Question: In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Lord Siva instructs Citraketu that instead of posing as a devotee externally while lacking in devotional attitude, one should keep one’s bhakti hidden and not pose as a devotee outwardly. In this connection, I sometimes think about how irresistible it is to speak about one’s accomplishments. When talking with friends or others you like to share what you have done and the value of it. In fact it’s normal in one sense. So how do we practically apply this teaching in life?
Answer by HH Sacinandana Swami: I will give a pragmatic answer. By the mercy of the great guru called life, you will, sooner or later, come to realize two things:
First, when bragging about your accomplishments, both physical and spiritual ones, you will begin to notice a voice inside of you – a voice that says, “Maybe this is not good. I have heard the trnad-api-sunicena verse and similar statements of the scriptures and I am convinced that I should be humble.” When you are a devotee and not a materialist, you will feel that the material energy is back. You will also notice that you start to feel envious of the successes of others. In other words, when you touch and enter into the material energy, that is when you do something non-devotional, she takes up a lot of space, and you will feel it. Now, at that time you need to know your values – you need to be convinced that bhakti is more important for you than to be respected in the society of man. When you are convinced about bhakti as your real achievement and the real goal of your life, then you will do everything to protect your bhakti. However, if you are not yet convinced of bhakti as your real goal then you might miss this point.
The second point is a question that will become increasingly pronounced in your heart: “Am I completely satisfied? And if yes, is that a permanent satisfaction?” And you will realize the problem that you may be content sometimes, but not all the time. It is again and again taken away from you, even when practicing bhakti. Because something repeatedly invades and interrupts your bhakti. Thus, as you become thoughtful and compare the different states in your life – when you are in material consciousness and when you are in Krsna consciousness – you will come to the conclusion that “When I’m in Krsna consciousness, I am more happy than when I am in material consciousness.” At that time you will start to contemplate how you ‘lose it’ and what the principles are that you would need to follow in order to stay in bhakti. One of these principles is that you should hide your bhakti. But sincerely following this principle is only possible when you become convinced that “I will only be satisfied in my life, in the self, completely satisfied, permanently, when I’m situated in bhakti.” Then you begin to look back on your life to see where there are places that would have needed a little sweeping or correction.
From a lecture by HH Sacinandana Swami at Govardhana Hill, India, Dec. 8, 2017
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