Diving Deeply into the Ocean of Nectar

In this world everyone is suffering varying degrees of anxiety. No one is able to escape the stringent grip of the threefold miseries of material existence: miseries of the mind and body, miseries caused by other living beings, and miseries caused by natural disturbances. But there is an easy way out if we really want out. All we have to do is absorb ourselves in chanting the Mahamantra on a regular daily basis:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Just as we eat every day without fail, we also must chant every day without fail to feed the soul the vital nourishment it requires to become fully awakened. But unfortunately we are not that attracted to the holy names. We are more attracted to the flickering pleasures enjoyed in the combination of the senses with the objects of the senses. This then makes it very difficult for us to reawaken our dormant enlightened consciousness.

Therefore even though we may have accepted that Krishna consciousness is the ultimate goal of our lives, we may still experience difficulty in fully focusing our minds on achieving this goal. Just like sometimes we see that someone enrolls in the university with every intention of getting a college degree, but then they have a difficult time keeping up with the assignments. They are lacking in the required self-discipline to carry through and get the job of their education properly done. If we not are properly focused, a similar thing can happen to us on the pathway of Krishna consciousness. We can know exactly what we are supposed but still not be able to do it.

So if we are in this situation how can we get and maintain the sufficient determination to remain steady on the pathway of spiritual perfection? The key is that we have to make a very solid vow, a firm commitment, and then stick to it without deviation. This is why it is very important that we take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master through the process known as initiation. Initiation means that we make a vow to follow the instructions of the teacher who is fully empowered and qualified to teach us how to become spiritually perfect. 

The necessity of initiation is confirmed as follows in the Srimad Bhagavatam:

tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam

"Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters."
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.21

If we agree to make such a commitment and remain firmly dedicated to honoring it, we will be very strong and chaste in our practice of Krishna consciousness, we will make solid steady advancement along the path of bhakti. We will easily able to absorb ourselves 24 hours a day in chanting, serving, and propagating the holy names of the Lord all over the world. In this way we will always be able to dive deeply into the unlimitedly sweet nectar of pure Krishna bhakti.

 

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

 

You need to be a member of ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT to add comments!

Join ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT

Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • and how do we find the spiritual master?? 

    who is and who isn't our teacher??

    • E-Counselor

      Spiritual master is not one - a true seeker can learn from anyone.

      Spiritual master is one who teaches us about the spirit soul - how we are not the body, we are soul. How to practically apply it in our life, how to make our life meaninful, to fulfil the purpose of life - harinaam sankirtan.

      Typically, there are many shiksha gurus to a person, but only 1 diksha guru. One has to train under a shiksha guru to become qualified to take diksha. 

      Haribol.

This reply was deleted.