Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 11.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

The bright sunshine has come. Now we can really appreciate it after so many days of darkness, fog and cold. Unfortunately, we human beings are like this – we can appreciate the blessed, divine things only in their absence. Krishna surya sama, Krishna’s sun is always shining, but unfortunately due to the clouds of ignorance sometimes we forget about it. Therefore we need to overcome this human nature – slow to learn and easy to forget – and we had better work under the opposite principle, so that we grab the essence quickly and we never forget about this essence.

But now let us continue our studies concerning the divine lotus flower. As we discussed, there are different layers of understanding this very beautiful symbol. We were discussing the lotus of the heart, the lotus as a cosmic symbol, the lotus as a spiritual symbol for us, like the essence of creation. Then based on the understanding that we have reached from the Brahma Samhita, describing the lotus, the shatkona, the surrounding areas, all the different partners and representatives around this whorl of divine unity, if we specify this structure more we shall come to the dearest associates of Krishna. We can say that the servants and the beloved devotees of Krishna are also arranged in a similar lotus-like manner. This is another living lotus mandala. As we discussed, if we put the Divine Couple in the center of our life, then everything else will be arranged accordingly. Therefore, this lotus mandala of the dearest devotees is also centered around the Divine Couple. And this is called yoga-pitha, which is like a symbolic structure of the arrangement of the different devotees. This yoga-pitha is the foundation of our faith. And upon this foundation we should establish the object of our worship – Radha-Govinda are in the center.

So, all the mandalas share some common features, like a square shape on the periphery. There are always some gates to the cardinal directions and when we enter this sacred space, we will find some harmony inside expressed through the circle. The square always symbolizes the material sphere and this sacred space is isolated from the material sphere. Yet the gates mean that it is not totally isolated, that it is possible to enter this sacred space. We can say that this is our hope – even this symbolic representation means that there is a way to approach divinity. And in the absolute center of all mandalas you will find a center point. Usually, that is the point of breakthrough. Because for a long time, when you approach your mandala, you come from the external world, from the material life. And you try to approach your mandala in a horizontal direction; then you reach a gate. You enter and you come closer and closer to the essence. And there, at this meeting point with divinity, it is just like a temple complex – you come from the external world and through the different yards, gates and entrances you come closer to the holy of the holiest – to the murti, who is residing in this temple complex. And then where you meet God – this is the point of breakthrough. Then your horizontal movement will change into a vertical connection. So, for a long time in our spiritual path we move on the same platform, though trying to come closer to the essential understanding. But when you are there, in this special point of concentrated spiritual power, then you can elevate your consciousness. And this is like a spiritual quantum leap.

(to be continued)