||  Shree Hari   ||

Devotion and Its Glories

भक्ति और उसकी महिमा

continued.....

Just as one can bath in Gangaji in the month of “Maagh” (eleventh month of the hindu calendar) and in “Vaishaak” (second month of the hindu calendar).   Both are regarded as great and auspicious.    In the month of “Maagh”  due to it being very cold,  it is very difficult.   The air is also cold and the waters of Gangaji are also very cold !  When on bathes,  the body trembles,  many place in the body the blood thickens up,  it is very difficult to lift the clothes with one’s hand.  But in the month of “Vaishaakh”  one feels very pleased.    In the hot months,  when one bathes in Gangaji then it is very pleasing.  Int he same way,  if one establishes a relationship with God out of animosity, fear or aversion etc.  it is like bathing in the Gangaji in the month of “Maagh” and establishing a loving devotional relationship with God,  is like bathing in the month of “Vaishaak”.  In love, God appears very nice, very loving, very sweet.  On hearing His qualities, glories, name etc.  the heart becomes ecstatic.  

Just as the “self” is dear to a man of knowledge (jnaani), in the same way, a God is dear to a devotee  ‒‘तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च’ (गीता १० । १) “tushyanti cha ramanti cha” (Gita 10/1).   As God is dear to the devotee, day and night he sings the glories of God,  discusses about God,  listens to the glories about God.   He does not have to meditate on God, rather through him meditation on God takes places on its own.   Just as a hungry man remembers food on its own,  he does not have to try to remember it.  In the same way,  a devotee remembers God on his own.   While fighting with Indra,  Vrutraasur says ‒

अजातपक्षा     इव मातरं खगाः

स्तन्यं यथा वत्सतराः शुधार्ता: ।

प्रियं प्रियेव      व्युषितं विषण्णा

मनोऽरविन्दाक्ष दिदृक्षते त्वाम् ॥

                                                           (श्रीमद्भा॰ ६ । ११ । २६)

‘Just as a bird’s little children without any wings,  wait anxiously for their mother.  Just as the hungry calf that is solely dependent on the mother’s milk is anxious to drink the milk,  and just as the lonely chaste wife, is longing and wistful to meet her husband, in the same way,  O’  Lotus Eyed One ! my mind is restless to see you.    

With the curse of Mother Parvati,  on the surface, Vrutraasur was a demon,   but from within he was a loving devotee of the Lord.  Therefore he says ‒

न नाकपृष्ठं     न च पारमेष्ठ्यं

न सार्वभौमं न रसाधिपत्यम् ।

न     योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं    वा

समञ्जस त्वा विरहस्य काङ्क्षे ॥

                                                            (श्रीमद्भा॰ ६ । ११ । २५)

‘The ever fortunate one ! leaving you,  I neither want the heavenly planes, the Brahmalok, earthly kingdom, singly ruling the netherlands, acquisition of super-natural powers of Yoga, to that extent, that I do not even want liberation ’

  (to be continued)

From book in Hindi ‘ Bhagwaan aur Unki Bhakti’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji