Sharanagati

(continues from the previous Friday)

What is wrong, what is frightening about sannyas? That the comfort, the security of family is not provided. Therefore Mother Sachi was devastated to understand that her son is taking sannyas. In India everybody respects sannyas order, but if somebody in your family wants to take that – ah, everybody is shaken and they will try to stop him by all means. Plus Mahaprabhu was a young man, beautiful, attractive. If you are an ugly old guy, there is no problem, you can take sannyas and nobody will look at you. ‘Useless guy, anyway you cannot expect anything from him.’ But if you are a young, prospective, beautiful youth then everybody is running after you.

So, when Mother Sachi understood that that night her son has left, she was just sitting by the door, not even crying anymore. Because she must have had the vision of what is going on right now at that moment. How her son is running and swimming through the Ganges, reaching the place and trying to invite a sadhu to become His master, to initiate Him. How the barber was cutting His hair. And it is said that that barber, first he didn’t want to accept this duty: “No, no. You are so young and so beautiful. I cannot cut Your hair!” Because, you know, to be a sannyas means to cut your hair. Why? What is the symbol for? Renouncing the world. So, don’t forget, whenever you cut your hair, it means you turn your back on the world.

So, this barber was shocked to see the beautiful long hair of Mahaprabhu: “I have to cut that – impossible!” But He was insisting and then the barber finally had to do it. But he was so much shocked, that he decided to give up this profession. So, he changed his profession, he started to sell sweetmeats. “I cannot tolerate this offence of cutting the hair of Mahaprabhu! I was helping Him to become a sannyasi! Oh, my bad luck! Somehow I have to compensate this bitterness.” How to compensate bitterness? By selling sweets. This is the only way to compensate the bitterness – selling sweets.

So, when Mahaprabhu took sannyas, His mother understood that: “I have lost my son! I have lost my other son also before Him! And now this son is also gone.” She was very depressed. But you know, one other feature of the ladies is that they are distressed for a while but then they start to invent methods. And what was her solution? If you want to achieve the company of someone, what can you do? If you are sure that he is not coming to you?

She devised: “I cannot have the direct company of my son, so I will offer the food, I will cook for Him!” And her dedication was so strong, that Mahaprabhu could not resist. What is mentioned here? That whenever Mother Sachi offers the food, He comes to eat it. It proves the power of motherly love over the strict rules of sannyas order. Because He cannot visit His home, but still she was so dedicated in her service that Mahaprabhu always was there. Which were the places that Mahaprabhu never left? This is the kirtan of Shrivasa, the offering of mother Sachi, and the heart of Nrisimhananda Brahmachari. These are the places where Mahaprabhu is always there -whenever Mother Sachi offers the food, whenever there is a kirtan in Shrivas-Angam and the heart of Nrisimhananda Brahmachari. So, choose! If you want to meet Mahaprabhu, you have three options: offering the food, playing a big kirtan or having a pure heart. Choose! Of course, one will help the other. If you are happy in kirtan, that will purify your heart. If you cook the food with pure heart, then you can offer it nicely and He will come. So, one spiritual practice will help the other, and in this way we can always enjoy the company of our beloved ones.

So, it looks like nothing special happens – visit of a far away distant visitor – but still in these sweet talks about Mahaprabhu’s lilas the whole history is contained, and the instruction for us.