(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 May 2013, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 9.6.50)
Transcribed by Jnana-samudra das
In the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, there is an analogy of the ocean. It is said that devotees are compared to sharks – not because they are nasty to each other or something like that but the reason why devotees are compared to sharks is because first of all, sharks they never swim in the rivers. The mayavadis say that there are many rivers and that they all merge into the one ocean; there are many paths and they all lead to the one same goal.
Therefore, Srila Rupa Goswami uses the shark and says that sharks never swim in those rivers of impersonal liberation. The sharks swim only in the deep waters of bhakti. Those rivers of liberation (impersonalism) are shallow, shallow water. But the sharks are swimming only in the deep water of the deep ocean. It’s said that even the nets of the fisherman cannot reach those sharks because they swim very deep. Therefore sharks are never caught in nets. So in this way, the vaisnavas are not affected because they are deep. Once when Srila Prabhupada was walking on the beach, in front of the Pacific Ocean – Pacific refers to that ocean which is peaceful, so Prabhupada mentioned to the devotees:
He said, “Yes, why is the ocean so peaceful? Why is the ocean so peaceful?” and then he gave the answer, he said, “Because it’s very deep, it’s very deep”.
So yes, only when we go deep, deep in our practices, deep in our chanting, deep in our concentration; when we chant a minimum of sixteen concentrated rounds; deeply absorbed in hearing the name; only when we read deep, trying to understand… It’s about emerging ourselves in transcendental sound – that is our life!
Saubhari muni emerged himself in water, even though it was auspicious water – the water of the Yamuna – but it was not enough. It was not enough. That was not powerful enough. If one really wants to be protected, one must emerge himself in transcendental sound śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam (SB 11.3.21), one must always be bathing in transcendental sound – deeply absorbed.When we are deep then we are safe.
