Bhakthi is love-intense love. To whom? Bhakthi is intense love to God. Why God? Why not some other creation? Because from the greatest saint to a blade of grass they are all ephemeral, they are born and bound to die as ordained by their own Karma. Therefore nothing is obtained or achieved by meditating on such creations. They come, they exist and they disappear. Otherwise one can meditate on his/her loved ones and attain Bhakthi! So after years of worship and meditation on the Lord, thus developing an intense Love for God is the way to Bhakthi leading to Moksha or salvation. Thus says Swami Vivekananda.
Bhakthi is a real genuine search for the Lord, a search beginning, constantly pursuing and ending in love.”Bhakthi” says Naradha in his explanation of the Bhakthi aphorisms , “is intense love to God”; When man gets it, he loves all, hates none; he becomes satisfied forever”; This love cannot be reduced to earthly benefit, because so long as worldly desires last, that kind of love does not come; Bhakthi is greater than Karma, greater than Yoga, because these are intended for an object in view, while Bhakthi is its own fruition, its own means and its own end”
Knowledge (Jnana) and love ( Bhakthi) converge and become one. Sometimes we are deluded by the feeling that acquiring knowledge by reading and mastering some literature will lead us to Bhakthi and ultimate realization of God. By study of books and literature we may gain intellectual knowledge and develop intellectually but spiritual development does not take place. Here the introduction ( quoted below) given by the learned Shri C.Rajagopalachari to the Bhaja Govindam song melodiously rendered by the immortal Bharat Ratna Smt.M.S. Subbulakshmi which is played every morning in religious households and temples is quite clear that mere book knowledge is useless.
'Adi Shankaracharya wrote a number of Vedantic works for imparting knowledge of the Self and the Universal Spirit. ------The way of devotion, is not different from the way of knowledge or jnana. When intelligence matures and lodges securely in the mind, it becomes wisdom. When wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes Bhakthi.
Knowledge, when it becomes fully mature is Bhakthi. If it does not get transformed into Bhakthi, such knowledge is useless tinsel.------”
Saint Thyagaraja’s “Sangeeta Gnanmu” (set to melodious music in raga Dhanyasi) further amplifies the limitations of mere book knowledge and how Bhakthi and Devotion are the quintessence of salvation.
“Sangeetha gnanamu Bhakthi vinaa,
San margamu kaladhe , Oh Manasa---“
Translated into English it means
“Oh mind, the knowledge of music,
Without devotion is not the right path—“
When talking of whole hearted devotion and Bhakthi, Lord Hanuman is often cited as an example for His undivided love, devotion and attention to Lord Rama. The story goes that when Rama returned to Ayodhya, after the coronation and celebrations He was to retire to bed with His Consort Seetha. Hanuman, in His anxiety not to miss even a moment of devotion to His Lord wanted to enter the room with Rama and Seetha. When He was told not to do so He questioned how Seetha alone is allowed! He was told that She has a sindoor on Her forehead which allows Her to go in with Rama. On hearing this, Hanuman ran out and opened a shop and smearing Himself with sindoor all over His body came and stood before Rama and Seetha!
In the Srimad-Bhagavata and the Vishnu Purana it is told that the nine forms of Bhakthi are:
A devotee can practice any method of Bhakthi which suits him best. Through that he will attain Divine illumination.
These nine types of Bhakthi have also been brought out in the Satcharitra in chapter XXI. There it is said :
“If any of these ( nine forms ) are faithfully followed Lord Hari will be pleased and manifest Himself in the home of the devotee. All the sadanas viz., Japa, Tapa,Yoga practice, studying of the scriptures and expounding them are useless unless they are accompanied by Bhakthi,ie. Devotion. Knowledge of the Vedas or fame as a great Jnani or mere formal Bhajan are of no avail. What is wanted is full Devotion.”
While these may be the highest form of Bhakthi for spiritually advanced and evolved aspirants, for the beginners or the less advanced common mankind taking initial steps towards spirituality, there is still hope. Many learned persons have said, for such persons hearing the Lilas of Lord Krishna, studying the sacred scriptures worshiping Him in His manifested form, reciting His name, singing His glories, attending satsanghs, service to the poor and needy, seeing God in all creations, should help. As stated in the Bhagawad Gita offering all actions to the Lord without expecting any fruits for the actions have to be practiced.
Saints have said actions done with clean heart and sincerity kindles the feelings of Bhakthi. Other daily rituals and habits like, burning incense before the deity, lighting a lamp, applying Vibhuti on the forehead, etc. also produce a holy influence on the mind and help in concentration. They help to create the necessary Bhava or feeling to invoke the Deity that we want to worship.
