Many of us call ourselves devotees or Bhakthas of some deity or other. We visit temples, important shrines, offer worship and return with family completely satisfied. Can visiting temples and shrines be called devotion or Bhakthi? In fact many go to temples to while away their time and meet their friends. When ladies meet at the temples they fall in to conversation about their issues in the families and other problems. Temples and pilgrim centers and shrines have turned into picnic spots for youngsters who revel in taking photos for their albums! The very purpose of visiting the temple or shrine is totally defeated by such actions. There is no proper understanding of the word Bhakthi among people in society. Bhakthi is a very serious affair. It cannot come to the person easily. Devotion and dedication to a particular form of chosen deity is absolutely essential. In these days, when the very existence of God is being denied how can they concentrate on God? We love many things during our stay on earth, our parents, wife and children, kith and kin, and property. Our love varies according to the importance that we attach to those material things. When there is extreme love for God in any form to the extent of avoiding and forgetting all other material things of the world Bakthi or devotion is established!
What exactly is Bhakthi? What is it’s definition? Bhagwan Sri Sri Satya Saibaba describes it beautifully. “Bhakthi is love for God. The word Bhakthi is a combination of 'bha' in the word Bhagawan (God) and ‘kthi’ in the word “anurakthi” (love). Other features like virakthi (renunciation) and Mukthi ( Liberation) come in the travail of Bhakthi. Love for God should be the very life breath of man.” Love of God is a rare thing in the world. Bhakthi can sprout when there is whole hearted devotion to God similar to that of the chaste wife for her husband. Unalloyed and undiluted Bhakthi is still more difficult. It is achieved only when the mind and soul are absorbed in God which is a rare phenomenon. Devotion to God is directly proportional to the loss of attachment to the objects of the senses. Engulfed in the shackles of Maya, man aspires for transient pleasures and worthless mundane objects. It is only the pure and uncontaminated souls that can, with single aim, fix their mind on God. In true Bhakthi, the devotee, while chanting His holy name, is thrilled with joy! He need not strive for the control of senses. The control comes of itself! God intoxicated Bhaktha can never think of sense pleasures. A real devotee of the Lord is one who enters into. The most intimate relationship with Him! He should pray, “You must fulfil my prayer and reveal yourself to me.”
Mere acquaintance with God will not do. Closest relationship with God shall compel His presence. Formal relationship should mature into intense intimacy when God has no other way but to present Himself before you! Too much attachment to an object or relation prevents a person from thinking of God. In such cases one should look upon his object of love as an image of God and serve him in that attitude. As love of God increases the pleasures of the senses become insipid. No devotional practices are needed when the devotee's heart is moved to tears at the mere mention of the ‘name' of God! Devotion to God is compared to a tiger that swallows all enemies of man like lust, passion, anger and others. The Gopis of Brindavan had attained that stage through their fierce devotion to Krishna. Why should a Bhaktha abandon everything for the sake of God? A true devotee cannot refrain from clinging to God like the ant that loses its life in the syrup. The bliss of the presence of God compels the bhaktha to merge into Him and lose himself! It is also similar to the insect that flies to the light and dies. The ultimate aim of the real devotee is to merge himself in to God.
Similar to the three gunas embedded in individuals, Bhakthi has three shades, Satwa, Rajas and Thamas! Satwik Bhakthi is characterized by humility while Rajasic Bhakthi is ostentatious and the Thamasic type employs brute Force. The Satwik bhaktha's devotion is secret, his food simple and he is not affected by flattery. The Rajasic devotee has distinctive marks, has beads round his neck, wears silk during worship, and conducts worship with pomp and splendor. The Thamasic devotee has a fiery faith. He applies force to God in demanding things.
There are a few stages of devotional practice or Sadhana. First and foremost is the company of holy men, sages and sanths. Next is faith or Sraddha in and devotion to things relating to the Spirit. The third is single minded devotion or Nishta to one's ideal. The fourth is Bhakthi or intense love for God. Next stage is Bhava or the state of silent absorption in the thought of God. Intense Bhava leads to the next stage, Mahabhava. The devotee sometimes laughs and sometimes weeps like a madman! There is no body consciousness in the devotee at this stage. This can be realized not by ordinary mortals but by Mahapurushas. The last stage is the most intense love of God or Prema equal to Mahabhava. Here the devotee forgets the world, his self and even his body. It is at this stage that he is face to face with God the final goal of his life!
What exactly is Bhakthi? What is it’s definition? Bhagwan Sri Sri Satya Saibaba describes it beautifully. “Bhakthi is love for God. The word Bhakthi is a combination of 'bha' in the word Bhagawan (God) and ‘kthi’ in the word “anurakthi” (love). Other features like virakthi (renunciation) and Mukthi ( Liberation) come in the travail of Bhakthi. Love for God should be the very life breath of man.” Love of God is a rare thing in the world. Bhakthi can sprout when there is whole hearted devotion to God similar to that of the chaste wife for her husband. Unalloyed and undiluted Bhakthi is still more difficult. It is achieved only when the mind and soul are absorbed in God which is a rare phenomenon. Devotion to God is directly proportional to the loss of attachment to the objects of the senses. Engulfed in the shackles of Maya, man aspires for transient pleasures and worthless mundane objects. It is only the pure and uncontaminated souls that can, with single aim, fix their mind on God. In true Bhakthi, the devotee, while chanting His holy name, is thrilled with joy! He need not strive for the control of senses. The control comes of itself! God intoxicated Bhaktha can never think of sense pleasures. A real devotee of the Lord is one who enters into. The most intimate relationship with Him! He should pray, “You must fulfil my prayer and reveal yourself to me.”
Mere acquaintance with God will not do. Closest relationship with God shall compel His presence. Formal relationship should mature into intense intimacy when God has no other way but to present Himself before you! Too much attachment to an object or relation prevents a person from thinking of God. In such cases one should look upon his object of love as an image of God and serve him in that attitude. As love of God increases the pleasures of the senses become insipid. No devotional practices are needed when the devotee's heart is moved to tears at the mere mention of the ‘name' of God! Devotion to God is compared to a tiger that swallows all enemies of man like lust, passion, anger and others. The Gopis of Brindavan had attained that stage through their fierce devotion to Krishna. Why should a Bhaktha abandon everything for the sake of God? A true devotee cannot refrain from clinging to God like the ant that loses its life in the syrup. The bliss of the presence of God compels the bhaktha to merge into Him and lose himself! It is also similar to the insect that flies to the light and dies. The ultimate aim of the real devotee is to merge himself in to God.
Similar to the three gunas embedded in individuals, Bhakthi has three shades, Satwa, Rajas and Thamas! Satwik Bhakthi is characterized by humility while Rajasic Bhakthi is ostentatious and the Thamasic type employs brute Force. The Satwik bhaktha's devotion is secret, his food simple and he is not affected by flattery. The Rajasic devotee has distinctive marks, has beads round his neck, wears silk during worship, and conducts worship with pomp and splendor. The Thamasic devotee has a fiery faith. He applies force to God in demanding things.
There are a few stages of devotional practice or Sadhana. First and foremost is the company of holy men, sages and sanths. Next is faith or Sraddha in and devotion to things relating to the Spirit. The third is single minded devotion or Nishta to one's ideal. The fourth is Bhakthi or intense love for God. Next stage is Bhava or the state of silent absorption in the thought of God. Intense Bhava leads to the next stage, Mahabhava. The devotee sometimes laughs and sometimes weeps like a madman! There is no body consciousness in the devotee at this stage. This can be realized not by ordinary mortals but by Mahapurushas. The last stage is the most intense love of God or Prema equal to Mahabhava. Here the devotee forgets the world, his self and even his body. It is at this stage that he is face to face with God the final goal of his life!
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