If we don’t have gratitude, how does it matter in bhakti?

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
If we don’t have gratitude, then how does it matter in bhakti? Bhakti can be seen at different levels.
At one level, we can see just the externals. I come to a temple. I come in the association of devotees.
I hear about Krishna. I put my hand in the middle of the bag and chant the mantras. So these are all important.
At the same time, the primary importance is that there is internal transformation. Internally you become attracted to Krishna. So the attraction to Krishna is more easily possible when the heart is soft.
When the heart is hard, then the attraction to Krishna becomes difficult. Some people, I think Oscar Wiley said that some people bring happiness where they go. And some people bring happiness when they go.
Some people, we know they are like prickly people. They just irritate, just annoy. So when we come in their presence, we just become tense.
If we look at someone, our muscles also become a little tense. So at that time, we cannot really have warm interactions with them. Because we are so defensive.
We are so internally toughened. Because we are fearful that this person may stick a barb and that will hurt me. I don’t want to do anything which will aggravate this person.
So when we are hard, then the natural flow of discussion, of emotions, of reciprocation doesn’t happen. Now that’s what may be required with some people. But with Krishna, we don’t want to be hard.
If we are hard, then we don’t connect with Krishna so much. So it is gratitude that softens the heart. And it is not that if we don’t feel grateful, we can’t practice bhakti.
It is that gratitude can also be cultivated. That means, like earlier I said, if I get good food, I will enjoy the food, but if I also think where did the food come from? Let me thank the person for the food. So like that, in our own spiritual life, in our own daily life, whenever something good happens, whenever we feel good about something, there are two things, when something good happens, externally something good happens, feel good means just start having positive disposition, positive feelings coming.
At that time, we don’t just enjoy that. We say, this is Krishna I am thankful to Krishna for this. So if we consciously look at the good moments in our life, and connect those good moments with Krishna, then that will help us to become grateful.
So gratitude is something which can be cultivated. And we will find that when there is gratitude, then the connection with Krishna will be much more smooth. So for example, if I am chanting, and while chanting I am resentful.
Why did this happen? Why did that happen? Why did this happen? Then I am chanting, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, why did this happen? Krishna, Krishna, why did this happen? Hare Ram, Hare Ram, why, why, why? Ram, Ram, why, why? So we may not be verbalizing the words, but our mind is screaming those words. Why, why, why? So then we can’t really connect with Krishna at that time. It’s good to chant even at that time, because some connection is there.
But the connection becomes much deeper when we have a positive disposition towards Krishna. And gratitude is a primary way in which we can cultivate a positive disposition. Gratitude is a primary way in which a positive disposition manifests.
So if we can look at what are the things we can be grateful for, and just make a list of them. We have something which we can be thankful for. And just write them down and look at them periodically.
That will help us to be grateful. And gratitude actually removes a lot of the negative emotions within us. And then we can practice bhakti more easily.
So chanting can be done in any mode. Even in passion or ignorance I can chant. But in passion and ignorance, we cannot taste the joy of chanting.
Because in passion and ignorance, our consciousness is gone somewhere else. I’m thinking about this, I’m worried about that, I’m angry about that, I’m craving for that. So the consciousness misdirects.
And even when Krishna comes, we don’t connect with Krishna, we don’t taste Krishna. So if we are in the mood of goodness, then we can taste Krishna more. And then we can experience the joyfulness of Krishna bhakti.
So gratitude is one way in which we can avoid the negativity. That will bring us to the mood of goodness and that will help us to connect with Krishna better. Does that answer your question?