Thursday Message from Dr. Gopal Krishnan

[Guest guest]

In India there are five + one type of bhakti (devotion + love +

affection + respect ) towards the divine power/ god. This is unique

Indian approach. Just like the relations among human beings, the

relation with the divine power/ god has also been defined very well.

It has been stated in our earlier Thursday messages that, in the

Semitic religion, the feeling towards god is 'fear'. Hence , it is

said that 'the god fearing people' are those who are afraid of

god. In India, the divine relation is not through fear complex but

through bhakti. As mentioned above it is a mixture of many

feelings. As you know there are different types of human

relationslike the relations between servant – master, among friends,

parent – children, student – teacher,etc. In sanaathana dharma

these relations are simply translated into the relation between

god/eeswara and bhakthas ( devotees). This relation can be

classified under five + one category. The five are positive and

the sixth one is negative ( finally it also leads to positive). Given

below are these type of bhakti. Our relation with the god/divine

power can be any one of the following, or even a mixture of these.

 

Saantha

bhaava bhakti: The devotion in which the god and devotee are

approaching a saantha bhava. Bhishma, Vidura, Dronachaarya,

Dharmaputra had saantha bhava bhakti towards Lord Krishna. Vasishta

had the same bhakti towards Sri. Rama.

 

Sakhya bhaava bhakti:

Devotional relation similar to that of friends. Arjuna & Uddhava,

towards Krishna, Sugreeva and Vibheeshana towards Sri. Rama, had

this bhakti.

 

Valsalya bhaava bhakti: Yasoda, Nandagopa, Kunti,

all had this vaatsalya bhava bhkati towards Krishna particularly at

earlier stages. Thyaagaraja, Viswamitra , Thulasidasa, had this type

of devotion towards Sri. Rama.

 

Maadhurya bhaava bhakti: It is the sweet bhakti like, Gopikas

and Meera had maadhurya bhaava bhakti

with Lord Krishna.

 

Daasya

bhaava bhakti: The bhakti in which god is the master and the

devotee is the servant. This is the bhakti that Hanuman had with

Sri. Rama. Partly Sudhaama/ kuchela had this bhakti ( + partly

sakhya bhaava) towards Krishna.

 

Satru bhaava bhakti: This is considered as a negative approach of doing/thinking/propagating

/against

divine power . God is considered here as enemy. But still the name

and thought is always there in the mind of the person, which leads

indirectly to positive . Raavana and Rama, Kamsa and Krishna,

Hiranyakashipu and Narasimhaavataara, These relation finally resulted

in the merger of the soul (asura/ human) to the divine power itself

even though, it was through killing which is nothing but giving

Moksha from the earthly life. The soul was not thrown to the hell

for fighting against Rama/ Krishna/ Narasimhavataara/etc. IISH

COMMUNICATION TEAM (July20th,2006)

[Guest guest]

Note: forwarded message attached.

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In India there are five + one type of bhakti (devotion + love +

affection + respect ) towards the divine power/ god. This is unique

Indian approach. Just like the relations among human beings, the

relation with the divine power/ god has also been defined very well.

It has been stated in our earlier Thursday messages that, in the

Semitic religion, the feeling towards god is 'fear'. Hence , it is

said that 'the god fearing people' are those who are afraid of

god. In India, the divine relation is not through fear complex but

through bhakti. As mentioned above it is a mixture of many

feelings. As you know there are different types of human

relationslike the relations between servant – master, among friends,

parent – children, student – teacher,etc. In sanaathana dharma

these relations are simply translated into the relation between

god/eeswara and bhakthas ( devotees). This relation can be

classified under five + one category. The five are positive and

the sixth one is negative ( finally it also leads to positive). Given

below are these type of bhakti. Our relation with the god/divine

power can be any one of the following, or even a mixture of these.

 

Saantha

bhaava bhakti: The devotion in which the god and devotee are

approaching a saantha bhava. Bhishma, Vidura, Dronachaarya,

Dharmaputra had saantha bhava bhakti towards Lord Krishna. Vasishta

had the same bhakti towards Sri. Rama.

 

Sakhya bhaava bhakti:

Devotional relation similar to that of friends. Arjuna & Uddhava,

towards Krishna, Sugreeva and Vibheeshana towards Sri. Rama, had

this bhakti.

 

Valsalya bhaava bhakti: Yasoda, Nandagopa, Kunti,

all had this vaatsalya bhava bhkati towards Krishna particularly at

earlier stages. Thyaagaraja, Viswamitra , Thulasidasa, had this type

of devotion towards Sri. Rama.

 

Maadhurya bhaava bhakti: It is the sweet bhakti like, Gopikas

and Meera had maadhurya bhaava bhakti

with Lord Krishna.

 

Daasya

bhaava bhakti: The bhakti in which god is the master and the

devotee is the servant. This is the bhakti that Hanuman had with

Sri. Rama. Partly Sudhaama/ kuchela had this bhakti ( + partly

sakhya bhaava) towards Krishna.

 

Satru bhaava bhakti: This is considered as a negative approach of doing/thinking/propagating

/against

divine power . God is considered here as enemy. But still the name

and thought is always there in the mind of the person, which leads

indirectly to positive . Raavana and Rama, Kamsa and Krishna,

Hiranyakashipu and Narasimhaavataara, These relation finally resulted

in the merger of the soul (asura/ human) to the divine power itself

even though, it was through killing which is nothing but giving

Moksha from the earthly life. The soul was not thrown to the hell

for fighting against Rama/ Krishna/ Narasimhavataara/etc. IISH

COMMUNICATION TEAM (July20th,2006)