Sharanagati

(continues from the previous Friday)

So, this is before faith – sukriti. Then the first is faith. If we have the initial faith that beyond this beautiful, perfect arrangement there must be some mastermind there – this is enough to start. This is faith, and of course then your faith can improve, fully blossom. For many people faith means: ‘I believe what I don’t know’. This is not faith, this is a belief. What is faith, definition of faith?

Answer: The firm conviction.

Tirtha Maharaj: A firm conviction in what?

Answer: That God will take care of me whatever happens.

Tirtha Maharaj: This is the next step. The first step is that: by serving God all other services are fulfilled. So, first we have to say: ‘I am yours.’ Then you can come with your expectation: ‘But you are mine!’ It’s not that: ‘You have to take care of me!’ But first: ‘I am ready to dedicate my life.’ Yet this is only a tattva definition of faith – like philosophy, or theology. But the rasic explanation or definition of faith is different. Faith on that platform is that ever growing happiness derived from the meeting of Radha and Krishna. Do you follow? Please, take it very serious. But if we want to put it in a general way – faith is a conviction achieved through love. If you memorize this definition, wherever you go you will give the best definition of faith.

So, faith is the first platform. And adau shraddha tatha sadhu-sanga – the next one is to associate with the saints. First we associate with the saints like leeches, because we want to take, take, take. Then later on we might change our vision and try to give, give, give. So, associating with the saints is a diverse practice. And one very special type is the association with our spiritual master. Then he will tell us how to start worshipping the Supreme (bhajana- kriya). What is kriya? Kriya-yoga? Kriya means activity, certain type of activities – worship, meditations, purifications, this and that. But in this case kriya is an activity of worship, bhajana-kriya. Bhajan is your worship, your meditation, your way to serve Krishna.

Just recently I was discussing with someone what progress is. And it’s not easy to give a definition of progress. But we can say – if you progress in your bhajan, in your mood, in your way to express yourself to the Supreme, in your connection to the Supreme. Most of the people don’t ask on that platform: ‘How can I improve my bhajan?’ In most of the cases the message is: ‘Oh, I have this problem, I have that problem. Can you please solve that?’ So, this is a mosquito type of association. The higher type of sanga is ‘How can I improve my bhajan?’ And by perfecting our bhajan we shall get rid of our anarthas. So, for example, if you are in a troublesome situation in life, whatever – do more spiritual practice and you will find the ways. If you do a little tapasya, you will gain more power. If you enhance your meditation, you will get the intellectual capacity to resolve the problem. Try to worship Krishna and in case you have any emotional problems, you can resolve it. So, here are three ways: to gain more power, to gain more intellect, and to gain more feelings. No other problems we might have – either power, or brain, or heart. No other problems. Our process, our bhajan can help in all levels.

These are the elementary steps of spiritual practice. Then nishtha or firm conviction, stability in your practice, and ruchi, and all the higher grades of spiritual achievement will come. So, we start from controlling our reactions, and this is the way.