Classes of Devotees

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Classes of Devotees

 

There are two classes of devotees. One class has the nature of the

kitten. The kitten depends completely on its mother. It accepts

whatever its mother does for it. The kitten only cries, " Mew, mew! "

It does not know what to do or where to go. Sometimes the mother puts

the kitten near the hearth, sometimes on the bed. Devotees of this

class give God the power of attorney and thus become free of all

worry. The Sikhs said to me that God was kind. I said to them: " How

is that? He is our father and our Mother. Shouldn't parents bring up

their children after begetting them? Do you mean to say that the

neighbours will look after them? " Devotees of this class have an

unwavering conviction that God is our Mother and our Father.

 

There is another class of Devotees. They have the nature of the young

monkey. The young monkey clings to its mother with might and main.

The devotees who behave like the young monkey have a slight idea of

being the doer. They feel: " We must go to the sacred places, we must

practice japa and austerity; we must perform worship with sixteen

articles as prescribed in the sastras. Only then shall we be able to

realize God. " Such is their attitude.

 

The aspirants of both classes are devotees of God. The further you

advance, the more you will realize that God alone has become

everything. He alone does everything. He alone is Guru and He alone

is Ishta. He alone gives knowledge and devotion.

 

Words of Bagavan Sri Ramakrishna from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

 

I am told the classes are called Marjariya and Markata.

 

Now I think I belong to the second class of Devotees. But I wish to

progress to the kitten class of devotees. That means surrender to the

grace of MAA. My Guruji called it Sankalpa Thyagam.

 

What do you think? Let us discuss the pros and cons of the two paths.