Sharanagati

Japa Retreat

Day 1 - Introduction

Difference between material emotions and spiritual emotions.

How to distinguish between them.

We will be talking about emotions - nature of emotions- what are emotions?

To achieve, to experience real spiritual emotions not just some quick

semotions

To achieve real spiritual emotions we need to practice emotions of

sharanagati.

Emotions of saranagati is like middle ground between the material emotions

which we all experience and the real spiritual emotions.

Sharanagati is not bhakti.

It is doorway to bhakti. It is entrance into the realm of bhakti.

Before we enter into the kingdom of Bhakti, we need sharanagati.

Before we practice sharanagati, there is no bhakti.

Bhakti only starts after sharanagati.

Spiritual emotions can’t be practiced - it is a gift that is given.

We cant practice spiritual emotions like standing infront of mirror and crying…
They have to descend upon us.

But emotions of saranagati we have to practice. By the emotions of saranagati

we will be able to conquer over material emotions which are the main obstacle
in our path to Krishna- anxiety, disturbance,

We can gradually completely free ourselves from the enslavement of material

emotions- stressful emotions.

Bhakti is very special thing - it is a very special sadhana.

The goal of bhakti doesn’t depend on sadhana.

In the introductory song of saranagati, SBVT says purpose of descent of Lord

Chaitanya is to teach Sharanagati. It is not to Bhakti or Prema
because bhakti and prema are cause less
He came to teach Sharanagati which is foundation of everything else.

SONG: verse 5

BVT explains Nanda Kumara Krishna hears the prayers of anyone who practices
saranagati.

Not sure about Shiva and Vishnu they may hear other prayres
Demigods don’t care much , Vishnu is gunavatar
They don’t demand absolute surrender.
Krishna wants absolute surrender- he wants us to give ourselves to Him
wholesale, retail sale wont work.
We cant give little to Krishna and break deal.

Krsna requires complete surrender. Within complete surrender ,there may be

different degrees of surrender.

BVT’s Krsna will only hear prayers in the mood of sharanagati. So it is

important and we should learn
Other topics we cant discuss publicly.
Internal and confidential topics are not the subject of practice
This seminar is for how to practice sharanagati, why should we practice
sharanagati, and obstacles on the path of sharanagati.
We must understand how to practice saranagati.
Lord chaitanya came to give atyanta durlabha prema.
Prema is there in Ramacharit manas, and from 1st to 9th cantoes of Bhagavatam.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives atyant durlabha prema- How? He teaches

saranagati.

We say Lord Caitanya is giving it freely to every one but it is marketing

technique.

He gives prema to only those who understand what is sharanagati and how to
practice sharanagati

Lord gives us first sharanagati, he teaches sharanagati then gives us atyanta

durlaba prema.

Before that we are adhama - because I don’t know sharanagati

Before sharanagati we maintain false identity so many things are attached to
our false ego
Karma, upbringing, childhood traumas,
Before we conquer our false ego we are slaves of false ego, we are slaves of
material heritage we brought from previous lives.
BVT’s he is fallen and by teaching me sharanagati make me uttma- sikhaye
saranagati korohe uttama.
Either uttama or adhama we have only 2 choices.

This is nurturing science of Bhakti.

1. Emotions are not popular even in material or spiritual circles

LCM is emotion personified
He did not teach higher things
1st part of his life is was experiencing emotions to show u it is the ultimate hing.

2. Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.24.72

Bhakti yoga bhakti yoga bhakti yoga dhana
Bhakti ei krsna nama smarana krandana
We can obtain the wealth of Bhakti and we can claim we have bhakti
If just by remembering K’s name we start crying. We can claim we belong to
the cult of Bhakti if we cry just saying one time name of Krsna.

In this sloka 3 times the word Bhakti yoga is used

First - sambandha
Second - abhideya
Third - Prayojana

SBSST says SVDT says bhakti yoga 3 times because if one understands
sambandha, abhideya and prayojana clearly- then just by hearing one name of
Krsna, one will start crying.

