We had gone to Dhanushkodi early morning, the last tip of India. From there, one can see the endpoint from where Ram Setu was built. It is the sacred place where Lord Ram constructed a bridge across the ocean to Lanka. The place is very scenic and having high spiritual vibrations. Mahaprabhu also visited this place.
As I was sitting on a rock, chanting the holy names, the waves were splashing forcefully onto the rocks. I was noticing how these waves appear very beautiful, but are quite dangerous.
I remembered a verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.22.39):
yat-pāda-paṅkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā
karmāśayaṁ grathitam udgrathayanti santaḥ
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo ’pi ruddha-
sroto-gaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam
The devotees, who are always engaged in the service of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, can very easily overcome hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees — the jṣānīs and yogīs — although trying to stop the waves of sense gratification, cannot do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva.
The waves of this material existence are extremely difficult to overcome even for the Jannie and yogis. But, surrender to the Supreme can make impossible things possible.
It is impossible to stop the waves by any material means. And it is impossible to cross the ocean of material existence by trying to swim across the waves.
Dancing with the Waves
Later, we went bathing in the sea, quite close to Dhanushkodi. The waves were appearing quite amazing, coming one after another. The group of devotees I was with were very enthusiastic to swim in and with the waves. As we went deeper into the water, we started playing in the waves. We would be looking for a big wave and try to float along with it, and enjoy bathing. I remembered Lord Caitanya having said that swimming is an authorised sport. But Srila Prabhupada would also say to surfers and sufferers. But anyways, we went ahead.
Here are some reflections while bathing…
Reflections from the Waves
1. Spiritual life is like an ocean, and there are many waves – waves of spiritual experiences, realizations etc. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his Madhurya Kadambini talks about different waves. To the degree we are stagnant, the ocean of our spiritual life will appear boring.
2. A devotee eager for spiritual life is like one eager to play in the sea. He doesn’t avoid the waves, nor is he afraid of them. He looks forward to them. He wants to frolic in them. Just like Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī describes in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, the devotees are swimming and playing in the ocean of devotion, and they are not attracted by the rivers of liberation.
3. When there were no big waves for a while, we started feeling anticipation. But the moment a giant wave came, all became enthusiastic. Similarly, in spiritual life, a devotee is happy with bigger and better opportunities to serve, and doesn’t shy away or doesn’t maintain his comfort zone.
4. I saw how the devotees weren’t wanting to come out at all. And, the stream of waves never stopped, and likewise, the enthusiasm of the devotees also never waned. Everyone remained excited throughout. In the same way, when we take shelter of the spiritual ocean, we can keep going continuously, feeling refreshed with every experience.
tad eva ramyaṁ ruciraṁ navaṁ navaṁ
tad eva śaśvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva śokārṇava-śoṣaṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ
yad uttamaḥśloka-yaśo ’nugīyate
Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery. SB 12.12.50
5. People are tired of the material ocean because it only gives them lamentation and suffering. But the spiritual ocean is made of eternal, ever-fresh goodness.
6. Each big wave we encountered felt larger than the last. Likewise, in spiritual life, every new encounter with Krishna – in the form of his seva, or Darshan, or prasada, or anything else, feels more and more blissful.
We have the choice – either to make our life fulfilling by experiencing spiritual waves, or to make the material ocean the goal of our life and keep on getting battered by the material waves.
kṛcchro mahān iha bhavārṇavam aplaveśāṁ
ṣaḍ-varga-nakram asukhena titīrṣanti
tat tvaṁ harer bhagavato bhajanīyam aṅghriṁ
kṛtvoḍupaṁ vyasanam uttara dustarārṇam
The ocean of nescience is very difficult to cross because it is infested with many dangerous sharks. Although those who are nondevotees undergo severe austerities and penances to cross that ocean, we recommend that you simply take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are like boats for crossing the ocean. Although the ocean is difficult to cross, by taking shelter of His lotus feet you will overcome all dangers. SB 4.22.40
