Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 07.01.2018 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

I didn’t forget about the previous sentence “Show me whom you love, and I will tell you who you are”. We can return to that point.

During many millions of lifetimes we have been searching for the ideal affection. We have been doing that before and in this lifetime we are also trying to find the real love. Because this is the language of the heart and soul. This is what gives us wings. This will help us to become angels. And fortunately, we have learned that the supreme possible affection exists in the spiritual realm.

In our divine tradition, Krishna is accepted as the ultimate beauty. God is not only good, but He is beautiful. And we all try to love the Supreme, we try to develop some affection, feel something for Him. But there are some devotees, there are some lovers of God who are very close to Him. And this is reflected in your national culture as well. Because when Krishna was here on this planet Earth, He came as a cowherd. He didn’t come as a king, He didn’t come as an almighty God, but He came as one of us. And you know, if you live in a village as a cute and nice boy, usually there is a most beautiful girl in the village as well, right? Who is the most beautiful girl in the village in your folk songs? Rada, right? So you know everything about our tradition. Because Rada also represents the love affairs, right? Something always happens around her. And what should happen around a beautiful girl? Some theoretical discussions? No, never. Actually, this is the same in the spiritual sky. Krishna is the ultimate beauty and Radha, His most beloved girl, is the ultimate love.

So, the topmost secret is about their meeting. Because the meeting of Radha and Krishna is considered to be the meeting of the soul, the human soul, and God Supreme. Symbolically, this signifies the divine invitation for us, the chance to be united with the Supreme.

And just to get some idea about the intensity of the affection between the soul and God, between Radha and Krishna, let me quote something from a very important book of our ancient tradition. This is a book of Rupa Goswami, he was an ascetic saint who lived 500 years ago in India and he discussed these ultimate relationships with the divine. In his book there is the following description about the affection towards Krishna: “Shrimati Radharani said: “Dear Mr. Cupid, please do not excite me throwing all your arouse at my body. Dear Mr. Air, please do not arouse me with the fragrance of flowers. I am now bereft of Krishna’s loving attitude. And so, under these circumstances, what is the use of my maintaining this useless body?”[1]

So, ‘dear Mr. Cupid, don’t throw your arouse over me. Mr. Air, don’t make me mad with the aroma of flowers. As I cannot see, as I cannot have the presence of my beloved one, Krishna, my life has no meaning. I can hardly maintain my life.’

This is the greatest philosophy. When due to separation, being separated from God, you are so devastated that you feel like your life has got no meaning. Some people choose their partner for a lifetime on the principle ‘with whom I can live for this lifetime’. They think that this is love. But actually this is only half-perfect. Real love is ‘in whose absence I will die immediately’. So until you have plans with whom to live, it’s a neophyte stage of affection. If due to the separation from that person you feel so devastated that your life is finished, that is the real standard.

(to be continued)

[1] The Nectar of devotion, ch.44