The Lotus Blossoms Upon Seeing the Rising of the Sun

The Lotus Blossoms

Upon Seeing the Rising of the Sun

Another point is that when the sun rises, the lotus blossoms, and when the sun sets, the petals of the lotus close. The lotus feet of çré-guru work in a similar way. When the lotus sees the rising of the sun, its petals open and it blossoms. Similarly, the petals of the lotus of guru-päda open when he sees bhakti-våtti, a very urgent, ardent and intense desire in the heart of a jéva, the crying in the heart of a suffering soul to get bhakti, to go back home back to Godhead, to understand Kåñëa and to get Kåñëa. That is like the rising of the sun.

The Petals Close when the Sun Sets

A disciple who has developed this intense burning desire in his heart has been given shelter by guru-päda-padma, but we often see in the course of time that a disciple loses his bhaktivåtti because of aparädha (näma-aparädha or vaiñëava-aparädha). His bhakti-våtti becomes shrunken. He is not carrying out the order of guru, he is not hearing the message of guru, he is not accepting his instructions and not acting according to them, so he is avoiding or disobeying guru. That means that the sun is setting for him now. When the sun sets, the petals of the lotus close. Similarly, the guru disappears from such a person. Of course, for a very advanced devotee, who has already developed taste for this transcendental mellow, this is not applicable. It is applicable for the neophyte who has not made any advancement, and who has not