God does exist and He can be experienced. When you have complete faith in Him, you receive God's grace fully, and due to this you are liberated from Maya forever. (Vedas)
“.Worship the Lord with true devotion. Lead a life of purity, humility
and selflessness. Remember God. Take His name always. Meditate upon
Him. Know the Lord to be the one reality in the midst of unreal
things.” Swami Sivananda
Published earlier in Sai Smrithi NY
Bhakthi is a real genuine search for the Lord, a search beginning, constantly pursuing and ending in love.”Bhakthi” says Naradha in his explanation of the Bhakthi aphorisms , “is intense love to God”; When man gets it, he loves all, hates none; he becomes satisfied forever”; This love cannot be reduced to earthly benefit, because so long as worldly desires last, that kind of love does not come; Bhakthi is greater than Karma, greater than Yoga, because these are intended for an object in view, while Bhakthi is its own fruition, its own means and its own end”
Knowledge (Jnana) and love ( Bhakthi) converge and become one. Sometimes we are deluded by the feeling that acquiring knowledge by reading and mastering some literature will lead us to Bhakthi and ultimate realization of God. By study of books and literature we may gain intellectual knowledge and develop intellectually but spiritual development does not take place. Here the introduction ( quoted below) given by the learned Shri C.Rajagopalachari to the Bhaja Govindam song melodiously rendered by the immortal Bharat Ratna Smt.M.S. Subbulakshmi which is played every morning in religious households and temples is quite clear that mere book knowledge is useless.
'Adi Shankaracharya wrote a number of Vedantic works for imparting knowledge of the Self and the Universal Spirit. ------The way of devotion, is not different from the way of knowledge or jnana. When intelligence matures and lodges securely in the mind, it becomes wisdom. When wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes Bhakthi.
Knowledge, when it becomes fully mature is Bhakthi. If it does not get transformed into Bhakthi, such knowledge is useless tinsel.------”
Saint Thyagaraja’s “Sangeeta Gnanmu” (set to melodious music in raga Dhanyasi) further amplifies the limitations of mere book knowledge and how Bhakthi and Devotion are the quintessence of salvation.
“Sangeetha gnanamu Bhakthi vinaa,
San margamu kaladhe , Oh Manasa---“
Translated into English it means
“Oh mind, the knowledge of music,
Without devotion is not the right path—“
When talking of whole hearted devotion and Bhakthi, Lord Hanuman is often cited as an example for His undivided love, devotion and attention to Lord Rama. The story goes that when Rama returned to Ayodhya, after the coronation and celebrations He was to retire to bed with His Consort Seetha. Hanuman, in His anxiety not to miss even a moment of devotion to His Lord wanted to enter the room with Rama and Seetha. When He was told not to do so He questioned how Seetha alone is allowed! He was told that She has a sindoor on Her forehead which allows Her to go in with Rama. On hearing this, Hanuman ran out and opened a shop and smearing Himself with sindoor all over His body came and stood before Rama and Seetha!
In the Srimad-Bhagavata and the Vishnu Purana it is told that the nine forms of Bhakthi are:
- Sravana (hearing of God's Lilas and stories),
- Kirtana (singing of His glories),
- Smarana (remembrance of His name and presence),
- Padasevana (service of His feet),
- Archana (worship of God),
- Vandana (prostration to Lord),
- Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servant with God),
- Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava) and
- Atmanivedana (complete surrender of the self).
A devotee can practice any method of Bhakthi which suits him best. Through that he will attain Divine illumination.
These nine types of Bhakthi have also been brought out in the Satcharitra in chapter XXI. There it is said :
“If any of these ( nine forms ) are faithfully followed Lord Hari will be pleased and manifest Himself in the home of the devotee. All the sadanas viz., Japa, Tapa,Yoga practice, studying of the scriptures and expounding them are useless unless they are accompanied by Bhakthi,ie. Devotion. Knowledge of the Vedas or fame as a great Jnani or mere formal Bhajan are of no avail. What is wanted is full Devotion.”
While these may be the highest form of Bhakthi for spiritually advanced and evolved aspirants, for the beginners or the less advanced common mankind taking initial steps towards spirituality, there is still hope. Many learned persons have said, for such persons hearing the Lilas of Lord Krishna, studying the sacred scriptures worshiping Him in His manifested form, reciting His name, singing His glories, attending satsanghs, service to the poor and needy, seeing God in all creations, should help. As stated in the Bhagawad Gita offering all actions to the Lord without expecting any fruits for the actions have to be practiced.
Saints have said actions done with clean heart and sincerity kindles the feelings of Bhakthi. Other daily rituals and habits like, burning incense before the deity, lighting a lamp, applying Vibhuti on the forehead, etc. also produce a holy influence on the mind and help in concentration. They help to create the necessary Bhava or feeling to invoke the Deity that we want to worship.
God does exist and He can be experienced. When you have complete faith in Him, you receive God's grace fully, and due to this you are liberated from Maya forever. (Vedas)
“.Worship the Lord with true devotion. Lead a life of purity, humility
and selflessness. Remember God. Take His name always. Meditate upon
Him. Know the Lord to be the one reality in the midst of unreal
things.” Swami Sivananda
Published earlier in Sai Smrithi NY
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