Sharanagati

How to be connected with the Supreme – this is a logical question. But Krishna in the “Gita” acts like a very good teacher, because He sets a very high target, but explains the gradual process how to get there. He says – and this is a beautiful explanation how to see God everywhere:

“O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.”[1]

We could talk about this verse for a week, minimum. Because here are the different aspects how to see our Lord everywhere. He starts: “I am the taste of water.” The Sanskrit goes: “raso ‘ham” and finally He says “apsu kaunteya” –  “I am rasa, I am the taste… of water.”  I am rasa, I am the essence, I am the taste of everything. Everybody is running after good taste. Therefore I come running to Sofia. We are running for good taste. Shrila Prabhupada used to say that if in sweet shops they use ghee, they do not have to use any advertisement. It gives very special and very delicate taste. If you give best taste to people, they will come running. You do not have to wash their brains with some advertisements. Taste will satisfy them, taste will invite them. And here Krishna says: “I am the taste.”

Is not that beautiful? Shall we read anything else from this “Gita”? I am taste – finished! Krishna could stop here and all the Kurukshetra war would just not be manifested. If Arjuna would understand everything immediately, then the whole Mahabharata story would be finished. But Krishna wanted to avoid this problem in history, therefore He said: “I am rasa… of water” in order Arjuna would not faint immediately.

“I am the taste of water” – and water is a very special element. Liquid, transparent, no odor and no taste. And Krishna says: “I am the taste.” Water has a taste or does not have a taste? It has very pleasant taste. When you do not recognize – this is real water! When you recognize: hey, this water has some taste, then something is wrong with that. So, Krishna is hiding as taste behind the water. You cannot recognize, He is hiding so much, but He is there, He is this unknown, unknowable taste of water.

Tsvety: But when you are thirsty, water is tasty.

Tirtha Maharaj: Yes! And we take what kind of water – we take the Black Sea water? No, we take sweet water, right?! Water is sweet! Is it sweet indeed – it is not sweet! Still we call that this is sweet water. Drinking water you can call sweet water, right? So, to what conclusion we can come? Krishna is sweet! That hidden taste of water is sweet, Krishna is very sweet. “I am the taste of water.”

How many times you have tasted water in your life – unlimited times! And how many times you have remembered: “Ah! This is the taste, this is God, this is Him.” So, one humble offering for you to be connected always: if in your life, whenever you taste water, do not forget: “This is Him.” This is Him – this hidden, unknowable, sweet taste – this is Krishna.

And just think if the introduction, the first lesson, is so charming and this taste is so sweet, what about the post-gradual studies of Bhakti?!