


Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami Tirtha
Apr
21
(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 02.05.2018, Rila)
First of all, I have to express my gratitude to the organizers of this Mela. It is you, you all. Because we work on the individual and on the society platform as well. Without the one, the other part doesn’t happen. We are all individuals, taking part in a very important practice and this is sadhu-sanga. To meditate at home alone – it’s good; to chant the holy name alone at home is good. The upgrade of the individual meditation is joint meditation; if we chant the holy names together – it’s better. The more people come together in the name of God, in the service of the Supreme, the better it is. But to chant aloud is even better. This is called bhajan. And what is the upgrade of bhajan? Kirtan. In this way we reach some very high platform of intensity, when we can forget about ourselves. It’s so difficult otherwise.
Theoretically we all agree on this point. But to really perceive that, to really expose ourselves to that experience – when finally you forget about your identity, ambitions, whatever… and you simply go with the flow of divine happiness – this is а very rare, blessed moment.
Therefore I have to express my gratitude to all of you who made this meeting possible. And not only those who are sitting here around, but to all the great saints and small saints from the previous times. Because we’re always remembering the great saints, but nobody discusses the small saints. Yet without the small saints, the great saints cannot function. Without the thousands of practitioners, the great ones cannot spread their own wings. We need very exceptional, unique, great stalwarts, and we need the very simple practitioners – both. The one and the many.
So, I express my gratitude, and I think our gratitude, to all the predecessors, who were practicing, who were teaching, who were receiving the teachings, etc., etc. On the external platform we can say that they are not with us anymore. But the holy name unites. So they are definitely sitting here with us. And I have to express our gratitude to the future practitioners, the future saints; we might say that they are not with us yet. Yet I feel that in their seed form they are here with us. In their potential they are here with us. So it is not only 30-50 people sitting here in this room. Dozens and hundreds and thousands and unlimited numbers are associating with us and with the holy name right now.
How many times do you read in the Chaitanya Charitamrita that when Mahaprabhu was walking, thousands were following Him. And they were taking the dust of the feet of Mahaprabhu so much, that they excavated the soil of the road and big holes manifested. Who knows how it happened?! Maybe for the physical eye there were only a few people around. But for the spiritual eye there were the majority of the souls in this universe – thousands and millions of followers.
So, it’s only a question of your vision how many souls you perceive in this room – a few or a lot. But anyway, we have to express our gratitude to all of them. We are the sons and daughters of our spiritual fathers and mothers, in order to become the spiritual fathers and mothers of our following sons and daughters. Please, try to take it to your heart! The only reason why we are here is because we are followers of someone; and we have to be here so intensely and so purely that others can take your example as well. In this way we don’t live only in the present moment, but we live in eternity. This is one way to overcome death – this fearful, frightening enemy. If you remember the predecessors and if you pray for the future generations, you are safe. Then you are part of a grand procession, where everybody comes together in the name of God and for the glorification of the Supreme.
(to be continued)
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