Sharanagati, Year Third
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1. Sentimentalism and Compassion (from lecture of B.K.Tirtha Maharaj, 27.02.2007, Sofia) “O descendent of Bharata, he who dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any living being.” 1 This verse actually gives the definition of sentimentalism. Because one definition of being sentimental is when you try to give more compassion to a living entity than God. Although this is a very difficult definition, if you try to give more compassion to an entity than God, then this is sentimental. How to understand this? This definition is very much connected with karma. Karma means action and reaction, you get what you deserve. You sow the wind – you reap the tempest. Whatever we do, there will be some reaction. This is one element of this question. So, fate is written on the foreheads of people. Whatever happiness, success, suffering and failure is awaiting you in this lifetime, it is given in the beginning. So, do not revolt against your fate. Actually fate is not a punishment, but fate is a chance to fulfill our progress. Therefore we should be thankful for getting all the different opportunities in our lifetime. Of course, during our spiritual progress, we must learn what is compassion. But remember the definition: sentimental means you try to be over-compassionate – compassionate over the path, over karma, over the fate of people. Of course, it does not mean “do not give help” if help is needed. But there are certain things that we cannot change. We should identify our limits. There is a nice prayer: “O my Lord, please, give me the power to change what I can change, give me the patience to tolerate what I cannot change, and give me the intelligence to recognize both.” This is not sentimental, this is practical. Depending on our spiritual elevation, we enter into different relationships with others. There are actually three steps of compassion. The first is understanding. Understanding means that if you meet someone, you are ready to listen to the difficulties of the person. And simply by opening their mind or sharing their troubles, they are diminished. Therefore in the church there is this confession. Because if you give out your secrets, or sins, automatically you are relieved a little bit. If we enter into such a connection with others, we listen to their problems – this is called understanding. Considering activity and who is active in this sense, active is the suffering party: “I have the trouble, I go to you and I tell my trouble to you.” The other party is passively listening, giving an ear. Is that enough? Is there a next step? There is another step. The next step is called compassion proper. Compassion means that I am ready to listen to your troubles, and I am ready to share your troubles. In this case both parties are active. “I give you my troubles and you take part.” How would you feel if somebody is ready to take part of your trouble? I think it is good, because then it becomes more easy for us. But the third level of compassion is called love, affection, affectionate love, where you not only listen, you not only share, but you take away the sufferings of others. You relieve the other person of the trouble. In this way the person who relieves is the real active principle. He is not over-compassionate, he is not sentimental, but he is able to make the miracle. This is our magician. This is our master, this is our teacher. As Shrila Sadhu Maharaj says: “You just give the poison to your master. He will give you nectar instead.” This is the exchange. You can identify yourself according to that scale – on which level you are. We are very happy even to meet a person, who listens to us. And when you give all your troubles, all your feelings, all your ideas to someone, then you will have the feeling: “Ah, such a nice conversation we had. At least somebody was listening to me.” Then real sharing means that you are ready to share the problems; and be ready to share the happiness also. But the real miracle happens on the third platform, when you feel: “I am changed! Hey, where are my 1 „Bhagavad-gita”2.30 attachments?! Where are my troubles!? I have lost something.” Miracle means when the dimensions start to change. When time starts to flow in a different sequence. When space is shrinking. And in the company of a pure devotee you can have that feeling, you can perceive that the dimensions are changing. Therefore guru is able to change the disciple. By initiation the divine knowledge is transmitted and the character of the practitioner is given a chance. The rest depends on the practitioner. As it is said: you can take the horse down to the water, but the horse has to drink alone. Guru leads the disciple to the spring of pure water, but you have to drink it. This process can be practiced not by imitation, but by following. If a lady goes to the delivery room and starts to shout, no baby will come from that. Something else is necessary for that, some nine months before, some preparation. Simply imitating the voice – no result. You can try! Simply to say: “Hare Krishna!” – is that enough? Yes ! By the mercy it is enough, because Mahaprabhu is so great, that He said: if somebody repeats once the holy name, he is a devotee. Still we should not use it as an excuse: “Gurudev, I have already once told the holy name, so I am all right! I have done my job.” It is not an excuse; but from this you can understand the quantity of that mercy, how big is God’s grace to embrace you. From this we can understand that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is sentimental. He is ready to be more compassionate than your fate, than your karma. He is ready to over-write your karmic path. The only little requirement is to say “Yes” to Krishna. Bhakti Yoga is very simple: it means to say “yes”. 2. The orange juice (from lecture of B.K.Tirtha Maharaj, 27.02.2007, Sofia) Thank you for coming this evening also, because in this way you engage me in service. Otherwise I would plop in illusion totally. You are my masters, you help me to remember what I have learned. Actually you should go on like this – help others to do service, help others to remember the divine message – in any way, by any means that you possess. By giving glorification, by offering services, by revealing the problems or kicking the garbage bin – there are so many ways to engage others in devotional service. But if somehow we can help ourselves and others to remember that we do not belong here, but we belong to a divine world – this is a great service. The soul is a miracle. According to the scientific view, matter all of a sudden starts to produce consciousness. This is called the fossil evolution of consciousness. We believe in the spiritual evolution of consciousness. We believe that the spirit is more powerful, so powerful, that it can be condensed, manifested into matter. So matter is the product of consciousness and not consciousness is the product of matter. Material fate, material karma is also a product of the spirit soul. Everybody has to traverse the path to its full extend. Still we have to be compassionate. And what is the compassion of a devotee, a bhakta ? Just what I mentioned to you in the beginning: try to help others to remember Krishna. First of all, we have to remind ourselves to remember God always. First by some practice; then by some natural instinct it comes by itself. The real compassion is to help others’ spiritual growth. It is not enough to save the coat, we have to save the person. If the spirit is so powerful that it can produce matter, then we shall understand that everything returns back from where it is taken. Body is material, it is taken from matter, it will return to matter. The soul is spiritual, it is taken from God, it will return to God. Life comes from life; consciousness comes from consciousness; love comes from love. And from love only love comes! Nothing else! Very important! If the result is something else also – then it was not pure love. Love comes only from love; and from love only love comes. This is not only a tricky game of the words. Think deeply ! Recently we were discussing that from the orange only orange juice comes. Nothing else. However you squeeze it, however you press it – only orange juice is coming. Orange juice comes from the orange. And from the orange only orange juice comes. This is a very important equation. From the result we can judge, we can understand the source. If more and more spiritual feelings are cultivated and growing in your heart, then what you have done so far is good, it is spiritual. If more misunderstanding, dissatisfaction, hatred you feel in your heart, may be you should change the practice. Editors’ note : Dear devotees! This is the 108-th issue of Sharanagati and we would like to celebrate it with all of you, with a cup of virtual orange juice (unseen, but not would-be). Let us express our respectful and loving gratitude to the merciful devotees and friends who are (or once were) helping for the transcription, translation, editing, issuing, sharing and spreading of the message of our beloved Gurudev Bhakti Kamala Tirtha Maharaj.