Transcribed by Dahani dd
What: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.26.,
Where: from Fruska Gauranga Summer Camp, Serbia.
Evening of 12-hour-kirtan day at the camp
The conclusion is: Yes, tapasya is necessary. And it begins with tapasya.
Tapo divyam putraka yena satvam.. there is tapasya in our spiritual life. And that tapasya begins with that that we have to make a commitment. We have to make a commitment to sadhana. Sixteen rounds is the minimum where one connects with the gift of Prabhupada’s mercy. Four regulative principles is a must if we want to become free from influence of Kali. ..It is said that if one follows these four regulative principles, then one can become free from the influence of Kali. Otherwise… otherwise I wish you good luck!
That must be there, we must commit ourselves. We must fight with our lower nature, we must fight with our laziness and with our mind and our foolish intelligence. The intelligence comes up with the philosophy why it is better not to chant sixteen rounds… Shhhhhhhh! Flush that philosophy…
That much commitment we have to make.
And then we can begin to push the car of our spiritual life up the hill and then, as we’re pushing, we will be pushing up hill until we get to the platform of nistha. Nistha is the stage where we say: Yes, I choose for Krishna! Yes, I will spend as much time as I can with Krishna! Yes, I will look everywhere for nectar! Yes, I will become the nectar hunter… Anybody got some?!?
Yes, that is nistha. And then, from nistha at the top of the hill the road goes down nicely: all the way through ruci – higher taste, to asakti – attachment, to ecstasy- bhava , to prem… And the road goes straight down and we just dive into this ocean of transcendental ecstasy.
So at one point, spiritual life becomes inspired and not only struggle. And if we are ready to make a serious commitment, then very quickly we become purified and we can reach that stage of nistha. And then, we just go on and on and on, on the way to Krishna…
