Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 02.01.2018 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Returning to our original point: what is the most attractive feature in Krishna for you?

Damodar: That He is the beloved of Radha.

Swami Tirtha: You know the philosophy, I see. Very nice. Others?

Yashoda: I like the way how Krishna loves Radha and how He is making some tricks to impress Her.

Swami Tirtha: Yes, this is the difference. She doesn’t have to make any trick to impress Him, you see. Raga?

Raga Manjari: That once you meet Krishna, you cannot forget Him.

Ramvijay: What I like in Krishna is that He is giving us Gurudev. It’s not just a formal answer, because really in this world it’s not so easy to be touched by the spiritual world. So, I really think one of the greatest mercies He can give is to give us Gurudev.

Swami Tirtha: They say Krishna provides the sadhu and sadhu provides Krishna. So, both work for each other and for us as well. And again, this is like a hidden secret of spiritual life. How it happens – we never know. But it does happen. Shrila Shridhara Maharaja says that if you want to find Krishna, you have to search in the heart of the pure devotee. Because there you will find that special inspiration, that special presence that activates that person. And through this you can also understand something, or guess something. Just remember Rupa Goswami’s example: he is considered to be so powerful that he holds the divine perfection in his fist. And he opens his fist and shows it like a gem, like a precious stone in his hand. Krishna sends the sadhu and the sadhu will bring Krishna with Himself. Please, also become sadhus – so that you can bring Krishna, divine mercy to others. Palana, what is your preference?

Palana Shakti: I am impressed by His definition of service: you can start with quite nothing, just offer something. And after that you realize you have to give it all.

Swami Tirtha: Another trick. When we are on the hook, then we cannot escape.

He is a good teacher. He educates nicely. ‘Give me some small insignificant things.’ And when you are enamored and invited by these small little things, you think that you can afford that, then He comes with the real demands. And His list is long. On His list He has all that we have. All this which we are ready to offer officially; but all this that we want to preserve for ourselves – which is more difficult to give up, we have to sacrifice it.

But this is the game of love. ‘Give me just one glance!’ ‘I am happy to give you one glance.’ And then you are lost. You are lost. Slowly-slowly He will acquire everything. Officially we know that it’s good. Yet when we start to lose something, we are upset. ‘Why? Why me? I am serving You, why do You behave so rudely with me?’

When Shrila Prabhupada when bankrupt many times in his life, he said: “From all those whom Krishna likes He will take away everything.” Do we have that mentality? If you go bankrupt, are you happy? But it is said if Krishna wants to take away something from you, even if you have 10 hands, can you protect yourself?

Baladev: No way! Even thousand won’t do.

Swami Tirtha: That’s the second part. But if He wants to give you something, even if you have thousands of hands you cannot reject, you cannot stop Him. He will take away all the obstacles, my dear ones. And He is ready to give Himself to you. Other preferences?

Ganga Mata: Freedom.

Swami Tirtha: Freedom? He is free, but you are not.

Ganga Mata: The question was what we like in Krishna.

Swami Tirtha: All right. My answer was that He is free but you are not. He is said to be ‘sovereign’. It’s quite difficult to understand this independence or vairagya. This is a divine quality, vairagya. Why? He is free, He is absolutely free. He gives the rules and He is not bound by the rules. Only sometimes and in some cases. But this freedom is a divine feature, we can say. This absolute freedom – you can do whatever you like – if you give this capacity to a fool, what will happen? A disaster! So freedom also means great responsibility. For freedom we need to pay a high price. People like freedom, but they hardly like to pay the price. Yet we know, the ultimate freedom comes form this living and loving connection with the Supreme. Because if He is free and I’m not only a servant, but a slave of that freedom, then I also become free.

Some want to stop Krishna’s freedom. ‘Don’t move that fast. Don’t go today. You always want to go. Stay with us!’ So, to curb the freedom of the Supreme is possible by a special power, and I think you all know that power.

(to be continued)