


Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami Tirtha
Jul
23
I think most people need very simple messages, like “I am the taste of water.” And Krishna is ready to give very simple message. And for me this is very practical side of Bhakti: how to see God everywhere. Which is at the same time a high school of spiritual practices. Because you are, we are, all of us are engage in so many activities and many times we just forget who is behind everything. We are enamored by the pearls and we do not see the string. Just think in your life whether you can permanently maintain your consciousness or it is moving in waves. Sometimes up – then you feel better; sometimes down – then you feel the pain or the lack of spiritual fulfillment.
Everyday life moves in waves, no doubt. Therefore the first step, the great jump is the step of yoga, the level of yoga, where you have permanent consciousness. Yoga means to be connected to the supreme source and it also means you are connected to the source of happiness. Many times I have mentioned to you that in your own personal individual life you are just a small peripheral computer, but when you are connected, when you chant, when you are in meditation, when you are in yoga, then you are connected to the central Big Brother, with the big computer with all the resources and all the assets that it has. Therefore humans are limited, but God is unlimited. When you are connected to God, you also have unlimited capacities. But sometimes on your screen some messages come: “Overload” It is just too much! Please, Krishna, not so fast! You give too much energy to me! Or other times “System failure”. Breakdown.
We should be always united. And usually if people meet such a person, who is always united, who has this permanency, they are amazed: “Wow! Such an unique feature! What is your secret?” If people meet such a person, usually they ask: “Is there any time when you are upset?” Because what they see is permanency and quiet state of consciousness. And this is so unique, that they think: “Ah, this is almost completely divine!” But this is only an intermediate stage of spiritual elevation. Because what is the highest ideal of Bhakti? Who represents the highest ideal of Bhakti?
Ramvijay: Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Tirtha Maharaj: All right, if we take His example, He was mad! He was mad with divine love! Sometimes He tried to compose himself, but many times He could not. Trembling and tears and speech and… impossible to control. For example when He was in trance, He tried to utter the name of Jagannath. You know in Jagannath Puri this big procession, this nice feature of God – Lord of the Universe – He wanted to praise. And what was coming out from His mouth? “Ja-ja-ga-ga-du-du…” This was all that He could say! So much in trance, that He could not pronounce such a simple name as Jagannath. Do you want to follow such an example?! Do you want to become mad, not to be able to pronounce the name of God? He had a permanent consciousness? Yes, He had, that consciousness was permanent, but you know, very unusual.
You should not simply imitate the form, but invite the essence, take the essence into your heart and there cultivate. And if you really come to such a stage when you are unable to say “Krishna” then this is some real achievement. Until that time do not imitate. It is not necessary.
So far about Mahaprabhu as the main emblematic person of Bhakti-yoga. We can go on describing His different ecstasies for a long time. And I am very happy that psychologists do not read “Chaitanya Charitamrita”, because immediately they will identify the symptoms. But give me another example of Bhakti. Gopis, right. So, what about the permanent consciousness and the peace of mind of the gopis? They are very satisfied all the time and have a very unshakable consciousness? Because yoga for most people means: no emotions. Just like the North American Indians – they were trained to tolerate pain without any response. They were tied to this pole of torture and still without move on their face. So many people think that yoga is like this: no response to anything. Which is possible; but this is not the yoga of the gopis, neither the gopis, nor the gopalas. Sometimes they were coming with their conditions: “Krishna, You do like this.” Sometimes they were chastising; sometimes they were very sad.
Yoga means that the lake of your consciousness is very smooth. But bhakti means that this mirror of your consciousness is in big waves! Up and down, storm is there and thunderbolts are splashing. Again you return to the same state of consciousness – troubled. But on a different reason. So, this is the process. Maybe I did not tell you in the beginning, but this is what you can expect.
Still, on the general platform we must have some composed and reliable state of life. So, next time you drink water do not faint. We remember “I am the taste” – finished for today.
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