Sharanagati

Rasa Lila: I am still very new in bhakti.

Tirtha Maharaj: Me toо.

Rasa Lila: There are very different things you do in your daily routine…

Tirtha Maharaj: No, I always come here, sit down and give a lecture.

Rasa Lila: I mean generally… And one of the things that is very interesting for me is how chanting the maha-mantra 108 times each day help a person? What is the reason for this?

Tirtha Maharaj: Try it, you will see. I can tell many miracles, but it’s only words. You should have the experience.

Rasa Lila: And I have one more question. You mentioned purifying the mind. How can we purify the mind?

Tirtha Maharaj: By chanting the maha-mantra 108 times per day.

Question of Yamuna: Maharaj, the first verse of “Vedanta Sutra” is “Athato brahma jigyasa – let’s ask about the Absolute”. And the last verse which is “who reaches, he never returns”. Can you tell us please something in between?

Tirtha Maharaj: In between we chant the maha-mantra 108 times per day. So, in the beginning there is inquiry, then is the practice and at the end you will not return.

Question of Krishna Priya: It is said that we should accept what is favorable and avoid what is unfavorable. I am noticing in my life that things I liked before or connections with people that used to be sweet before, now are not interesting for me and they are not favorable. From the other hand it is said that we should help people. So is it good to cut these connections or to try to help and preach to these people although they are not interested?

Tirtha Maharaj: You can try, but you will see what the result is. It’s not that you will cut the connection with them, but they will cut the connection with you.

There is a know-how of preaching also. Don’t embarrass people in the name of preaching. “My preaching is so strong that everybody is running away. I’m such a strong devotee!”

Once I have heard – and it is so painful for me – once I heard from a temple president: “We are so strong that during one year 70 % of the people who come will leave!” I started to wonder: if your preaching is so effective and your concern of devotees under your care as a temple president is so “nice”, so “charming” that from 10 persons 7 will run – you should think, my dear, what you are doing! Even if 3 would run away, you should look at yourself. What to speak of 70 % turned down! Wait a minute, this is not the mistake of others. If you cannot keep the persons happy in their practice, this is your mistake. So don’t be a proud temple president! “I can frustrate people so nice!” Never! Even if one soul is lost, you should cry.

So, preaching is an art. And what is the best way of preaching? It’s practice.

Try to take it serious. Because first you have to achieve something in order to distribute something. First collect, then you share. Before we don’t have anything, what can we share?

But that is true, if we change the set of values, then things that were very attractive before start to become like empty balls. And those ideals which were very distant, very far away from us, they become so natural. Like humility or selfless service or chanting the names – they will come closer.