"BHAKTI" PLACE OF PRACTICE IN ADVAITA VEDANTA

[Guest guest]

Namaste all,

 

The following article “Bhakti as a Way of Daily Life” by one Sri K.S. Ram,

appeared in The Times of India, appears to be relevant to our topic of

discussion for September.

 

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We often hear about someone being a bhakta or devotee of a Hanuman, Balaji,

Ayyappa or Sai Baba, etc. Bhakti is generally understood as a person’s devotion

for his ishta devata or favourite god. Sometimes, this choice is very pointed :

“I am a devotee of Hanuman enshrined in a particular place,” someone may say and

claim with pride: “Make an offering to this deity, and you can be sure of a

return gift hundred or thousand fold more.”. Bhakti of this kind is essentially

commerce, because the relationship is one of quid pro quo. The motive is return

on investment. Bhakti in such cases is used as means to a selfish end.

 

Narada’s Bhakti Sutra presents a very different view of bhakti. This vyakhana

or slender discourse is often seen as a companion volume to Vyasa’s Brahma

Sutras and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Bhakti we were told at the outset cannot

be bent for selfish ends, because it is para-prema, selfless love. Love for

whom? It is significant that the word ‘God’ has not been used here. Para would

extend to all beings – humans, beasts, birds and even Nature. Bhakti is selfless

love, for its own sake, of all that constitutes God’s creation. It is a way of

HARMONISING life, through an ATTITUDE of ananyata – non-discrimination and

integration. Bhakti is not kamayamana or desire-driven; it is nirodh, a check

on desire. When attained, bhakti makes a person into Siddha, perfect and trupta,

satisfied. Such a person thereafter has neither desire nor worry, hate, and

pleasure of excitement. Does it imply dullness? No, it implies fulfillment born

of antar aarama or inner harmony, which could so

suffuse the mind as to make the bhakta look inebriated or matta. Does attaining

such a state imply stagnation? Again, no. Because Bhakti is said to be

amrut-swaroopa, un-decaying. The inner harmony born of bhakti is not static, it

is ever growing and intensifying.

 

Bhakti is not something to turn only in the evening of one’s life; it is

equally relevant in the early or mid-life stages. Bhakti does not shun life in

the world; it ennobles it. Temporal knowledge and worldly affairs get

consecrated. This brings to mind the exhortation in the Isa Upanishad:

 

“Renounce and enjoy!” Ennobled by bhakti, baser attitudes to business lift

towards the idea of saccha sauda or the true deal that Guru Nanak propagated.

 

How should a bhakta react to opposition he may nonetheless encounter in the

world? Narada suggests indifference. How does one attain to such bhakti? One

must give up the habit of having a FRAGMENTED VIEW OF THE WORLD, AND BEGIN TO

PERCEIVE THE INTRINSIC UNITY. Shunning sensuality, constant communion with That

and listening to the glory of God amidst the business of everyday life are

important. However, says Narada, bhakti comes primarily through the mercy of

great souls and a bit of the grace of God. He, however, cautions that meeting

and recognizing a great soul is not always easy. The intrinsic character of

bhakti defies definition, like it is difficult to describe the taste of

something that has been savored. Bhakti reflects through personality.

 

It is futile to expect gains from mere “knowledge” of bhakti. Because,

royal favour is not gained by merely gazing at a palace, nor is hunger assuaged

by gazing at food. Which reminds one of the Prophet Mohammad likening a pedant

to an ass carrying a load of books! Bhakti must be so imbibed as to become a way

of life. The reward of bhakti, says Narada, is in itself – swayam-phalaroopat.

 

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IMHO, SELF KNOWLEDGE in itself is this bhakti.

 

Hari om

 

Mani

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

thank you for this message,

 

the Bhakti way don't need many words.....the "words" are included in

silence....in Love

 

wish everybody endless Love

 

Marc

[Guest guest]

Thank you Mani-ji for reproducing this wonderful article from Times

of India .... what a timely reminder!

