How can we strengthen our relationship with Krishna?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
How can we strengthen our vertical relationship? The Bhakti Samrat Siddhu talks about a concept called Uddhipan. Uddhipan means spiritual stimulus.
Just like all of us have particular sense objects that immediately attract us. Some of us will be attracted to say 1980s Bollywood songs. Some of us will be attracted to a particular cricketer.
Some of us will be attracted to something. So, when I say attracted to, that means what? As soon as that stimulus comes, immediately thoughts, desires, memories start getting triggered. So, just as we have individual sense objects that trigger us, and they vary from person to person.
So, like that, even in our spiritual life, we have individual spiritual objects that will trigger our thoughts, desires, memories. So, we need to find out what is our particular Uddhipan. So, some of us may find that kiltans is what I really like.
And not just kiltans, maybe a specific bhajan, maybe a specific tune, maybe a specific singer. But then, if that is what stimulates me spiritually, then I need to expose myself to that more and more. There are standard practices of bhakti, which we do and they will steadily purify us.
But along with that, the specific Uddhipan that is suitable for us, that works for us, that will connect us much more rapidly. And we can do that in a more relishable way, because our connection over there is happening fast. So, while practicing bhakti, we can look for what is our Uddhipan.
For some of us, it may be darshan of the deity. Some of us, it may be doing deity worship. For some of us, it may be studying scriptures, or maybe it may be studying a particular book, or even a particular pastime, or hearing from a particular speaker, or memorizing a particular verse, and reciting that again and again.
So, we don’t have to bother so much about quantity or form. We can focus on the principle. What is it that connects you with Krishna? And we do that more and more.
By that, we will have some way to connect vertically whenever we need to. So, whenever we face any temptation horizontally, or we face any tribulation horizontally, then we can connect vertically quickly through that. Along with that, all relationships develop based on commitment.
So, if we take up some commitment, even a small service to Krishna, we take up a commitment that will take our relationship to a level of stability that will grant us stability. What it means is that to the extent I make my service to Krishna dependent on my emotions. Today, I feel like doing it, so I’ll do it.
Tomorrow, I don’t feel like doing it, I won’t do it. That if my service to Krishna is dependent on my emotions, then my experience of Krishna’s shelter will also depend on my emotions. Because I have made that relationship itself subordinate to my moods, my emotions, I mean my moods.
But a commitment means whether I feel like it or I don’t feel like it, I will do it. So, when we have that commitment for some service towards Krishna, so our service is going beyond our moods. So, sometimes we just not feel like doing something.
But Krishna sees not just our feelings, He sees also our feelings about our feelings. He also sees our feelings about our feelings. That means sometimes I just don’t feel like chanting.
Some days chanting is so ecstatic that we feel chanting should never end. And some days we feel chanting is not ending only. Just going on and on.
We take out the beads from the bag. Has somebody changed it from 108 to 1008? So, that happens. At that time if, okay, I don’t feel like chanting.
But Krishna, I don’t want to feel like that. Now, please help me. Please allow me to serve you through chanting.
So, that feeling is coming on its own accord. But we don’t embrace that feeling. So, what is our feeling about that feeling? Just that, no, I don’t want this, Krishna.
Krishna says in 14.22 and 23 that based on the modes, sometimes we’ll feel illuminated. Sometimes we’ll feel I have to do things. Sometimes I’ll feel lethargic.
What is the need of doing anything? But whenever those feelings come, rather than identifying with those feelings, we say that they are going to come, they are going to go. We stay fixed in the spiritual platform. So, we become, rather than acting on our emotions, we become observers of our emotions.
And then, so that way, if we just, we may not be able to do the same quality of service if we are not feeling positively at that time. But still we do what we can at that time. So, then we will take our relationship with Krishna beyond the modes.
And that means beyond the modes. And that way, when we leave the shelter of Krishna also, even if our modes are not cooperating, still the shelter will come to us. So, that way, by developing our connection through a deepened spiritual stimulus and stabilizing that connection through a committed service, we can strengthen our vertical relationship.