Sharanagati

Question of Hari Lila: It often happens in our life that we have to work with material things and often, of course, our focus is also on the material things. For example I am working a lot with people and I am a very emotional person; and part of my job is controlling these people who work for me, so I get very much emotionally involved into their mistakes. I would like to know how to protect myself from this kind of meditation?

Tirtha Maharaj: Is it too harsh if I understand it in such a way that how to protect myself from the mistakes of others and being too much emotional on that?

Hari Lila: No, I am conscious that I am getting deeper into the mud in this way.

Tirtha Maharaj: Our basic principle should be that everybody is trying to give the best that he or she can. Of course this is very easy in an ideal situation – in a beautiful harmonious ashram, where everybody is running and competing to do better and better services. Or in a peaceful loving family connection, mutual understanding. But on a battlefield to see that everybody is trying to give his best – my opposing enemy also – it is more difficult. But we should see that everything is under control. Nothing is by chance. This we can understand very easily with our brain. So there is a reason why the mistakes are happening and why these mistakes influence me so much.

Honestly I don’t think that theoretically we can explain this problem, overcome this problem. Because intellectual understanding is not practical application. But there will come such a moment in your life when you reach the threshold. And if you enter the door, that problem will be solved. Because it means you have reached a higher platform; when the same problems, the same things happen, that were creating so much troubles to you before you can tolerate easily. This is called a kind of step-by-step illumination. The Sanskrit is krama-moksha, that you achieve perfection step by step. It is not complete enlightenment but a little bit less problems. So wait until this moment will come in your life and definitely don’t let the emotions sweep you away. Try to protect your independence.

May I tell you one story about this? Once a devotee was visiting Vrindavana – this is an Indian story. One basic principle for the visitors of India – don’t be surprised at anything! Second – don’t criticize what you don’t understand. If you remember these two things, you will be safe. Because you will see incredible things there! You cannot imagine! Therefore we need a guide. But anyway, this is another topic.

So if you visit a holy place, don’t criticize, this is a basic principle. We have understood this, but still, if we are cheated and treated bad again and again, we start to revolt. When you bargain with the rikshavallas and you know that the price is ten rupies and they charge you two hundred, of course, you start to complain a little bit. But don’t forget, if in Vrindavana Radharani wants to collect some entrance fee from you, be ready to pay the price. Yet our bhakta was a little frustrated that day, so he started to fight a little bit or give some opinions to the shop-keepers. But we have to be very careful about the shop-keepers of Vrindavana. That is true that some of them are multimillionaires from the western devotees, nevertheless they are direct servants of Krishna, living in His, in Krishna’s place. So they have very special status. The general practice is that the shop-keeper will charge you much more than usual. Then you start to negotiate a little bit and he will give you a better price. But anyway, our friend was giving the opinion: “You are doing this with me for some reason. You are treating me bad for some reason.” And then immediately from the shop-keeper the teacher manifested. The shop-keeper turned to be a guru. He said: “No, no. We are performing our service.” Therefore we have to be very careful. They are special guys there, not simple shop-keepers making money. They have very special mood of meditation. Nevertheless our friend was a little upset and somehow he committed a mistake – this is called aparadha. And what happened? By the evening time he felt so sick that he could hardly move. And then through this mistake and through this result he understood that nobody is free, everybody is under control. Because Krishna is playing His flute and the shop-keeper is charging the price, you are upset, but you have to pay the money. Nobody is free. We are all under divine control.

And why I tell you this story? Because your employees are also under control. Even their mistakes are under control. They cannot act in any other different way. This is the way how they should act at that moment. So this is not their personal fight against you, this is the only way that they can express themselves.

(to be continued)