 

In verse 31 of Viveka -Chudamani ( THE CREST JEWEL OF DISCRIMINATION)

Adi Sankara Bhagvada pada gently reminds us

 

"Devotion is chief among the means of liberation. Devotion lies in

wholehertedly seeking to know one's true nature. "

 

( if i recall correctly, it was Shri Sada-ji himself who quoted this

verse in another context ... Thank you, Sada-ji! You are truly

amazing !)

 

In the very next verse 32 of Viveka Chudamani, our Great Acharya

says

 

" Devotion therefore lies in seeking the inner reality of one's own

Atman; the qualities, qualifications and the help of a teacher

already described, help in this search. "

 

In another place, Sankara Bhagvadapada himself concedes

 

Among the materials that are instrumental to the attainment of

Moksha, Bhakti occupies the highest place.

 

Mokshasadhana Samagryam Bhaktireva gariyasi

 

adi sankara defines

 

worship is bhakti

 

bhajanam bhaktih

 

and defines ananya bhakti as non-experience of anything other than

Vasudeva.

 

Sankara bhagvadapada also says that meditation is a continuous and

unbroken thought; like a line of flowing oil.

 

and so mani-ji

 

You are right!!

 

"self-knowledge itself is Bhakti"

 

Million dollar question is how to attain self-knowledge !!!

 

The Gopis of Vrindavan have the Answer ...

 

that of Raganugha bhakti ....

 

Where 'love ' is everything - love for their beloved Krishna ... Love

not tainted by greed or selfishness ... Love for love's sake!

 

There is quaint little story which describes how the Gopis while

selling Milk , instead of calling 'milk, milk' call ou' Govinda,

damodra, madhava' - such is their intense love and yearning and

longing for Krishna!

 

To Gopis , Love is everything

 

Wisdom is nothing !

 

what is wisdom berefit of love, anyway?

 

 

love and regards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Namaste, Adi Behnji,

 

You have kindly quoted some very pertinent verses from V.C. etc. on Bhakti.

 

I remember reading quite some time ago a quote, though I do not remember who

said it:

 

“Bhakti may not release one, but Knowledge releases true Bhakti in one.”

 

Hari Om

 

 

adi_shakthi16 <adi_shakthi16 wrote:Thank you Mani-ji for reproducing

this wonderful article from Times

of India .... what a timely reminder!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

and Brahman.

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[Guest guest]

Mani-ji writes ...

 

"Bhakti may not release one, but Knowledge releases true Bhakti in

one."

 

 

YES! What is this knowledge we are talking about? Not dry knowledge -

knowledge of the Scriptures but the Knowledge BraHman alone is Real!

Brahmaiva Satyam!

 

There is a bautiful verse in Adi sankara's Sivananda Lahari which

describes the process of Bhakti ...

 

verse 61 from Sivananda Lahari

 

 

Just as it's own series of seeds reaches the Ankola tree

here, the needle the loadstone, the chaste woman her own

lord, the creeper the tree and the river the ocean, like

wise, (when) the state of the mind having approached the

two lotus feet of Pasupati, stays there always, that (state)

is said to be devotion.

 

Explanation ...

 

The first stage of bhakti which we ordinary people are having is

symbolized by the attachment between the Ankola tree and its seeds.

It is said that the seeds of the Ankola tree (Yerezhinjil in Tamil)

fall down from the tree when it becomes dark and again they go and

attach themselves to the tree when there is sunrise and in course of

time become part of the tree once again.

 

Just like the seeds of the Ankola tree, we are all amass or parts of

the Paramatman only. The Jivatma comes from the Paramatman which is

the root cause of everything. We have come from the Paramatman; we

fall down from Him when there is ignorance. Again, when knowledge

comes of our oneness we get up and attach ourselves again to God.

Here, it is significant that darkness is compared to ignorance and

knowledge to sunrise. During darkness, these seeds fall down from the

tree, and similarly, during ignorance, we fall down from the

Paramatman. During sunrise or after sunrise, the seeds go back to the

tree, and similarly when there is knowledge, we attach ourselves to

God once again.

 

Normally, we think of God and seek knowledge only at times of

difficulty. When we are having a comfortable life, we feel happy and

we feel that we have done everything, and we do not think of God at

all. It is only when we are in difficulties that we start thinking of

God. When we are in adversity, we realize that we are in darkness and

that is the state of ignorance. At that time, we feel the need for

God and the need for knowledge. So, we try to remember God. At the

time of difficulty, we pray to the Lord `Oh, Lord, I am in

difficulty, please do something for me.' When there is darkness,

there is need for light, and similarly, when we are in difficulty we

think of the Lord. This is the first stage of bhakti.

 

 

 

The attraction between a magnet or lodestone and an iron needle

symbolizes the second stage of bhakti. During our younger days, we

used to play with magnets and iron filings or iron needles. Magnet

has got the property of attracting iron pieces to itself. If we bring

the iron pieces very close to the magnet, they cling to the magnet

and the magnet attracts them to itself. For some time, the pieces

keep on clinging and after some time they fall down. Again, the

magnet draws with iron pieces and magnet. This illustrates many

important philosophical truths to us. Just as a magnet has got the

property of attracting iron pieces, similarly, the Lord also takes us

towards Himself by attraction and leads us forward in life.

 

During times of difficulty, when we fall down, we are just like the

iron needle which has fallen down from the magnet. But the iron piece

is an inert object, and still the magnet attracts it to itself. But

we human beings have more sakti within ourselves, and we are not so

inert, and therefore, the Lord can lift us up again more easily

towards Himself.

 

The moment the Lord comes in our mind, immediately we get His grace.

Just like the magnet, God attracts us towards himself and bestows on

us His grace. Therefore, all of us should make effort to install the

Lord in our minds. Then just like the iron needle, our minds will

also be attracted by God and held fast to Him. The needle gets drawn

to the magnet and it also remains magnetized as long as it is in

contact with the magnet. In the same way, so long as we have our mind

diverted and attracted towards the Lord and our mind remains fixed in

God, we also enjoy a state of bliss.

 

 

 

A Pativrata lady or a chaste wife is doing ever so many things in the

household, attending to the children, doing cooking and other

household work and so on, and yet all the time her mind is thinking

only of her husband. She does not do anything without the thought of

her husband. Similarly, a true devotee does not do anything without

the thought of God. In the same way, our minds should also be merged

in God. Our actions may go on as before, but our minds should be

immersed in God all the time. We should pray to God and do our work

as before. If we have the grace of God with us all the time, then our

actions also will become more successful and we can do them better

and more efficiently as well.

 

Here, in addition to bhakti, stridharma is also indicated. A chaste

wife remembers only her husband all the time and does all the work.

She does not think of other persons. We are reminded of great dharmas

here. If we remember, God and do our work, we shall get all

prosperity and all good things in life.

 

Then, Adi Sankara gives the example of a creeper entwined round a

tree, and He says:

 

A creeper which is meandering on the ground ultimately searches for a

tree to serve as its support and it starts twining itself round it in

such a criss-cross manner that it is difficult to separate it from

the tree. The creeper looks for the support of a tree and twines

itself round it and the tree becomes its support. The creeper cannot

remain and survive, separated from the tree. If the creeper does not

have the support of the tree, it will perish. In the same way,

without the support and sustenance of God, we shall come to grief. If

the creeper is forcibly removed from the tree also. Similarly, we

attach ourselves to God and carry on our lives with His support. When

we fall down from God or we are separated from God, not only do we

suffer and get into difficulties, but even God also experiences some

sense of sorrow for us. Just like the creeper, we should also have

our support and base in God and then live. We all come from the Lord

only and ultimately we go back to Him only. Until somebody separates

the creeper from the tree, the creeper cannot by itself be separated

from the tree. Similarly, unless a third person separates us from

God, we cannot be separated from Him. Like the creeper, we should

attach ourselves very closely to God. This is the fourth example of

bhakti, which Adi Sankara has given.

 

Everyone experiences some sorrow or some suffering or some

difficulties in life. We find even Mahapurushas experiencing such

difficulties and sorrows. Difficulties are there for all. But if we

attach ourselves to God then our sufferings will become less. Just

like the creeper which is attached to the tree, the mind should be

attached to the Paramatman. The creeper can live only if it is

attached to the tree. In the same way, the Jivatman cannot live by

itself, separated from the Paramatman.

 

Then, Adi Sankara Bhagavadpada says:

 

 

There are many rivers flowing, like the Ganga, the Sone, the

Godavari, the Kaveri, the Krishna and so on. These rivers have

different names, but they flow in torrents and cascades, roaring with

fury through diverse routes, and in diverse directions and pass

through diverse places; their waters also taste differently because

they pass through different types of land; their colours are also

different; for instance, the river Sone is supposed to have red

water, Krishna is supposed to have black water, the Ganga is supposed

to have white water and so on, the colour of the water depending on

the terrain through which the river passes. But finally, all these

rivers get merged in the ocean, and they lose their individual names

and colours and they just become the ocean only; they then have only

one taste, or rasa namely the saltish taste. They lose their

individual names and acquire one common name, namely, the ocean, and

they then have only one form and one shape, one colour and one taste.

When they get mixed up with the ocean, they are called the ocean only.

 

Just like the different rivers all approaching towards the ocean, so

also, we worship God and are approaching Him in various ways and in

various forms, but ultimately our aim is to get merged in God. The

paths that devotees follow are different and yet the goal is the same

for all, namely God. Thus, we have Ramabhakti, Krishnabhakti and so

on. They are all different paths, but yet when they are related to

the Paramatman, they get the same form. There are many roads leading

to a temple but the goal is the temple only.

 

(http://www.mypurohith.com/Yoga/Heritage9.asp - 38k - Cached )

 

Mani-ji,

 

AS swami Krishnananda of DLF says ...

 

"The highest devotion is the same as the highest knowledge. Jnana and

Para Bhakthi are the same. The Gauna Bhakthi or secondary love of

God, which is more ritualistic and more formal, is inferior. But

Ramanuja's Bhakti is the surging of the soul and the melting of

personality in God-love as we hear in the case of Spinoza,

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Mirabhai and Tukaram. Their Bhakthi was not

simply love of God as that of church-men or temple-men. It is a kind

of ecstasy in which the personality has lost itself in God-love and

God-being. That is Jnana and that is Bhakthi. So there is no

difference between Ramanuja and Sankara in the ultimate reaches. And

Bhagavan Sri Krishna's dictum is also of a similar character. "

 

Maniji, have You READ ADI SANKARA'S Prabodha Sudhakara?

 

(available at Sanskrit.gde.doc)

 

sunder-ji, english translation please?

 

PRABODHA SUDHAKARA COMBINES BEAUTIFULLY BHAKTI AND VEDANTA.

 

HERE IS MORE ...

 

 

na tapobhir na vedaiz ca na jnAne nApi karmaNA

harirhi sAdhyate bhaktyA pramaNaM tatra gopikAH

 

Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda, Chapter. 2, verse. 18

 

Sri Hari can be won neither by means of austerities nor through the

study of the Vedas, nor even through righteous action.

He can be won only through Divine Love. The cowherdesses of Vraja bear

testimony to this.

 

"puruSaH sa paraH pArtha bhaktyA labhya tv ananyayA,

yasyA 'ntaHsthAni bhUtAni yena sarvam idaM tatam"

 

(Bhagavad Gita.8.22)

 

That Supreme Personality of God, O Partha (Arjuna), is attainable by

unswerving Love and Devotion to Him alone within Whom all beings

dwell, by Whom all this is pervaded.

 

 

The waves do not have any existence independent of the sea.

 

(COURTESY-HARI_PYARI)

 

I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS VERSE FROM sRIMAD bHAGWAT GITA

 

bhaktyA mAm abhijAnAti yAvAn yaz cA 'smi tattvataH,

tato mAM tattvato jnAtvA vizate tada anantaram"

 

(Bhagavad Gita 18.55)

 

"By devotion (Divine Love) he knows Me in truth, What and Who I am;

then having known Me in truth, he forthwith enters into Me."

 

so, mani-ji, it is all about hearing, knowing and then entering!

 

Let us all drown in the Ocean of Krishna-Prema!

 

Hari Bol! Hari Hari BOL!!

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "adi_shakthi16" <adi_shakthi16>

wrote:

 

ADI SANKARA'S Prabodha Sudhakara?

>

> (available at Sanskrit.gde.doc)

>

> english translation please?

 

Namaste,

 

No on-line translation available as yet. Samata Books,

Chennai, published one, tr. by Samvid, in 1984 (reprinted 1993).

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Can knowledge alone lead to liberation?

 

The answer can be had from various scriptures and great men who had

attained liberation. For e.g. shankara himself says Bhakti is more

important than knowledge. Acharya Shankara says: `Mere book learning

will never yield the bliss of liberation. It can be realized only by

ceaseless self-effort and the grace of the Guru through self-enquiry

or vichara which consists of Sravana or devoted one pointed attention

to the precepts of the guru, manana, a deep contemplation and

nididhyasana or the cultivation of equanimity in the Self."

This is because it is not possible in kaliyuga for even a Brahmin to

study the Vedas and follow it to attain mukti. This might have been

possible in the previous yugas when the rishi's had time and energy

to perform various yagnas and thapas to attain mukti. Great seers

like Ramana maharishi also says during self-enquiry an individual is

only trying to control his mind thereby making it turn inwards. We

have seen great bhaktas like Ramadasa, thygaraja were able to attain

the feet of lord by just praising his glory. For this no Vedic

knowledge is required. All we require is vairagya and steady

devotion, which can be done by self-enquiry.

 

 

The text `That thou art' is thus an instruction, Upadesa vakya, which

is to be realized in experience. In the case of an advanced and ripe

aspirant (utam adhikari) merely hearing the Mahavakya just once from

a great master transforms him, and he gains as intuition of the

ultimate Reality which is termed aparoksa anubhuti (as different from

paroksa which is obtained through reasoning). It is said that this

actually happened in the case of one of the Swami Sadguru Gnanananda

of Thirukkovilur. His disciple, Sri Achuta Dasa, a vaishnavaite

bhakta, singer of Lord's glory who lived in the last century at

Polur. He was endowed with intense vairagya and was engaged in

constant self-enquiry. He is said to have gone from Polur to see

Swami Gnanananda Giri who was then at Kailasagiri. With a heart

melting in compassion the Swami instructed him on the Panchakosa

Viveka, on the Atman being the Avastha-traya sakshi and gave him the

diksha of Pranava Mantra and the `tat Tvam Asi' Mahavakya.

The moment he received this diksha from the Swami, Achuta Dasa, it is

said, went into Nirvikalpa Samadhi "in which the mind becomes steady

like the (unflickering flame of a) light kept in a place free from

wind and in which one becomes indifferent to both objects and sounds

on account of anubhuti rasa avesa, ones compleate absorption of the

Self".

 

Thus for an Uttama Adhikari like Achuta Dasa, the Sravana of the

Mahavakyas brings about the final intuition of Brahman with out any

further delay and in the case of others serves as an Upadesa to be

further meditated upon.

 

Self-knowledge is the goal of human life (as it bestows Bliss of

Atman here and Immortality hereafter). Only those who, through

supreme devotion, have developed Viveka or discrimination between the

Real and Unreal are fit to enter this path of Self-knowledge, says

Swami Gnanananda Giri of Thirukkovilur.

 

Upasana transforms a person, and makes him ready for Sravana. It

purifies the mind, helps the mind centre around the Jiva Brahma Aikya

and ultimately the Nirvikalpa- cinmatra-vritti arises. Success is

speedy for the extremely energetic and those who have become

established in compleate renunciation.

 

cdr bvn