Bhakti Marga - Steps

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DEVOTION TO BHAGAVAN<br><br>Devotion to Bhagavan

begins when a man acquires the control of his senses and

mind following the Pravritti Marga according to

the<br>injunctions of Shastras, and fired by the desire of knowing

the truth he studies deeply the scriptures. Where

there is this soul-hunger, comes devotion. The first

stage is called SHRAVANA, because the soul is now eager

to hear of Bhagavan, and in listening to his glories

it rejoices; the second stage, KIRTANA, is reached

when, fined with the joy, it begins to participate in

it with kindred souls, for, out of the fullness of

the devotee's heart, his mouth speaketh. The third

stage is called the stage of SMARANAM, brooding, when

the mind always loves to dwell upon Bhagavan; and

then comes the fourth stage, PADASEVANA, when his love

grows deeper, and not satisfied with merely brooding on

the Lord he seeks to feel his solidarity with him,

and clings to His blessed feet from which flow peace

and bliss.<br><br>Here the bhakta feels the first

thrills of the divine life, and with it grows his thirst

for losing himself in that life; and the fifth stage

of ARCHANA is reached when in the deep meditation of

Bhagavan he forgets himself; and as he continues in this

stage, and when Bhagavan is become enthroned in his

heart more and more fully, he passes into the sixth

stage of VANDANAM, where he feels the presence of the

Lord everywhere and in everything; and, like Arjuna,

begins to prostrate before all things both animate and

inanimate; and when divine life is felt everywhere and in

everything the seventh stage of DASYA naturally follows, in

which whatever the bhakta does, he does it as the

servant of Bhagavan, keeping Him always as the supreme

goal of his life. The distance and the dual sense

implied in this stage of servant and master in course of

time wears off, and the eighth stage of SAKHYATA, or

friendship, is reached, where the oneness of the devotee with

Bhagavan predominates. The tradition that Shri Krishna and

Arjuna were of equal stature seems to have some

allegorical significance.<br><br>At this stage the devotee

grows like unto the object of his devotion, "just as

the form to which the clay is modelled is first

united with the potter's mind", and the devotee becomes

fit to receive the supreme Yoga, just [as] Arjuna as

Sakha and Bhakta of Bhagavan was, as in the shloka.

There is not still the complete unity, the thorough

oneness which is reached at the ninth stage of

ATMANIVEDANA when the bhakta disappears and Bhagavan becomes

all in all. Arjuna said: "Destroyed is delusion, and

I have gained recognition through Thy Grace. O

Achyuta, I am firm, with doubts gone. I will do Thy word."

(Bhagavad Gita, XIII, 73) It is the final surrender of the

devotee's self to Bhagavan, absolutely and unconditionally.

Thus is devotion the potent power that leads to and

makes possible the utter self-renunciation and

self-surrender which are the only means for receiving spiritual

illumination.<br><br>PANDIT BHAVANI SHANKAR

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but not before it's time