Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 15.08.2017 morning, Ludasto)

(continues fro the previous Friday)

Finally, after the goddess of fortune, the amrita also came out of the Milk Ocean. Amrita is attractive to all – to have eternal life. And many religious or mystic processes have it as a goal – eternity. Although if you attend a lecture on bhakti-yoga, on the first lecture you will hear that we are eternal souls. So, this is like basic information, not an ultimate goal.
If for us eternity is a starting point, then what is the goal? The goal is divya-darshan, the goal is to meet the Supreme. And finally this also happens here in this story. To create harmony and balance between the universal forces of the demons and the demigods, Lord Vishnu takes care of this. When there is a small trouble in the Universe, that is handled by Lord Vishnu. Well, first by the local administration; if a little more trouble is there, then higher administration will come, then lokapalas – demigods of the certain planets, and then higher and higher. And ultimately in the universal affairs – the balance, harmony and protection are provided by Lord Vishnu.
You remember, this happened when Mother Earth felt overburdened. She went to Brahma: “Please, help me! I feel overburdened!” Brahma said: “I cannot help by myself, let’s go to Lord Vishnu.” Then standing on the shore of the ocean, Brahma started his meditation and in this way he was enlightened by Lord Vishnu: “Don’t worry, I will come as Krishna and I will resolve all the troubles”.
The appearance of Krishna, the appearance of God is the answer to all problems. Krishna prepared everything to come and to meet His devotees, to enjoy some pastimes together with them and also to give an example to us sitting here.
Krishna likes dramas. To come and to appear in a simple and peaceful way when nothing really happens – it’s boring. To simply show His divine power – there’s no challenge in this. Therefore sometimes the troubles are so great that they inspire the Supreme to appear. Don’t forget, in the beginning of the 20th century Bhaktivinod Thakur thought: “Ah, the world is so crazy, so degraded that only an incarnation can help here. God should come!” And what about the 21st century?
Therefore Krishna descends every year. At least He reminds His servants that ‘Hey, I also have a so-called birthday.’ He is not bound by any rule and any regulation. Krishna can come at any time, at any moment and under any circumstances. It all depends on the invitation. So we need to invite Him by our offerings, so that we find shelter under His lotus feet and He would never leave the lotus throne of our heart. In this way we can be sure: if we go with Him, He will come with us.
We shall continue to enter deeper and deeper not only into the history, because this is very external, but better we say into the mystery of the appearance of Krishna. We started in the morning in the lake – to meet the sun. I am sure you remember the Milk Ocean that was floating there in the form of fog. And also the birds of soul, the soul-birds appeared. And finally the light came. So, the light has overcome the darkness. And we shall celebrate until and beyond midnight. We can say: from the light we shall go to the darkness. ‘From the light lead me to the darkness!’ Why? Because the real secrets are not on the open platform, the real secrets are always hidden. In this way Krishna also came in the darkness of the night, because this is a secret appearance. Obvious, yet secret. And whenever we perceive the darkness, we have the strong conviction that this darkness will be illuminated by the dark sun of Krishna.