Verses from shivAnandalaharI on Bhakti

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Greetings:

 

Ravisankar Mayavaram <msr has posted several selections

from

Selection from shivAnandalaharI in Advaita-L list and posting them here

for interested viewers. I want to thank Ravi for a fine article and

granting permission to me for posting his articles in advaitin.

 

Ravi points out shrI ramaNa mahaR^iShi chose 10 verses from shrI

shankara's shivAnandalaharI to help his disciples to understand the

substance of the work. The verses (in the order) are:

61, 76, 83, 6, 65, 10, 12, 9, 11 and 91. This set is a kind of precise

summary of the whole text and its purport. Verse 11 has already been

discussed earlier.

 

Verse 61 of shivAnandalaharI

 

aN^kolaM nija biija santatiH ayaskaantopalaM suuchikaa

saadhvii naijavibhuM lataa kshitiruhaM sindhuH saridvallabham.h |

praapnotiiha yathaa tathaa pashupateH paadaaravindadvayaM

chetovR^ittirupetya tishhThati sadaa saa bhaktirityuchyate || 61||

 

Like the seeds of the ankola tree moving towards the tree

itself; Like the iron filings clinging to a magnet; like the

love, attention, and thoughts of a chaste woman flowing

towards her husband; like a creeper tightly entwining and

embracing the supporting tree and like the river rushing

towards her beloved Ocean, the constant flow thoughts

towards the lotus feet of Ishwara is called as bhakti.

Source:

 

Verse 76 of shivAnandalaharI

 

bhaktiH mahesha pada pushhkaraM aavasantii

kaadambini iva kurute paritoshha varshham.h |

saMpuurito bhavati yasya manas taTaakaH

tat.h janma sasyaM akhilaM saphalaM cha naa.anyat.h || 76||

 

Like dark clouds giving rain in abundance which fill the

lakes, bhakti towards the lotus feet of the Lord gives the

showers of bliss and fills the lake of devotee's mind with

joy. Besides bhakti there is no other easier way to harvest

the purpose of one's life.

--

Like the scorched earth cooled by the nectar-like rain from

dark clouds, let the mind scorched by desires and tired of

running eternally behind the mirage of ephemeral pleasures,

attain peace from the ocean of bliss arising from the lotus

feet of God.

 

Source:http://listserv.tamu.edu/cgi/wa?A1=ind9904b&L=advaita-l#2