Bhakti - Guru - God.

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Dear friends and devotees, Bhakti is eternal. We are all thriving for Bhakti the devotion and love to God. The question in front of all is what is Bhakti and who are all involved? It is the relationship between Bhakta (Devotee) and Bhokta (The supreme “God”). There is one more, who will contribute his Endeavour in leading the devotees to walk in the path of Bhakti. That is GURU. In the course of study, I could collect some details on Bhakti and also some fundamentals for Parayana and would like to share with you all. Bhakti – Guru – God. Essential kinds of Bhakti have been told as under: ShravaNam Kiirtanam VishNO SmaraNam PaadasEvanam | Arcanam Vandanam daasyam SakhyamaatmanivEdanam || Vidhiyukta Bhakti (Recommended by scriptures) is performed in the above nine ways of Bhakti Sadhana and hence called Nav-vidha (Nine types) Bhakti. This kind of Bhakti is very much popular in Vaishnavas. The bodies of Rama, Krishna, Narsimha etc. are Divya Deha. The bodies of Guru(s) also become Divya Deha. The

Shastra verdict is, "Yasya dEvE Para Bhaktiryata DEvE tathaa gurou". (Para Bhakti means best kind -Uttama Bhakti) The people therefore, are justified in worshipping their Guru with Nav-Vidha Bhakti like they worship Gods and Godesses. Parayana of the Divine Hymns of Guru has not been specially categorised in Nava Vidha Bhakti and hence this kind of Sadhana of Guru necessarily falls in the category of Smarana, or Smarana Bhakti. In Saiva also "yo guru sah Siva prOktaa, Yah Siva sah guru smRutaha" has been recommended by Sastras. (Guru is Siva and Siva is Guru). So, Bhakti of Guru and Shiva or any God is not differentiated. Smarana and Naama Jaapa is most important mean of Siva Bhakti. Even in Tantrik cults Smarana and Japa has importance. Smarana Bhakti is a kind of Para Bhakti or Uttama Bhakti, in propitiating Guru. So, Parayana also automatically becomes Uttama Bhakti. Parayana Bhakti which is not a

categorised Bhakti is made very popular by Dutta Sampradaya. Upadesha are not personal Charitra with Chamatkaras. However, Dutta Sampradaya changed this meaning. The “Divine Hymn", a kind of writing had the base and theme of Puranas and called as “Pothi”. Pothis like Shivaliilamrita, Shani Mahatmya etc. are wonderful Pothis. We have to learn as to how Parayana of divine hymns works and favours us in fulfillment of our desires. Also what is the best way of performing Parayana Bhakti? Bhakti is necessarily love and nothing else. In this respect some saints have said that Bhakti and Jnana are same. Let us see what a great saint from Ramkrishna Mission Swami Rangnathananda writes, "There is not so much difference between knowing Jnana (wisdom) and Bhakti (devotional love), as people sometimes imagine. We shall see as we go on, that in the end they converge and meet at the same point. So also is it

with Raj-Yoga, which when pursued as a means to attain liberation, and not (as unfortunately it frequently becomes in the hands of charlatans and mystery-mongers) as an instrument to hoodwink the unwary, leads us also to the same goal" Of course, we do not agree with this great saint also, since none of us will agree with anything which is not told to us by Upanishads or by Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya. Worldly

love requires two persons. One who makes love and the other who is being loved. However, in Bhakti the climax is experience of oneness with the deity or Guru. Even in worldly love we have seen (very rarely) husband and wife love each other like they have two bodies for convenience of reproduction only, otherwise they are one. We know the story of Raja Bhartruhari and his wife. Once, Raja Bhartruhari asked his wife, whether she loved him. She said that she will die for him. Advisors of the kings during discussion pooh-poohed the female love. They said to King that woman is Devadasi (born actress). They show the same degree of love to any man, they come close with, irrespective of number. These statements of wise men in Raja's court disturbed the mind of Raja. He could never imagine his wife who was known for her beauty all over country could be adulterous after his death. Once he went to jungle for hunting. Next day he sent his clothes soaked in deer blood to palace with a message for his wife that Raja was dead. When queen heard the message she died instantly. Raja Bhartruhari came to know about the death of his dearest wife. He repented. His renounced the

world and shifted from palace to a hutment near a graveyard. He wrote Vairagya Satakam and much other beautiful poetry and became great saint. In this story, for the queen, the both were one though the bodies were different. She could not survive after death of her husband because she had achieved oneness with king. Oneness is achieved by Cittaikegrata. Parayana is wonderful mean to achieve

this. Undisturbed mind is therefore, essential requirement of the Parayana. When the devotee reads the hymns of a Guru he/she is greatly impressed with the Bhaktibhava for Guru and reads Guru's great and “Alowkik” (superhuman) deeds. Devotee has firm belief that the deity or Guru whose preaching, he/she reads is SarvaSaktibharitham (Full of entire energy). He/she has a faith that his/her Guru can do or undo anything in this universe. He/she reads Pothi with this complete Shraddha (Faith) and so he/she achieves the concentration in the matter of Pothi.

