Respected Devotees,
Hare Krishna Dandavat Pranam.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri Sri Gauranga and Srila Prabhupada !
During a discussion with one of the senior devotees, I remembered Maharaj's wonderful lecture that he gave in Los Angeles that I listened some 3-4 years back. Its one of those impromptu lecture that Maharaj gave in his ever mellifluous voice that I can never forget.
The lecture started with a western aspiring devotee asking a question: Maharaj, why do speak sweetly? It seems as if its a pseudo....one can never be that sweet all the time. Why don't you be natural?
HH Bhakti Caru Maharaj: Does my speaking sweetly agitate you?
Aspiring devotee: It seems to me you do it to garner more followers, so it makes me uncomfortable...
HH Bhakti Caru Maharaj: (after few seconds) In material world, even if somebody has no knowledge, maybe does sinful activities because of no real knowledge and unbridled senses, irresponsible, if he speaks sweetly, he can be very successful. Even this is stated very clearly in Niti Shastra whereby the power of speaking sweetly helps an individual to effectuate his goals. Such is the power of sweetness and it can hide your fallacies. Even Kabir said, "Aisi vaani boliye, man ka aapa khoye" (Maharaj said something similar in Bengali). It is very easy to enter spiritual realm, if you are sweet.....here are the reasons:
1. It brings humility.
2. It makes us less agitate, therefore able to think coherently.
3. Control anger.
4. helps us to become more compassionate.
5. It creates feeling of love.
6. It helps others to control their anger, be humble, humble and compassionate.
7. It foments and triggers feeling of love that is key for experiencing prema bhava with Lord.
Thus bringing sweetness in your speaking brings you in satvik mode. This is what Prabhupada wanted, let everyone be in mode of goodness - moralistic...and then they can become satvik and eventually in bhakti mode. I am merely following Guru's instructions. Now the sweetness should not be confused with content. If somebody is speaking in such skillful manner that he could manipulate and present it sweetly, the other gets swindled. The faith in knowledge should be there and then presented and reciprocated sweetly.
Important thing to understand is why sweetness is so important and its power so strong. Sweetness is the mellow of Lord Krishna. Its power is strong because that mellow is touched by Sri Sri Krishna. Same is reason why mercy, forgiveness, beauty, opulence all are so strong...because they are part and parcel of Sri Krishna. We have 48 same qualities as Krishna and when practiced with sadhana, all the qualities start manifesting. But sweetness and mercy are the topmost. Sweetness brings us closer to love of the guru and lord whilst mercy by His representatives make them closer to Lord as it brings demonic souls to self realization which precursor to the change in heart and cleansing it.
Think of sweetness of nectar of love between Krishna and Radha. Even when Her Lordship Radha was upset, Krishna was able to win over her by his sweetness of his subtle actions or sweetness of his words. Krishna played flute so mellifluously (one of the main qualities that makes Krishna the supreme personality of Godhead), its vibration was so sweet to the devotees ears that whole Vrindavana used to dance with joy. Sound of flute is nothing but a vibration of due to change in frequency. It has different harmonica. However it was due to sweetness that made the sound vibration to be liked by everyone and dance.
One of the reason Mahaprabhu insisted on kirtana - the power of holy name but why in the form of music - because it has sweetness. Some rock music also make people dance and enjoy. But it has aggression, violence that forces people to think carnal because of absence of sweetness. Compare the same note on electric or metallic guitar and Flute or veena or sitar. You will understand the difference.
The lecture finished and there was 2 mins of stunned silence and then euphoric claps and chants of Hari Bol and Hari Bol. Maharaj spoke with all heart which one could feel. He is very sensitive as a person and was sensitive that his actions should not hurt a soul.
Continuing, as his style, Maharaj asked if anyone has any questions:
Devotee (Old Mataji): Maharaj, amazing lecture. I want to understand how do we bring sweetness - I am a very direct person and I cant call a black sky as grey. If something is wrong, I have to call it wrong.
HH Bhakti Caru Maharaj: Just as sweetness brings compassion. Similarly compassion and being sensitive also brings sweetness. There is nothing wrong in calling black sky as black and being truthful is very important. However, it is very important to say things that the listener comprehends and does not make a mistake. Whats the point in me calling a blind person blind, hurting him and then telling him I told u the truth. It may anger the receipient, become revengeful of the embarassment he faced or he may just withdraw from you. One is forgiving, another is forgiving with no malice and full of sweetness. It changes people's heart. Prabhupad instructed us to change the heart. Say direct things but with sweetness. Say with smile without being sarcastic, tone down the volume - tenor of sweetness, say whatever you want to say with feeling and u will get reciprocation. Feelings, emotions love begets love. However make sure people don't take advantage of your sweetness and take it for granted. If u are sweet to ur child all the time and he tears bhagwadgita, you may have to scold the child so that he understands this is unacceptable but then once he has understood, embrace him warmly so that his fear towards father is dissolved and doesn't do it out of love for his father. He should understand that if he repeats it he may not get this warm embrace from his father. Have you understood?
Devotee Mataji: sobbing...yes Maharaj.
It touched everyone - I heard this lecture long time back but even to this day I remember and try to follow his instructions to be sweet. I thought I will send this transcript to everyone and help in comprehending the importance and power of being sweet. However, as I have stated before, my writings cannot allay all the emotions and meaning and therefore pls forgive me for anything that I have missed or not been able to translate perfectly.
Hari Bol.
Trying to be servant,
Sumeet
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