Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 04.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

After so many years of practice we have come together again. The life in devotion is a life of expectations. But usually the life of people without devotion is also a life of expectation, right? Then what is the difference between a devoted life and a less devoted life?
Baladev: The goal of expectations.
Swami Tirtha: I agree. Because usually in life people want to achieve goals. But they don’t know what is the goal and what is the instrument. We don’t want to achieve goals. We want to practice the instruments. For example, in general people think that, let’s say, success is a goal. They expect success as a goal. But actually success is a result – а result of the proper activities. If your activities are improper, what kind of success do you expect? So first we have to understand the science of proper action. You act according to the whims of nature and you think that you will reach something substantial? If you are under the control of the material nature, what will you reach? Only material nature. Shrila Shridhar Maharaj says that something that is non-Krishna cannot give you Krishna. That means, if something is not spiritual, it cannot lead you to a spiritual goal. It’s very reasonable.
So success depends first on the proper activities and second on the blessings, on the agreement of the Supreme: “All right, I’ll give you this result”. Therefore it is said that the two-wheel cart cannot move on one wheel. Two wheels are necessary. One is the human effort and the second is the divine blessings. But ultimately we can say: it’s the divine blessings. Because Krishna says: ”I am the ability in man”[1]. Other times it is said that God turns into action in humans. So practically He is the only wheel. But to satisfy our selfish desires – ‘Alright, the second wheel is you’.
So the art of proper action is very much necessary. For that we have to understand what is action, what is reaction, what is forbidden and what is expected. Because you can do whatever you want, but it’s not allowed to do everything. You can – you can do a lot of things; but certain things you cannot. Certain actions are recommended, others are not only not recommended, but it is better to avoid them.
Activity is better than non-activity in one sense. Because non-action is a little tamasic. Action is rajasic. So at least be active – that is a little higher. But if we learn the proper science of action, that is sattvic. Again sometimes you look non-active on the sattvic platform, but that is totally different than non-action on the tamasic platform. Therefore the third chapter of the Gita is called Karma Yoga, right? Yet the fifth chapter is called Action in Krishna Consciousness – so action on a higher grade. And how to turn our karma into something higher, the simple activities into a spiritual practice – how to do that? Help me.
Baladev: When we do it for God.
Another: When we do our everyday activities consciously without expecting a result.
Hari Lila: When we offer our activity.
Swami Tirtha: Nice. In general we can say: if we add a little devotion to our action, then karma turns into karma-yoga. Then this is the path of connection based on action, activity. It’s the same with knowledge. Usually knowledge is considered something very valuable in human life. Therefore all this information technology takes advantage of this human desire to know. Usually people expect information, but what they receive is disinformation. Or bad news – this is what they distribute. Therefore it is said ‘Don’t bring the bad news’. Instead of knowledge, many times only ignorance is distributed. Whatever doesn’t help our spiritual consciousness to develop, ultimately will be lost and therefore it doesn’t serve the final purpose. Limited, material type of knowledge or information doesn’t really help. They say that wisdom is not a lot of information, but the knowledge of the essence.

(to be continued)

1.  Bhagavad Gita 7.8