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.