Visnumaya waxes lyrical

After a period of bloggers-block (as synonymous to writers-block), and now that I can access my blog-admin to even write something, I am making an attempt to write regular posts. This is my claim.

I am currently experiencing a solo period of verbal silence. Except for japa and kirtan. I am alone for 4days. Surrounded by native bush & river rapids. I have retreated myself for some time of sadhana reflection. It’s a matter of do or dissolve!

“So those of you devotees who aspire for the mature stage of devotion need to understand this point: That all missionary activities, all services, expand from hearing and chanting. Therefore you organise your life for maximum attention to the chanting of your rounds and you’ll see everything else will take off from there”. HH Devamrta Swami.

Resolved over this period of retreat were two issues. They are now vows:

My first vow is to maintain a standard of rising during the auspicious Brahma Muhurta (before sunrise). That means taking rest at a reasonable time to allow 7hrs sleep.

My second vow is to read and study for 2hours everyday. Exceptions may be considered if discussed with and approved by my mentor.

You see, material ability will only take me so far in my Krishna conscious endeavour. Without the spiritual strength I get from reading Prabhupadas books and chanting with attention, I know it won’t be long till I get frazzled from the strain of physical & mental exertion.

Maya, the illusory energy, is constantly providing us with endless reasons why we should prioritise other activities over our personal sadhana, and why there are more important activities than regular and attentive hearing and chanting, even though they are the starting point of all practical service. Maya knows that if she can get us to deviate from strictly following the process of sadhana, then we will have no protection from her influence. And because as neophytes we have little taste for the holy name and pastimes of the Lord, and because of our passionate western nature, we are often quite willing to compromise with maya and neglect our personal transformation in the name of ‘devotional service’.

The trick is to become ‘duty conscious’. We take responsibility for our personal transformation in Krishna consciousness because this is the order of our guru. This is our dept to Srila Prabhupada and this is what connects us to Parampara. Our life and soul.

“To be a living example is the definition of ‘acarya’, and this is the best, most effective, yet often most difficult form of preaching”.

If we want to aspire for the mature stage of devotion, then we have to set the foundation of regulated reading and chanting. Despite our diligent efforts in various services, if we can’t live the example of personally exercising a daily routine of Krishna Katha, we can’t possibly last the long haul in bhakti; and we will even lose the desire to do so anyway.

Just as a train progresses its destination on two tracks simultaneously, our Krishna conscious progress depends on the simultaneous cultivation of these two essential aspects of Krishna conscious endeavour: Transformation, or personal adherence to the process of sadhana bhakti, and the distribution of that process, giving Krishna consciousness to others.

By strictly adhering to the process of sadhana as given by the spiritual master, we are actually showing the beginning of love for Krishna: love begins with duty. To hear and chant about Krishna everyday, whether we feel like it or not, with maximum attention, is an act of love. It is to show our sincerity to Krishna, by practically trying to purify ourselves through hearing and chanting about Him, even though we may not always have the ‘taste’. To everyday make our sadhana our personal priority is to follow the orders of guru, who is the medium for Krishnas mercy. Then we become purified of material contamination (anartha nivritti), become nistha, firmly fixed in devotional service and thus eligible for the higher realms of bhakti. With such a taste from hearing and chanting we spontaneously glorify Krishna and feel naturally motivated to give Krishna to others from the fullness of our heart.

As stated by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

“One who has life, he can preach”.

Other things I thought of while retreating:

Cooking for one person is hard. Easy, but I always made too much.

I am not afraid of being in the middle of nowhere, all alone. Well, a little bit at night.

Doing a stint of vipassana meditation is not at all appealing.

I love BB Govinda Maharajas kirtanas… especially with the touch of saxophone.

Urban and rural are such contrasting settings.

It’s nice here, but no forum for outreach. Unless we owned the place and developed an eco-village…

Any longer and I will start to really miss the devotees.