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The whole essence of spiritual life!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Stockholm, June 2011)

Sometimes it is said that in the initial stages of faith of when there is the initial phase – that we are travelling but the journey goes uphill. But we are appreciating the association of the devotees and we are with the devotees, but the path is still going uphill. We are still struggling so much with our senses and our mind, and then we may get some knowledge in the association of the devotees. But it says:

'balavan indiya-gramo vidvamsam api karsati', (S.B 9.19.17).

Even if we have knowledge, then we will still struggle, since that's how strong the senses are. So the struggle continues and then we look for the purification, 'atmendriya-priti' the removal of the stumbling blocks in the heart. By fixing ourselves in the regulated process of devotional service:

'vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu' ( B.G 6.17).

A regulated process of devotional service will be purified and still uphill! It's still uphill and the process of 'anartha-nivrttih', the stumbling blocks from the heart will be removed, and it's since it's still a uphill struggle…..struggle, until we get to the peak of the hill, and on the peak of the hill is the stage of 'nistha'.

The stage of 'nistha' is the stage where material desires have diminished somewhat and spiritual attraction has become strong. In 'nistha' one has strong faith – firm faith, and not the weak faith, that one initially has. In 'nistha' one has strong conviction. In that stage one says:

"I'm going to put all my energy and all my endeavours simply in following whatever Krishna desires. Whatever way Krishna has given towards happiness, that's my way, and no other way".

And all other ideas and all other desires in 'nistha' one can let them go! Before it was difficult to let them go and it was a struggle, since these desires come and harass us on the path and make it a struggle, but in 'nistha' we can let them go! It maybe that some material desires are lurking on the horizon, but they are not so strong anymore!

After 'nistha' the path becomes easy. It is now gently sloping down and it's not such a struggle anymore, because it is then that spiritual life really begins, with experiencing great taste, happiness and absorption becomes the whole essence of spiritual life!

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The Urgency Element

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Nama Tattva Lecture, part 3, Japa Workshop, Helsinki 2011)

Life is short and we don't want to miss the boat, also… So, Lord Caitanya was not just in the mood of a psychotherapist, and it's not that it says in Caitanya Cartitamrita: … and then Lord Caitanya went up and held the hand of the people and said: "Do you feel like chanting maybe? I mean, if you are really motivated…Yeah?" I didn't find that in Caitanya Caritamrita, there is no chapter like that.

It's sort of like: "Jiv jago, jiv jago, Goracadra bolo"… "Wake up, sleeping soul, you're sleeping in the lap of the witch Maya." That's there… "Chant, chant!"  There is some element of urgency. "You're drowning in the ocean of nescience. Take the rope!" It's not like: "Well, ok. You can first put one hand on the rope and then…" No! "You're drowning! Take that pole before the sharks eat you, take it!"

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Together we share our mood and enthusiasm!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Melbourne, 2011)

In kirtan we are feeling that somehow or other we are being swept up together. Together we are chanting, and together the energy of the chanting carries us and we somehow or other become absorbed and uplifted! That is the potency of sankirtan……of congregational chanting, where together we share our mood and enthusiasm!

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The special process of chanting part 1

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Melbourne, 2011)

It is said that if you do some other type of worship, let's say that we are fasting and we are giving in charity, so we are doing austerities. With these, we are following a process to obtain the result. We go through the austerity and hope to gain a result. But it is said that in the chanting, we have already obtained the result, since the chanting itself is the result. Therefore, with this chanting it is the best process, because other processes, like meditation in the Satya-yuga was performed for what?

For getting a result of an alteration of consciousness, but the chanting is already there, because the darshan of the Lord is there…..the Lord is present while we are chanting!

Therefore, we have already attained in the chanting, which is to be understood. So the process is actually more direct, and we see that Krishna is manifesting His name, and therefore, this chanting is a special process!

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Gopisvara

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Melbourne, Australia, 2011) Lecture – Become a champion chanter

Lord Siva wanted to enter the pastimes of Lord Krishna and the gopis. So he took a form of a gopi and came to Vrindavan……………….. and just as he was about to sneak in, Krishna saw him and said:

"Oh, Lord Siva. How are you? I was just looking for you! There are so many intruders who try to sneak into this rasa dance. I just needed someone to stand guard, and you are the perfect person!

In this way Lord Siva became Gopīśvara. In Vrindavan we see this liṅgas called Gopīśvara of Lord Siva, who is guarding the rasa dance. In some days they are dressing up this liṅgas as a gopi, to remind them of how Lord Siva was trying to sneak in to this pastime.

So no one can enter, If Lord Siva cannot enter, than can we enter? It's not so simple…..it's not so easy!

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