Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 09.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Many times the heart is compared to a lotus flower. And usually we expect from a lotus flower to be pure, right? The lotus is a symbol of purity. Also, the lotus is a symbol of divine powers, a symbol of creation as well. When the petals of the lotus flower are open, this represents the manifest form of creation, vyakta. And when it is closed, like a bud, then this is the avyakta state of the universe. So it’s a very important symbol. Therefore it is in the hands of Lord Vishnu – because He holds the key of creation in the form of a lotus flower.
There are many different words in Sanskrit for ‘lotus’. This very beautiful symbol has different biological characteristics as well. One type of lotus blossoms at midnight in the moonshine, the other blossoms during the day in the sunshine. All these characteristics help us understand this universal symbol.
Many times it is used to describe the position of a disciple. We know this description very well: Krishna is the sun, the devotee is the lotus flower and the guru is the water around. Without the water, the flower would die in the scorching heat of the sun. Therefore a disciple should be pure, very pure. It also shows that he is like the creation in its most potential form. From a lotus bud can come the most beautiful flower; in the same way, from a pure-hearted devotee, a pure devotee might come. So you can develop in your spiritual consciousness. And also with this cosmic symbol, the lotus flower, Lord Vishnu blesses His devotees. Therefore we can also say that even this whole creation is a blessing for the beings.
So some words in Sanskrit describe the place where the lotus flower starts from. One is apja. Ap means ‘water’, -ja means ‘birth’; so the birth place of a lotus flower is the water. Or pankaja, panka is ‘mud’, born from mud. This is also like a disciple – born from the mud of illusions, but blossoming in the divine light of Radha-Govinda lila. Other names are more poetic. For example, kairava means the white lotus that will blossom at full moon. Kumuda, this is the white waterlily that will blossom at the rise of the moon. Aravinda is another name for the lotus flower and this is connected to Kamadev, because this is one of his arrows. And you know, if Kamadev pierces the heart with his arrows, then nobody can resist. Pushkara, another name for a lotus – this is the blue lotus. But in general they say padma; or sometimes they say kamala. Padma also means a very great number – ten on the twelfth.
All right. There are some yogis here, right? Tell me, where is the lotus in yoga?
Vedavid: Sahasrara-chakra.
Swami Tirtha: Oh, very good. One. Other? Padmasana – the lotus posture. It’s also very interesting, because in this way your body form a triangle – again providing all the potentials of spiritual elevation. Then what happened when Lord Buddha achieved enlightenment? He rose from his meditation posture, started to walk and in his steps lotus flowers started to pop up from the very dry earth. Through this you can check whether you have achieved enlightenment. If the lotuses are coming, all right, something has happened; if not, then “work now, samadhi later”[1].
And as you mentioned the top, the crown chakra is also compared to a lotus flower. Practically all the other chakras are compared to a lotus, but this is the most important one – the level of enlightened consciousness. Again, a thousand petals; it’s not necessary to count, because here a thousand again means too much, fully blossomed.

(to be continued)

1.  A famous quote from Shrila Prabhupada