Sharanagati

Many people strive for freedom. Different activities like social activities or escaping from a prison – everyone wants freedom, right? Or some political activities to achieve this liberal freedom; others will think: “Ah, if I achieve more money, then I will be free.” We should see how many different understandings people have about freedom. But ultimately freedom should be – free from the entanglement and the limitations of matter. Liberate your soul! Spiritual liberation. We can say that we are a Spiritual Liberation Movement. SLM.

Kripadham: Sounds a little revolutionary.

Tirtha Maharaj: Ah! You can put it “Shri Lalita Madhava”. But actually Shri Lalita Madhava – this is the Spiritual Liberation Movement.

Transcend the modes and you can be free from birth, death, old age and their distress. So, if we speak about freedom or liberation, we should understand freedom from what? Practically these were the limitations of material life, of bodily existence. And think a little bit! If we have that vision, that you can overcome death, you can overcome suffering – should we waste our time in conflicts, in being dissatisfied or in any little stupid things every day?! Please, have the high vision! If we understand that we are working for the ultimate freedom, spiritual freedom, then a little sacrifice for that cause – come on, that is nothing! In that light to dedicate a few years of our life – is that something? Not so much.

Just think, if you will achieve eternal life, but you do not train yourself right here and now, then you will be limited in your eternal position also. Because, let us say, you achieve half success, eternity is there, but knowledge is missing – what is that? An eternal fool, right?! So, we should not finish a half job. Complete job is necessary.

And you can enjoy the nectar even in this life. What is this nectar? This nectar is the happiness. So we can condition ourselves, we can teach ourselves how to be happy. As we were discussing we should organize trainings for happiness. Now you just smile, but this is so important! People have very bad conditionings. They are suffering and they condition themselves for suffering. We should liberate them from this bad conditioning. They do not have the practice how to come out of the bad conditioning. Most of them complain about their jobs, about their families. And every day they repeat: “Ah, this is so bad, I am so dissatisfied.” If this is your mantra: “This is bad for me” you will never be happy or satisfied. Right, it happens many times! Therefore really I consider that a very good chance for preaching and helping our fellow human beings – training for happiness. You can enjoy the nectar, you can be satisfied. And that satisfaction is not that type that people are searching outside, this is an inner peace, inner satisfaction, inner integrity.

“One who is self-controlled and unattached and who disregards all material enjoyments can obtain, by practice of renunciation, the highest perfect stage of freedom from reaction.”[1]

Again, freedom from reactions. So not only from the limitations, but also from the reactions you can free, liberate yourself – by surrender. But the actual liberation will come to you; it is not that we liberate ourselves.

I think I provide full freedom for my disciples. So you do not have to fight for your freedom with me. But please, be a partner in that freedom. Because just see what happens in the outside world: people are fighting for their freedom, and when they achieve it, what is next? They spoil it. They misuse their freedom. So you do not have to fight for your freedom in spiritual life. Do not spoil it, do not misuse it.

And to live and use our freedom we have to be really smart. Do not think because I do not push you and I do not chase you that you do everything correct. You have to be very alert and very careful to understand what is the proper action. So you have to work hard to fulfill your freedom. And I expect from you that type of highly committed and deeply understood freedom. Because I am fully convinced that if we work under violence and under pressure, it will not last for a long time. This is not an army, we are not the army of Krishna. But we should work under the principle of free choice. “Gurudev, I want to do. I want to join the dance. I want to do my best in Krishna’s service.” This is the way! You have full freedom what to do. But offer your efforts, your energies, your talents to the service. This is the way to use and to live our freedom. This is a little more difficult than to be under full control. If somebody comes to you and tells you at every little step what to do and how to do and what to think and what not to think, this is for robots. Robotics as a science is improving, but I would like to see living beings around me, not smart robots, that work only under order. Use your activities, use your capacities, understand your duties and live your freedom. So please, let us be partners in this great Spiritual Liberation Movement! Be free actors, but acting in harmony. Because freedom without harmony is chaos. Smart and humble activity – this is our freedom.

And when we have achieved this, we have realized this principle inside our group and inside our mind, then we can come as humble servants in the lotus feet of Shrila Shridhara Maharaj, who gave this definition that freedom is slavery – to offer our respects and worship.