|| Shree Hari ||
Devotion and Its Glories
भक्ति और उसकी महिमा
continued.....
Parvatiji said ‒
जन्म कोटि लगि रगर हमारी । बरउँ संभु न त रहउँ कुआरी ॥
तजउँ न नारद कर उपदेसू । आपु कहहिं सत् बार महेसू ॥
Janma koti lagi ragara hamaari, barau sambhu na ta rahau kuaari
tajaun na naarada kara upadeshu, aapu kahahin sata baara maheshu (Manas, Baal. 81/3)
As for myself I must wed Shambhu or remain a virgin, no matter if I have to continue the struggle for ten million lives. I will not disregard Narada’s admonition even if Shambhu Himself tells me a hundred times to do so.”
In this way, in love the devotee’s thoughts only go towards
God. Love is considered even greater than Liberation. Dharma (righteousness), Arth (prosperity), Kaam (desires) and Moksha (liberation) are regarded as the four goals of man. Love, the fifth “purushaarth” is even further ahead than these four goals of man
“purushaarths”. In liberation, man desires his own pleasures, but in love he desires God’s pleasure. The loving devotees’ sentiments are such that even if he has to go to hell, then too it is not a problem, but God should get pleasure, He should get rest and relaxation. The "gopikas" lived in Vrindavan, while Lord Krishna lived in Mathura. But the gopis did not go to Mathura, because Lord Krishna did not want that they come to Mathura. Though being so, the gopika’s minds were constantly engaged in God. Even Brihaspati’s main disciple,
Uddhavji who was a man of knowledge (jnaani), could not shaken the gopi’s mind, rather on seeing their loving sentiments, himself was shaken from his knowledge ! Just like the gopis, may our minds too be in contemplation of the Lord, may our speech sing His glories, may our ears listen to talks about Him. May all our senses remain naturally engaged in God ‒
वाणी गुणानुकथने श्रवणौ कथायां
हस्तौ च कर्मसु मनस्तव पादयोर्न: ।
स्मृत्यां शिरस्तव निवासजगत्प्रणामे
दृष्टि: सतां दर्शनेऽस्तु भवत्तनूनाम् ॥
‘O Lord ! may my speech remain immersed in describing your divine qualities. May my ears remains engaged in listening to your divine plays. May my hands be engaged in your service, and may my mind remain engaged at Your Lotus feet. may my head remain ever bowed to prostrate in front of the world and may my eyes, continue to behold the saints who are your very own self.
We have given existence to the world and after giving it existence, we have given it importance, due to which our senses have become engaged in the world. Let the flow of our sense move away from the world, and become engaged in God - this is called devotion. Just as the mother appears very loving to the child, her name appears very sweet, her proximity is most dear, similarly, when God, His Name and His proximity appears dear, appears sweet - then this is the beginning of Devotion.
Just as even without wanting, by mistake, if someone touches the fire, then the hand will be burnt, in the same way, in which ever way if the mind becomes engaged in God, then it will lead to salvation. If you develop an affinity with God even if it is due to feelings of animosity, fear, aversion etc. towards God, then too it will lead to salvation only, but this is not devotion. Devotion is that in which one develops a loving relationship with God. (to be continued)
From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji