Article sent from The Hindu

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This article on Devotion is quite relevant with respect to the on going

discussion topics - (1) Renunciation and (2) Spiritual Dilemma. The focus of

this article is from the Dwaita point of view (Madhwacharya's philosophy).

Fundamentally all the three philosophies - advaita, vishistadvaita and dwaita

emphasizes the role of devotion and His Grace.

 

regards,

 

Ram Chandran

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This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

Definition of true devotion

 

CHENNAI, SEPT. 10. The term ``devotion'' has been described by

saints and sages in many ways and it can be practically

demonstrated by a person by his total submission to the Supreme

Deity acknowledging that He alone is their protector. An apostle

has defined ``true devotion'' as follows: ``It is the supreme

attachment to the Lord based on the complete understanding of His

greatness, and supremacy, which transcends the love of one's own

self and possessions and which remains unaffected and unshaken in

the face of thousand difficulties. It flows uninterruptedly. This

kind of Bhakti secures salvation''.

 

According to one of the three schools of philosophy, devotion

stands as the foremost in the nine modes featured in the

Bhagavatham. This school also holds the view that there are also

grades in its display. For instance the Bhakti of a child for

whom God appeared admiring its tenacity is different from that of

another child for whose sake God took an incarnation and saved it

from the tortures inflicted on it.

 

That of Ajamila who in his previous birth was an ardent devotee

and in the next, fell into bad ways is of another category. The

Lord reveals Himself to the devotees in different measures,

according to their spiritual eligibility, says Sri Madhwacharya.

``Moksha'' is the bestowal of the Lord's grace and the way to it

is pure devotion. The love of the Lord grows with the observance

of ceremonial purity and ethical excellence which are necessary

for devotion.

 

The attitude of an ardent devotee has been mentioned in the

Bhagavatam. He firmly believes that the Lord alone is his sole

saviour even while he is in his mother's womb. The animate and

inanimate creations are a mere plaything in His hands. The

extraordinary faith of Prahlada, a child born in a demon family

but who due to Divine Grace, did not fear any of the gruesome

steps taken by his father to kill him is categorised by saints as

the acme of devotion. In order to substantiate the utterance of

this young servant that God is present everywhere in all objects,

the Lord appeared from a pillar assuming a queer form and

destroyed the child's father, its own enemy, said Sri S.R.

Raghothamachar in a discourse. This young devotee, who was

privileged to listen to an exposition by Sage Narada on Divine

Grace to his mother, was able to declare that neither birth in

the society's higher echelons nor versatility nor mere austerity

nor sacred vows alone are conducive to the pleasure of the Lord

who on the other hand can be perpetuated through unalloyed

devotion.

 

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