Guest guest Posted March 24, 2000 Report Share Posted March 24, 2000 I was reading "Enlightening Expositions" of JagatGuru Abhinava VidyaTeertha Swamiji. Here is something that show's Shankara's immense devotion, though he was a jnani par excellence. I have read/heard Soundarya Lahiri many times, but after I read this, I enjoy this hymn more than ever. Begin quote- People have a natural capacity to love. Affection requires an object and when that object is God, it gets the appellation Bhakti or devotion. ....................... A devotee wanted to pray , "O Bhavani, please bestow on me, Your servant, a compassionate glance". So, he beganwith the words "Bhavani tvam". So eager was the goddess to fulfill her devotee's wish that she did not realize that the devotee's pause after "tvam", meaning "You", was only the interval between successive words. Taking the request as complete, She immediately granted him "Bhavani-tvam" or the state of being Bhavani, that is, She made him one with Herself. End quote. The shloka in reference is the 22nd - BhavAni tvam dAse mayi vitara dR^ishtiM sakaruNAM iti stitum vA~nchan kathayati bhavAni tvamiti yaH | tadaiva tvam tasmai dishasi nijasAyujya-padavIM mukunda-brahmendra-sphuta-makuTa-nIrAjita-padAM || Meaning - One who desiring to pray to thee in terms like "Oh BhavAni, bestow Thy gracious glance on me, Your servant", even before he completes 'BhavAni tvam' (May I) become Thou, You bestow on him the status of oneness with you, at whose feet Divinities like viShNu, Brahma and Indra with their sparkling attires are prostrating. This shows that our devotion to Her is certainly not intense enough. May that compassionate Mother grant us such great devotion !! namaste, Savithri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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