Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 03.05.2018, arrival)

It is a pleasure to be here with you. While traveling here, I was wondering what topic to discuss. Then somebody suggested to me: “Just say ‘Hare Krishna to all!’ and everybody is happy. So basically, this is my message today. And I think this is my message for the upcoming days. If you want to find your spiritual perspective, just chant the holy names of God; and then see what will happen. We cannot make a demo version of your purification. And we cannot expect that everything will be flawless and very easy – we cannot promise that. Nevertheless, if we touch this language of the heart, some miracles we can expect. If we have the intensity of the call, we will never be left alone. Usually we all want proof. Correct? ‘I will accept if I see, I will believe if I see.’ But actually this works the other way around – if you believe, then you will be able to see. So this is our proof. It’s not necessary to believe blindly whatever you hear in the lectures. But try to check for yourself, try to see if it works or not.

Shall I share one definite proof with you, which you can experience today? Actually –which you are experiencing right now. Yes or no? Because I don’t want to force my truths upon you, so you have to agree. The elevation of the energy level – this is definite proof. It’s not that the hall is without AC. No, this is the raising of the energy level. You feel more heat. If we examine the material reasons, you might find a lot. But they are only very weak and very faraway representations or emanations of the original truth. If you are connected to a very high level of existence and reality, then something will change around you. You will start to feel that something wants to explode inside. Therefore it is said: ‘Don’t associate with sadhus, because your mind-set will explode.’ It’s risky! For example, Gurudev’s emanation was so strong that from the bus station I could feel whether he is at home or not. Very strong! Or you can have some other mystic experience if you associate with the divine truth. So, this is one proof that what we are discussing exists, there is something; you have to go deep and search for it for yourself. This is one proof, if you want. You might say ‘something external’, but it’s got some reason why.

But today, after thinking about these proofs, I want to say something about a very simple principle and this is the radius. What does it mean to you – radius?

Palana Shakti: That it affects the nearby people.

Paramananda: That there is a center.

Another: It transmits some message, some news.

Swami Tirtha: The radius is also a kind of scope. This is a very unique shape – the circle – with the smallest circumference and the biggest area. This is due to the radius. And the central point. So, the radius is something that is familiar to you – your radius. For example, your village, your country is your radius; and a little bit further on. To the limit your radius expands you feel at home, you feel comfortable. If you go beyond your radius, you feel a little uneasy – it’s a new place, it’s something strange, something unusual. Of course, people differ in their radius – one has a very small one, the other has a larger radius – but everybody’s got a limit of their radius. And this is not only a physical dimension, because that’s easy to understand – but it’s also true in the spiritual sense. You can apply this principle on the physical platform, it’s easier, and you can experience that. Go to an unknown place, go to a strange country and you don’t know anything – how to buy a bus-ticket and then how to validate your ticket. It’s crazy – little things, but they start to disturb you, make you feel uneasy. Then you accommodate and you will understand.

In the same manner we have an intellectual radius – something that you can understand; and if something is beyond that limit, then it’s very difficult to understand it, very difficult to agree with it even. So not only to understand – because all right, it is complicated – but even to accept that something is beyond. Therefore humans have this inner thirst for broader understanding. This desire to know more is a proof that complete knowledge, full knowledge exists, because otherwise you wouldn’t search for more understanding.

(to be continued)