The concentration brings him/her near Paramatma, because he/she has practically forgotten the world. He/she becomes Tanmaya. Tat+may is oneness with Paramatma. (Tat means Paramatma). His/her Guru becomes Paramatma and Paramatma becomes Guru for him/her and his/her sankalpa is comepleted (goes to siddhi). His/her desires are fulfilled. If he/she lacks regularity and concentration his/her desires would not be fulfilled. The following disciplines are recommended for best results: · Sandhikala is the best time of Parayana. (Morning or evening 4 to 7). · Suchirbhuta body is essential.(do not get up for toilet during parayana reading, as far as possible) · Important: Asana, place, direction and time should not be changed till the Parayana is completed. · One should never think like "I have to do this and that after completing Parayana." (Like I have to watch cricket match after this) · As far as

possible devotee should try to make his mind thoughtless. He should not signal to other while reading. · His mind be filled with great love and Bhaktibhava for Guru to the extent that he should feel tears in the eyes. · He should not think that I am doing this parayana for any particular purpose, like getting job, getting any work done. · He should better have performed the puja-vidhi (traditional worship) before sitting for Parayana. · He should make minimum movements of body while making prayana. · He should keep the mosquito repellent or other means to keep

away from insects which disturb the concentration · He should take care that he should not be disturbed by calling of anybody in the home or by noise. · He should face East or North direction being the ascending directions. · He should not decide the Parayana course himself, instead read the Adhyayas as recommended. · Getting up from Parayana for any purpose, breaks the concentration and link with Paramatma and the result is negative. · Should avoid even taking water during Parayana. · Should always think as if he was present there when the incident in the hymn took place and this will enable to merge the Chitta (Mind) in to the hymn and Parayana shall be successful. ·

Ekagratha (Concentration) is necessary. One must have no other thought other than whatever is mentioned in the parayana. · Let there be sufficient light and free air flow wherever the Parayana is conducted. · One should be alone in the room while reading, lest he may be disturbed. · Should not doubt any of the contents of Parayana and believe 100% that they are true. · Should not make any difference in Guru and Paramatma while reading. · It is always recommended to worship Kuladaivam

(home deity) before commencing the Parayana. · Should be Samarasa (homogeneous with the contents) with Parayana. ·

Should try to forget the bodily functions while reading. · As far as possible one should try to keep the back bone straight i.e. perpendicular to the floor and not to bend. · Better to avoid taking sumptuous diet before sitting for Parayana, and at the same time not be too hungry. · While sitting erect, if the neck comes down automatically, should not lift the neck till it is bearable (It is a Jalandhara Bandha) and see that the stomach is automatically

contracted. · It is recommended that young male devotees put on koupeenam (Langoti) or sit in the siddhasana if they can. · Should not get afraid if some figures appear before the eyes, the body hair get erect, get tears in the eyes or Guru appears to be standing in front. This is blessings of Guru and should try to remain in that condition without remembering "I, me, my and mine". · Never make advertisement of the Parayanas and tell others about it like "I have made 500 Parayanas and 1000

Parayanas," Should know well that the concentration will be lost and would not get required results. · Should keep utmost faith that the result will be positive. If a devotee makes Parayana observing the above conditions, he

would definitely accomplish successfulness. The following advice of one eminent Guru, throw some light on the matter. "One great advantage of Bhakti is that it is the easiest and the most natural way to reach the great divine end in view; its great disadvantage is that, in its lower forms, it oftentimes degenerates into hideous fanaticism. The fanatical crews in Hinduism; or Mohammedanism, or Christianity, have always been almost exclusively recruited from these worshippers on the lower planes of Bhakti; that singleness of nishta (attachment) to a loved object like Guru or God without cause of denunciation of everything else. All the weak and undeveloped minds in every religion or country have only one way of loving their own ideal, i.e. by hating other ideal. Herein is the explanation of why the same man or women who is so lovingly attached to his/her own ideal of God, so devoted to his or her own ideal of religion, becomes a howling fanatic as soon as he or she sees or hears anything of any other ideal..... The same man who is kind, good, honest, and loving to people of his own opinion, will not hesitate to do the vilest deeds when they are directed

against persons beyond the pale of his or her own Guru or Deity brotherhood." One should behave as if the entire universe is owned and occupied by God. HE is the owner and we are His servants. HE owns all our belongings and our family members. We are deputed to look after His assets and relations. This should be our Bhava (Sentiment). We should be extremely polite. Should never show what knowledge is and what Bhakti is. God does not like this kind of attitude. Should love all others such as human and animals as they are also part of the same system of God, of which we are. Whatever is written in the above is a collection and not claims this to be best. The mistakes if any are to be forgiven and to not raise objections on

this writing please. With love and regards, Sastry.

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