Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 06.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Question of Krishna Shakti: When one is starting on the spiritual path, but the family is not favorable, what is the proper manner of associating with parents?

Swami Tirtha: Respectful. With respect. This relationship will never change. The control of the body is given in the Gita: deva-dvija-guru-pragya-pujanam shaucam arjavam/ brahmacaryam ahimsa cha shariram tapa ucyate – “The control of the body means you worship God, you respect the brahmins, the guru and the elders, like father and mother.” So, it’s included in the control of the body. It’s a principle. It’s not only an individual relationship, but this is a principle. Father is a principle. Guru is a principle. Unfortunately, many times our parents do not fully represent a spiritual authority. That blessing we can get at other places. But the respect to superiors, like parents, should always be there. Still, respect to elders doesn’t mean that you follow all they say. So, authority and spiritual authority. Respect and spiritual respect. We need to give both. Therefore, we are fully indebted to the holy name, because as a prime spiritual practice, it will change our life. Already it has changed it, but future changes are expected. 

Question of Paramananda: The breakfast of Nanda Baba was very spicy. But nevertheless, Krishna continued taking it. This is because He was very hungry or on some other reason? 

Swami Tirtha: He is always hungry. But He’s got a very special food. This is devotion. But not devotion as a baby food – with no spices and no taste, and no nothing there, only generic devotion, like a kachamak. He wants a special taste – and this is when devotion is surcharged with higher components. In general, we can say that real spiritual practice will start when your consciousness is surcharged with devotion. But the even higher platform is when your devotion is surcharged with rasa. And we can say, an even higher grade of rasa is ruchi. So, the spice that we have to add to general devotion is this specific taste in relationship with the Divine Couple. 

So, Krishna is hungry, He is not satisfied. He needs more and more. And therefore He invites more and more souls to ease the hunger. I am sure I mentioned this milk miracle. Do you remember that? When, first in Delhi, in one temple, Ganesh started to accept milk. They offered the milk and it disappeared. You know, in India very soon the news spread. And then hundreds of people were coming to this specific temple and everybody brought milk. ‘If Ganesh is taking the milk, I bring the milk – to satisfy him.’ And one of our devotees, who at that time was living in Delhi said in half a day Delhi stopped to function. Because very soon Ganesh started to accept milk in other temples also. So people were thronging around the temples and waiting in long queues, to see the private miracle: ‘Ganeshji will take my milk’ – and people were bringing the milk in gallons. But very soon the miracle spread to other continents as well. In London, Ganesh started to accept milk as well. The television was there and they were filming. And you could see: they give Ganesh, either with a spoon or with some little cup – and the milk is disappearing. It was really astonishing! Then the scientific community also came to give an opinion about the miracle. And they said, “The stone that Ganesh is carved off is porous. So it absorbs the milk.” But wait a minute, what about the metal deities? Come on, the metal is not porous. The metal Ganesh was also accepting the milk. And then they made some interviews with the people in the queues. There was an Indian gentleman, I think that was in London, and he said, “You know, I work as an accountant and I’m an agnostic, but in case there is a miracle, I also brought my milk”. Yet the most touching was one interview with a devotee, I’m sure she was a very elevated devotee, because she said, “The gods are hungry. They give us a message. They need our service”. So beautiful! 

So, what will happen in the evening? When you offer your milk to Ganesh, or your Gopal, or whatever deity you worship – will you force them to drink the milk? Will you drown them in a cup of milk? Will you want to prove the miracle for yourself? Please don’t do that, most probably you will fail. Because it’s not the physical substance what they want to accept. It is the finer quality that Krishna needs. And this finer quality, this pure dedication they will always accept. So don’t be satisfied with bringing only the milk. Bring also this very special preparation – your purehearted devotion.