecstatic love of Godhead is freely distributed. Yes, we want to be there! But slowly, slowly, my dears, because it’s got some little requirements also. And this is sharanagati – the path of surrender, of dedication. The path of dedication will lead us to these highly intensive divine feelings and “this dedication is a true life of a real devotee”. And then the six elements of sharanagati are described: humility and dedication, Krishna is the maintainer and the protector, and also to practice the favorable activities and to refrain from the unfavorable.

And why these six processes are so important? Because “Krishna will listen to your prayers if you try to seek His shelter by these ways.” The search for God is a meaning of a human life. But how to do that? This is the main question. And also how to upgrade ourselves from a searcher to a finder. Haven’t you met persons who say: “Oh, I am a searcher. I am on the path and I am open.’ So many people say this, right? But very few first of all really mean it and even fewer will posses some real spiritual achievements.

[1] “Sharanagati” by Bhaktivinoda Thakura

[2] „Vilapa Kusumanjali” 101 by Raghunath das Goswami