Guest guest Posted January 3, 2001 Report Share Posted January 3, 2001 ============================================================= This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran ) ============================================================= Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com) Seven steps of devotion CHENNAI, JAN. 4. In all our sacred works, there is greater stress on the need to develop virtues and cherish values. One of them refers to the outstanding quality of moral rectitude. The noble character of a person is judged by his affability which makes him move closely with grace and intimacy with those who lack wealth and wisdom. When a distinguished spouse of a sage praised Sita for having followed the footsteps of Rama though He was dispossessed of power and wealth, She, in reply, referred to His moral stature as His asset. In a similar vein, in her epistle sent by a princess to Krishna (in the Bhagavatam), she says that though she had not known Him personally, yet she had heard of His qualities. The seven verses in her communication expressing her desire to marry Him, represent the seven steps of devotion and an individual soul's eagerness to be in communion with God. The contents of this letter, sent to Krishna through a messenger, show Rukmani's grief over the attempts being made to give her in marriage to one whom she does not like and hence asking Him to come and take her. ``Your excellences entering deep into the heart, make my mind set on You, shame having fled away from it. Lion among men, You who are Your own compeer in point of pedigree, good disposition, learning, youthfulness, opulence and glory, will attract and please every human being. A noble woman will only be proud of electing you as her husband. You have been chosen by me and this body has been bestowed on you. Let not the man decided for me, touch this body, that belongs to You, even as a jackal will defy the quarry of a lion. If the Supreme Lord has thoroughly been propitiated by me through religious observances, sacrificial performances, charitable gifts, fasting, offering worship, You should arrive and carry me away and not the other one, winning me as a price of valour.'' In her Bhagavatam discourse, Smt.Prema Pandurang explained the tower of strength in the devotion displayed by the innocent, unsophisticated maiden of the village where Krishna lived and their poignant feelings on being kept separated for a brief time, thereby revealing how a devotee yearns to be ever in the presence of God and pines to be in His presence forever. ``Let me remain as a shrub in the place where He spent His days'' says a sincere devotee. The Lord too values even the dust particles of His devotees from the place where they had walked. It is mentioned that when sage Narada once visited Krishna, he found the latter keeping such dust so collected, being carefully preserved in a small box. Copyrights: 2000 The Hindu & Tribeca Internet Initiatives Inc. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the consent of The Hindu & Tribeca Internet Initiatives Inc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2001 Report Share Posted January 4, 2001 Lord Sri Krishna says with all humility in Uddhava Gita that "I walk behind My devotees sothat the dust of their feet may fall upon ME and purify Me."--------What a wonderful lesson for all of us! Humility is prerequisite for Devotion and pursuit of spiritual knowledge for Self Realization and all prayers and pujas! Photos - Share your holiday photos online! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2001 Report Share Posted January 4, 2001 Namaste, This reminds me of Saint Namdev [Maharashtra - circa 1300 AD], the great devotee of Lord Vitthala of Pandharpur. His 'samadhi' is the first step of the entrance into the temple. The location was because of his special wish that every devotee who entered the temple would step on him first! [Earlier in his life he had acquired some pride of his devotion as Vitthala would literally talk to him and eat the food he offered as 'nivedya'. He was later humbled by Jnaneshvara and Gora Kumbhar [a potter] by being declared 'an un-baked pot'! Namdev was subsequently initiated by Visoba Khechar, a disciple of Jnaneshvara. When Namdev went to see Visoba, he found him with his feet resting on a Shiva-linga! When Namdev scolded him, Visoba asked him to move the feet and place them somewhere else. When Namdev did this, a Shiva- linga would appear wherever he placed the feet! Namdev thus gained an insight into the all-pervasiveness of God, and he immediately surrendered to Visoba.] Regards, s. advaitin , BTA SAGAR <btasagar> wrote: > Lord Sri Krishna says with all humility in Uddhava Gita that "I walk behind My devotees sothat the dust of their feet may fall upon ME and purify Me."--------What a wonderful lesson for all of us! Humility is prerequisite for Devotion and pursuit of spiritual knowledge for Self Realization and all prayers and pujas! > > Photos - Share your holiday photos online! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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