Hindu Article-Cultivate devotion

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Cultivate devotion

 

CHENNAI: Devotion to the Lord can be cultivated by constantly

listening to the expositions of His countless captivating attributes,

and by seeking the company of the pious and the devout. Scriptures

and the puranas describe in detail the many instances when the

Supreme Being has rushed to the aid of His devotees. His compassion

is such that while He is most willing to fulfil their wishes, He will

brook no insult or injury to them, and never hesitates to protect

them.

The Bhagavata Purana extols the profound Gnana and Bhakti evinced by

the child Dhruva. The five-year-old lad had experienced a deep hurt

when the child's normal desire to sit on the lap of his father was

denied. He was thus spurred to the point of performing the severest

of penance, the intensity of which has been described as so great

that it obstructed the very life-breath of beings. The Lord then

appeared before him seated on the Garuda, the form that he had

visualised in his mind. When the Lord was ready to grant whatever the

child wanted, the original purpose of the penance was forgotten,

since Dhruva threw aside all other wishes except beseeching the Lord

for His grace that alone could confer practice of constant devotion,

said Sri J.R.S. Vasan Ramanan in a discourse.

When Dhruva beheld the Lord, who was moved by the child's austere

penance, He had touched him gently with His conch Panchajanya. The

Lord's overwhelming presence inspired the child to break into a

spontaneous eulogy. By divine grace the highest knowledge and the

keen sense of discrimination that is the prerogative of highly

evolved souls was conferred on Dhruva, who recognised the Lord's

omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence. Along with this came the

realisation of the Absolute truth that seeking His feet is the

ultimate purpose of life.

The Lord, who alone is capable of giving everything including the

highest goal of life, was willing to grant Dhruva all his wishes. But

the child opted for only one thing, a never diminishing love towards

the auspicious attributes of the Lord. He thus ensured for himself

the highest objective of life. All else in this world is transient,

and, it is by holding on to devotion to the Lord, one can cross the

ocean of life and reach the final destination.

 

ccopy right: The Hindu-daily