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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Devotion, path to liberation

 

CHENNAI, MAY 11.Various paths have been recommended by the

scriptures for realising God and it can be seen from them that it

is the heart and not the mind which can take one closer to the

goal. The mind is fickle by nature and even a person who believes

implicitly in God may turn out to be a non-believer eventually.

 

Hence intellectual conviction does not lead one anywhere in

matters of spirituality. What is essential is a faithful heart

which loves God for His own sake. This is the time-tested path of

devotion though one may not be able to develop it immediately.

Example of devotees who had realised God through loving devotion

to Him can inspire one to tread the path.

 

The Bhagavata Purana speaks of such devotees of God. Of them, the

Gopis belong to a class of their own. They were simple people

whose activities centred round their occupation of tending cows

and hence had no pretensions to scholarship or spiritual

leanings. But it was their company that the Lord of the universe

chose when He incarnated as Krishna. Soon after His birth He was

taken by His father Vasudeva to Nanda's house in Gokul, to grow

up without the knowledge of Kamsa who had sworn to kill Him.

Vasudeva took in exchange the girl-baby born to Yashoda there.

 

His parents were so concerned about His safety that they could

not revel in the joy of His birth. They requested Him to hide His

divine nature which He had revealed to them at birth and Krishna

promised them, ``Constantly thinking of Me as a son and as the

all-pervading Lord and having bestowed your love on Me, you both

will attain the highest state of union with Me.'' The interchange

of the babies were made without anyone's knowledge aided by

nature which was too glad to be of service to the Almighty, said

Sri Jayarama Sarma in his discourse.

 

The Devi Mahatmyam reiterates that it was the Divine Mother who

was born to Yashoda. When Kamsa picked up the infant and flung it

on the ground, the babe not only flew out of his grasp but an

ethereal voice warned him that he could not change his destiny

and that the child born to kill him was safe elsewhere.

 

With Krishna's arrival in Yashoda's house, Gokul was transformed

into heaven. The joy of the Gopis overflowed as they vied with

one another to behold Him and regale themselves with His

infantile sports. Their hearts without their knowledge overflowed

with love for this bewitching child though they did not know that

it was His divine nature which held them spellbound. One can

imagine the spiritual perfection they must have attained in a

previous life to be singled out by the Lord for His grace.

 

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