What Is "The Higher Taste"?

Dear All,

Just about a couple of hours ago I was in a class by H. G. Sankirtanananda Prabhu. I always love to hear from him. Today he instructed us on the topic of how Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees are “Vairaagya Pradhaan”, i.e. how in them the quality of renunciation is prominent. The essence of the lecture was that the renunciation of the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arises from engagement in positive higher activities of Devotional Service while the renunciation of the Mayavadis arises from frustration. I will not elaborate on this discussion in this article.

But what I want to elaborate on is the short question-answer session that followed the lecture. While explaining the principle of higher engagement, H. G. Sankirtanananda Paabhu mentioned how one will relinquish a low paying job for a high paying one and how a hungry man will relinquish a two-day old dry roti for halwa prepared in pure ghee J. On this point, H. G. Vamandev Prabhu very humbly asked what I thought was a very beautiful question.

He asked (I will paraphrase), “Is this example given in a particular context? Doesn’t taste depend on the modes of nature that a person has acquired? For example, the hog will reject the halwa and accept stool instead.”

Now I was really keen on hearing the answer J I thought this was a very important question. And then H. G. Sankirtananand Prabhu answered as follows (in essence). I’ll paraphrase. “In the example, the dry roti or the low paying job is compared to any enjoyment that is material, be it in any of the three modes. The halwa or the high paying job is compared to the enjoyment in the pure goodness”. Ofcourse, he elaborated further on how some people wont even take to the higher engagement because they are so much engrossed in their sense enjoyment that they ignore the promise of an even higher taste. That’s why, he said, sometimes very strong preaching is required to such people to bring them out of the illusion of sense gratificatory enjoyment.

I was thrilled to hear the answer. H. G. Samkirtanananda Prabhu’s answers are always very very clear. And he answers more than what is just asked. He elaborates on the subject matter from all possible perspectives.

I got a few realizations from this short question-answer session:

1. Even though I had heard this Bhagavad Gita verse “param drishtva nivartante …” so many times and quoted it myself so many times to so many people, after this discussion my understanding of what is meant by “higher taste” suddenly became clear. That the higher taste refers particularly to the taste for devotional service was made crystal clear in my mind.

2. I also realized the wonderful benefit of being around when two wonderful devotees are discussing the glories and pastimes and instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna! This also has made the meaning of the following Bhagavatam verse much clearer in my mind. Paraphrase : “Whenever there is a discussion about the Supreme Lord, three kinds of people are benefited. The enquirer, the answerer, and the other listeners” In this case I was in the third category J

3. I also realized that for preaching one really needs a deep study and understanding of the scriptures. Further, while giving examples, one has to always be very clear about what philosophical truth is being explained via the example. Also, I remember hearing from H. G. Vamsi Vadan Prabhu that one must not stretch the example (i.e. try to bring out other philosophical points from it) beyond its intended purpose.

Thus, I had a fully satisfying Morning Class yet again J Thanks a zillion to H. G. RadheShyam Prabhu for caring for all of us so much. As long as we follow his lotus feet, we can be assured of a steady journey in our spiritual life.

Yours in the service of Krishna,

Abhijit.