Nourishing the creeper of devotion
Nourishing the creeper of devotion 1 – The danger of becoming religious but not spiritual
Nourishing the creeper of devotion 2 – Regulate attachment even to things that help in devotion
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=embed_video&v=2241437422751866
Nourishing the creeper of devotion 3 – Avoid attachment to renunciation
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=embed_video&v=2242879985940943
Nourishing the creeper of devotion 4 – Finding our spiritual stimuil
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=embed_video&v=2243534035875538
Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.
And summarize. So, I spoke today about how on the path of bhakti, our purpose primarily is to connect with Krishna. And that connection has to be given the foremost priority.
Sometimes there are things which may distract us from Krishna, such as our worldly attachments and we want to give them up. So, there is a battle for renunciation and there is a fight for devotion, If we get too consumed by the battle for renunciation, then we may go into the zone of aversion or frustration. Aversion means we start disliking something.
Frustration means we start disliking ourselves because we are not able to give it up. Both ways, our emotions get consumed by the particular object that we are trying to give up. And then our emotions are no longer available for Krishna.
So, like an enemy who wants to attack from one gate, but sends a decoy at the other gate. And when the defenders go to defend it, the enemy smashes into the fort and destroys the fort. So, similarly, the forces of illusion, they may distract us by making us get very attached to renunciation.
And when we are unable to renounce, we become disheartened and we do not practice bhakti properly, diligently. Because we think I can't practice, I am so fallen. And then our devotion also gets trampled over.
So, devotion essentially means our emotion is directed towards Krishna. And we want to move the emotion away from the world. So, our emotions can be engaged with the world either through attachment, I want this, I want this.
It can be aversion, this is so bad, this is so bad or frustration. Why can't I give this up? But renunciation means there is no emotion involved in the world. Just like a sober person passes by a bar without even noticing the bar.
So, like that, we want to come to the level of renunciation. Now, renunciation can result either by the practice of bhakti itself. Because our emotion gets so attracted towards Krishna and we get so much taste in that, that we feel not very attracted to worldly things.
Or renunciation may also be a result of past karma. Just as somebody may have wealth by past karma, similarly, somebody may have renunciation by past karma. Now, wealth is useful for the service of Krishna, but it is not essential.
And we don't postpone our service of Krishna till we get wealth. Similarly, we don't postpone our service to Krishna till we get renunciation. Bhakti is so subtle, that sometimes we may get renunciation and lose devotion.
Because if I renounce something and I become so proud and I look down upon and judge and condemn other devotees who do not have my level of renunciation, then I may actually make no spiritual advancement. Actually, I may make offenses. So, my body may be fasting, but my ego may be feasting.
On the other hand, sometimes we may lose the battle for renunciation and we may succumb. But that may create humility and that may inspire us to wholeheartedly take shelter of Krishna. And through that failure to renounce, we make more advancement, then we might make some success in renouncing.
So, if we keep our priorities clear, let me try to connect with Krishna always. So, inability to renounce something is a weakness. But the fundamental weakness is disconnection from Krishna.
And that is caused by our unwillingness to believe that Krishna loves us even now. So, by meditating on Krishna's pastimes wherein he expresses his love in overwhelmingly touching ways, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did for Haridas Thakur, we can stimulate, we can feel inspired. This same Krishna who is such an important person, supremely important person is in my heart waiting for me.
So, let me offer my love to him as I can right now. And by finding out the spiritual stimuli that inspire us to love Krishna, that trigger our emotions towards Krishna, we can start marching steadily towards Krishna. Focusing not so much on renouncing the world as on cultivating attraction towards Krishna.
So, attachment to renunciation is also a wheel. And if we start nourishing it too much, then there will not be enough water left to nourish the creeper of devotion. Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna.