Bhakthi Maarga

07/02/2004

Sarva Vedeshu Yath Punyam Sarva Theertheshu Yath Phalam
Thath Phalam Purushaapnoathi Sthuthva Devam Janaardhanam

(Whatever virtues (punya) is gained by study of all Vedas, and, whatever good
consequences gained by piligrimages, all such virtues and good results are obtained
by invoking the praise of Sri Janaardhana (God who blesses one with eternal life) )
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Hello Everybody ! Sukravaaram Suprabhaath !

Whereas thru Path of Knowledge (Gnyaana Maarga) the ultimate ideal of our
existence, the comprehension and realisation of our 'True Self' is accomplished,
which however needs much 'saadhhana' (perseverant practice), the other path
the 'Path of Devotion' (Bhakthi Maarga) is no less rewarding, and is pursued by
a much larger number. It has the possibility and potentiality of finally leading to
the stage of meditation on the 'Formless', and thence merging with the Path of
Knowledge. Simple in its concept, approach and practice, what is basically
needed is an unswerving Faith in a Supreme Being, coupled with an attitude of
total surrender. When one feels the Lord extending an 'Abhaya Hastha' (Hand
of Protection), and hears Him declaring: "Be certain, none can perish trusting Me
- - - - Whoso will turn to Me, tho they be born from the very womb of sin, - - -
all plant foot upon the highest path", - - - "Do all thou dost for Me, renounce
for Me, sacrifice heart and mind and will to Me. Live in Faith of Me. In Faith of Me,
all dangers thou shalt vanquish by My Grace", - - - "Whereso any doeth all his
deeds renouncing self for Me, full of Me, fixed to serve only the Highest, night
and day musing on Me, him will I swiftly lift forth from life's ocean of distress and
death" (Bhagavad Geetha. In fact, the above is Bhakthi Maarga in a nutshell !)
- - - - would not one be acquiring infinite strength and fortitude, if only one
believes in Him? Would not one be filled with a feeling of security, protection
and peace ?
In mythological lore, it was that incessant Faith in the Supreme that enabled
Prahlaada to survive being trampled by elephants, and hurled down mountains;
or, Markandeya defying Death; or, Anjaneya jumping oceans. Those were all
symbolic of the Power of Faith ! Or in more recent history, it was that
imperturbable Faith that enabled Meera (16th century) to survive consuming
a cup of poison, or, Jayadeva bringing back to life his dead wife ! No wonder a
galaxy of great devotees dazzled on the Indian horizon even in recent past,
immortal names (apart from Meera and Jayadeva) such as: Surdas, Tukaram,
Gnyaneswar, Narsinh Mehta, Sakku Bai, Chaitanya Prabhu, Kabir, Annamayya,
Thyagaraja, Purandara Dasa etc., many in fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and
some in as recent as eighteenth and nineteenth.
The beauty of Bhakthi Maarga is that it is the easiest and simplest, involving
no arduous efforts or practices, no difficult breath-controls or mind-conditionings,
no strenuous rituals nor long piligrimages ! Just an opening up of one's purified
mind, filled with love and devotion, faith and surrender,in a Deity of one's choice.
As per Srimadh Bhaagavatham, there are nine types of devotion (nava vidhha
Bhakthi) to the Lord :
" Sravanam Keerthanam Vishnoasmaranam Paada Sevanam
Archanam Vandanam Daasyam Sakhyam Aathma Nivedanam "
Here are the meanings with examples from mythology:
1. Sravanam: Listening to narrations on God (as did king Parikshit to Sage Suka)
2. Keerthanam: Singing His glories (as Devarshi Narada). 3. Vishnoasmaranam:
Ever musing on Him (Prahlaada). 4. Paada Sevanam: Worshipping His Feet
( Lakshmi ). 5. Archanam: Worshipping Lord (king Pruthu). 6. Vandanam :
Saranaagathi, prostrating. 7. Daasyam: Service (Anjaneya) 8. Sakhyam :
Friendship (as Arjuna to Krishna). 9.Aathma Nivedanam:Total surrender(king Bali)
Let us hear what some sages commented on Bhakthi. Shirdi Sai: "We wash
with detergents our clothes and our body to cleanse them of all dirt. So also, to
cleanse our minds of all impurities, we must use detergent of 'Naama smarana'
(chanting of Lord's names) ".
Swami Tapovanam (Swami Chinmaya's Guru): "To mount and revel in 'Gnyaana
Nishta' (well established in Realisation) which brings about liberation and supreme
bliss, one must root out negative thoughts, for which devotion to Lord, and Grace
of the Lord are absolutely essential. - - - Tho the Supreme is devoid of names and
forms, - - It cannot be attained except thru imagined objects of names and forms"
Thus on the path towards the Ultimate Truth, it can be seen that the Bhakthi
Maarga has an important role to play.
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Now one of my poems from the book "Random Musings" :

THE OMNISCIENT

Whatever thou seeth and whenever
Ever see the Lord's resplendant Form
Through all that thou ever seeth ;
And the Lord is beyond all Form !

Whatever thou heareth and whenever
Ever hear the Lord's hymns echoing
Through all that thou ever heareth ;
And the Lord is beyond all sound and echo !

Whatever thou toucheth and whenever
Ever feel the touch of Lord's Holy Feet
Through all thou ever toucheth;
And the Lord is beyond all touch !

Whatever thou thinkest and whenever
Ever think of the Lord merciful
Through all that thou ever thinkest;
And the Lord is beyond all thought !

Whatever thou doeth and whenever
Ever feel thou acteth His Divine Command
Through all that thou ever doeth;
And the Lord is beyond all action !

Whatever and whenever thou seeth or heareth,
Toucheth or thinkest, or whatever thou doeth,
Know that the Lord is within everything;
Know that the Lord is beyond everything !
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