Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 06.05.2018, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Question of Kripadham: You said that one may chant his whole life and Krishna still wouldn’t appear. And He can reveal Himself wherever He likes. But what I have understood is that to the sadguru, Krishna definitely reveals Himself. My question is, if we listen to the chanting of the sadguru, does it mean that Krishna reveals Himself to us as well? Or is it an invitation for us, because a guru usually speaks to you, but talks to somebody else? Sometimes it happens: he talks to someone, but sends some message to somebody else also.

Swami Tirtha: Therefore, to associate with sadhus is very complicated. ‘Don’t associate with them, you will be perplexed. No, it’s not good – then I don’t know what is what. Now at least I know. I am fully in illusion, so I know what is what. If I am exposed to something else, my whole concept will crumble.’

Well, just the other day I read one discussion very similar to your question – whether Krishna would reveal Himself to a pure devotee or not. And the answer was: maybe not. But if a pure devotee has all the qualities of a pure devotee, we must consider him a pure devotee. Irrespective of Krishna revealing Himself to him or not. Do you like that upgrade to your question?

So, maybe He is there, maybe He is not there. This is their business – of Krishna and the pure devotee. My business is to follow them. This is the difference. It’s not my task to judge, to investigate, to see. It’s their private business. It’s a very intimate connection whether He comes or doesn’t come. But my duty is to follow the advice nicely.

If my hero commits himself to the service of the Divine Couple, then what can I do? If my personal savior, my full life example is doing this, then what can I do? If my ideal guru is walking in the rain, what can I do? Stay inside? Wait until the rain stops? No, I will walk in the rain with Him. Because I have an invitation: “If you come with me, I will go with you.” And then, what is the destination? What is the end of this journey? Where is the end?

The revelation is their private business. I know my place. I know where my eyes should see. And this is the footsteps. That’s enough.

So, if a person has all the symptoms and all the qualities of a pure devotee, we should consider him a pure devotee. I think we can accept that. Because sometimes Krishna reveals Himself in a very secret way. Do you know mimicry? Mimicry means that you are present in such a way that nobody notices you. There is also an inverse mimicry – when you are absent, everybody will miss you.

But as this is a descending process – yes, by following the footsteps of the great ones, we shall also come closer to our goal. Why? Because our moon wanderers, our examples, are going ahead of us. And they know very well that there is a difference between the full moon and the finger pointing to the full moon. And they are not satisfied with the finger. They search for the full moon. And if we follow their search, then we are also searching for the full moon.

(to be continued)