Fwd: STAGES OF BHAKTI

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Dear Simoneji

 

Hari OM!

 

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Om Ganeshai Namah

Vandana

 

--- Simone <syzenith wrote:

> STAGES OF BHAKTI

> In the religious books, the following stages of

> Bhakti are mentioned.

>

> 1. Satsang (good company of saints)

> 2. Swadhyaya (study of holy scriptures)

> 3. Stuti (admiration)

> 4. Shraddha (faith in God)

> 5. Bhakti (devotion to God)

> 6. Nishtha (Sincerity)

> 7. Ruchi (taste of hearing and chanting His name)

> 8. Rati ( intense attachment to Lord)

> 9. Sthayi Bhava (steadfastness)

> 10. Prema-Maya (the devotees at this stage has no

> attachment to

> worldly objects and lives and moves in Divine

> ecstasy)

>

> Briefly there are nine modes of Bhakti:

>

> 1. Sravan (hearing of Divine Glory)

> 2. Kirtan (singing praises to Him with Bhava

> {emotion} and devotion)

> 3. Smran (remembering His name)

> 4. Padasevana (service and presence at the feet of

> the Lord)

> 5. Archana (worship)

> 6. Vandana (prostration to God)

> 7. Dasyam (cultivating Bhava of a servant)

> 8. Sakhyam (cultivating Bhava of a friend)

> 9. Atma Niveddana (complete self-surrender)

>

> There are 16 limbs of Puja (ritual worship) of a

> Deity:

>

> 1. Asan – offering seat for the Deity

> 2. Svagat – welcome the Deity with prayer (mantra)

> 3. Padya – washing the feet

> 4. Arghya – Water offering made in a vessel

> 5. Achamana – sipping of water

> 6. Madhuparka – (honey, ghee, milk and curd)

> 7. Snana – bathing

> 8. Vastra – garments

> 9. Bhushan – ornaments and jewels

> 10. Gandha – perfume

> 11. Pushpa – flowers

> 12. Dhoop – incense

> 13. Dipa – light

> 14. Naivedya – food offering

> 15. Tambulam – betel nut

> 16. Vandana or Namaskaram – prostration and prayer.

>

> The accessories of worship mentioned above have

> inner meanings as

> mentioned below:

>

> Arghya (water) used in worship is a symbol of

> pervasiveness and an

> object for purification.

> Bhushan (ornaments) placed on image symbolise the

> virtues of the

> Deity who is immortal.

> Gandha (perfume) stands for the perception of

> consciousness pervading

> the earth of which the physical body is made. Sense

> of smell is

> connected with the prithvi tatva (earth).

> Pushpa (flowers) offering of flowers indicates

> perception of

> consciousness pervading the akash tatva (ether).

> Dhoopa (incense) stands for perception of

> consciousness pervading the

> vayu tatva (air).

> Dipa (light) stands for perception of consciousness

> pervading the

> agni tatva (fire).

> Yajna (fire) stands for transmutation. Agni is a

> great transformer in

> nature.

> Arati (waving of lights) stands for discarding of

> the objects of

> thought, which is the inanimate world.

> Naivedya (food) Food sustains life. Offering of food

> stands for

> perception of the principle of immortality. Rice as

> food stands for

> the perception of Existence-Consciousness-Experience

> in all things.

> Vandana (obeisance and praise). Obeisance stands for

> dissolution of

> all thoughts into the Principle-of-All. Prayer and

> praise offerings

> stand for the dissolution of words into the word

> principle.

>

> There are eight signs of progress in the Path of

> Devotion:

>

> 1. Tears

> 2. horrification

> 3. tremor

> 4. weeping

> 5. laughing

> 6. perspiration

> 7. fainting and

> 8. inability to speak.

>

> Sri Ramanuja has mentioned some ways of fostering

> and intensifying

> Bhakti:

>

> 1. Abhyasa-Practice-to be regular and punctual in

> daily sadhana.

> 2. Viveka-Discrimination-to know what is right and

> what is wrong.

> 3. Satya-Truth-to be in words and deeds.

> 4. Arjava-Straightforwardness, avoid cunningness.

> 5. Kriya-Doing good to others-i.e., rendering

> selfless services.

> 6. Kalyana-Wishing good of all, i.e., never harm

> anyone by thought,

> word or deed.

> 7. Daya-Compassion-to be merciful and to forgive

> others' fault.

> 8. Ahimsa-Non injury

> 9. Dana-Charity.

>

> There are five kinds of emotions (bhav) in Bhakti:

>

> 1. Shanta Bhava (peaceful emotion).

> 2. Dasya Bhava (considering oneself as a

> slave/servant of God)

> 3. Vatsalya Bhava (considering God as a

> Father-Mother).

> 4. Sakhya Bhava (considering God as friend like the

> Arjuna and

> Krishna)

> 5. Madhurya Bhava is a most difficult mode of

> vedanta Sadhana. It is

> merging in Him.

>

> One emotion (Bhava) embraces the other.

> A devotee starts from fine emotion, which develops

> into warm

> affection and then in glowing love and ultimately

> into the supreme

> and unbounded love. When a devotee advances in

> devotion to the Lord,

> he sheds tears of delight. He may cry or laugh. He

> may sing or dance

> in Divine Ecstasy.

>

> When devotion matures, it brings jnana (wisdom) to

> the devotee.

> Bhakta is also a jnani. It is only at the time of

> intense devotion

> and love that becomes void and free from conceit and

> pride.

>

> (Courtesy: by Hari Dutt Sharma)

>

> Posted by Arun Reddy Nukala from another Group

>

>

>

> For Ganesh Bhaktas:

> /

>

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