Example - One Gaudiya Vishnava - chanting 5lac names every day

We can claim we know some thing about bhakti if we chant one name of K and
start crying…
LCM showed by his example.
BSST’s devotional service manifests in a heart that has been melted by hearing,
chanting and remembering. Tears come when heart becomes softened by the
practice of bhakti.
It is not a question of how to cry it is not our practice.
Our practice is how to soften the heart.

Heart remains hard because of 2 reasons

1. Engage in material argument - we try to prove we are right and everyone is
wrong
2. Tendency to control

It means heart is still made of stone, tears will not come Basically it is
manifestation of false ego

3. Ecstasy is only available by spiritual indulgence. Material nature don’t give

us everlasting happiness which our heart is searching for. - SBSST

4. LCM performed dance in Banaras. He showed sannysis the essence of

Vedanta - they are all mayavadis.

5. Spiritual emotions are the highest manifestation of real spiritual intelligence.

6. SB 11.2.40 essence of Srimad Bhagavatam
evam vratah sva priya… when a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure
in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to Him, he is agitated
and loudly chants the name…

It is not optional… if we say we understad SB, this is the stage we have to come

7. CC 1.7.95,96
We need not force ourselves
Example : HH RNS - Rich mother of a devotee at BVH…No matter what age
we are we can dance no false ego, big false ego we think we are important..
Initially the sannyasis criticise LCM… later they offered obeisances

Holy name dances on our tongue and we will also dance

8. We are not Homo sapiens - we are homo emojios

Because every one is trying to get some emotional experience
Rationality plays a very small role
We are essentially emotional
Example : Roller coaster - they want to experience emotions
Heart is put in a cage by brain
Heart’s don’t be hard on yourself

We need to get purity of heart to get spiritual experience

Some say emotions is for low class people even in spiritual circle people
criticise…
They say Bhakti is for sentimental people
Real man is dried up monk
In reality we should be like LCM

LCM’s this the real meaning of Vedanta

We belong to the school of Bhakti vedanta
Rupa and Jiva explain how these emotions can be divine, they are the highest
manifestation …
SP brought it to the west
This is vedanta
Where does vedanta sutra explain emotions.. is it legitimate claim..or is it
preaching technique?
Or is it LCM used to teach Mayavadis?

LCM’s every sutra of vedanta there are 3 topics which is systematically

explained in vedant sutra. If we explain slightly different way

Relation - context - sat

Abhideya - meaning - cit
Prayojana - goal - ananda

Sat - existence - means relationship - it is context

Reality is interconnected - if understand the interconnection of reality we can
understand we can make sense of reality.
That is abhideya - this will set proper goal which is Ananda and that is emotion
Proper ananda is emotion

Emotion implies ananda and they for are connected to the goal
Ananda the goal brings about upsurge of emotions … Football match..
Goal means ananda
Proyojana means happiness - ananda

Why does HN give great emotion in some people and some remain indifferent..
Why some don’t really experience
10.43.17 mallanam asanir nrnam..

How different people relate with Krsna

According to the form of their ego
Our emotional relation with Krsna
Depending on who we think we are we experience emotions (ladies looked at
krsna as best of men)

Example - Haridas Thakur and prostitute..

She entered into spiritual connection with haridas thakur- change in her ego
took palce..

Example : HH Sachinandan maharaj’s question

Vers from NOI.. kintu adarat..
We have to chant with respect..
What does it mean ..
Understand the goal..;
Prayjana bodha - awakening of the goal in the heart…
We hear about Krsna prema
But to awaken the goal of prema this goal should become our goal
Then we will be able to chant without aparadha

What prevents us from this proyojana bodha?

If we want to achieve this goal the existential stage will take over us
This emotional stage is sharanagati..

Awakening of goal should take place…

Emotions of sharanagati are like fuel. Our consciousness will be like rocket..
Most important part is to overcome gravitational pull and we need fuel..
The emotions of sharanagati will act like fuel..
This emotions will help us overcome emotions of material world…

Chant with emotions of sharanagati.. meditate on the verse “ anukulasya

sankalpah, pratikulasya varjanam..”