RE: [Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] BHAKTISANDESAM / IT IS THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

November 8, 2005

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

Just superb & to the point ... great illustration ... all appreciations to you !

Adding to your theme, referring to Sri Ramcharitmanas in the episode of 'Sabari Moksham', Lord Sri Rama defines the nine steps of pure devotion starting with -

1) Pratham Bhagati Santan kar sangaa

Which means: The first step to devotion (Bhakti) is to keep company of the Saintly

2) Doosri rati mam kathaa prasangaa

Which means: The second step is to enjoy listening to discourses pertaining to the Lord.

3) Guru pankaj seva, teesri bhakti amaan

Which means: The third step, is to believe, humbly in Guru/God.

4) Chouthi Bhagati mam gun gaan, karai kapat tajee gaan

Which means: The fourth step is earnestly (without hypocrisy) sing the praises of the Lord.

5) Mantra jaap mam dridh Visvaasaa, Pancham, bhajan jo Ved Prakaasaa

Which means: Chant the Vedic Mantras with immense faith.

6) Chattha dasa seela birati bahu karmaa, nirat nirantara sajjan dharma

Which means: The sixth step is not to react in adverse circumstances, yet act, perform ones karma, like the great ones do.

7) Saatvam sam mohi main jag dekhaa, motey sant adhik kar lekhaa

Which means: The seventh step is to perceive the world as God Himself.

And believe the saintly to be greater than the Lord.

8) Aathvam jathaa laabh santoshaa, sapneu nahin, dekhai par doshaa

Which means: The eighth, is a state (which one arrives at when one travels the first seven steps) where there is no desire left, but the gift of perfect peace. (In this state) one does not see fault in others, even in a dream.

9) Navam saral sab san chhal heena, mam bharos heenya harash na deenaa

Which means: In this state one has full faith in the Lord, becomes (child-like) simple with no hypocrisy. In this state, he does not fly high or sink low (but becomes equanimous).

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Hare Krishna

Hare Rama

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guruvayur [guruvayur ]On Behalf Of krishnanujanMonday, November 07, 2005 9:44 PMguruvayur Subject: [Guruvayur/Guruvayoor] BHAKTISANDESAM / IT IS THE COMPANY YOU KEEPHari-Om-------To be in association with the pure devotees of the Lord is the graeatest blessing one could have.SADHU SANGA !!Once, the great sage Narada Muni went to Vaikuntha and asked Lord Vishnu, "Please tell me Bhagwan, what are the results of being in the association of devotees?" The Lord smiled & said, "My dear Narada, go to a certain forest on earth. There you will find a banyan tree, on the left branch of which is the nest of a parrot. In the nest will be a newly-born baby parrot. Ask the baby bird this same question and it will give you the answer."Narada muni went to the tree. As he reached the nest, an egg hatched and a tiny parrot came out. Narada approached the bird and asked "Baby bird, please tell me what is the effect of Sadhu sanga ?" The moment the sentence was uttered, the baby bird fell down dead. Narada muni was shocked. He went back to Lord Vishnu and told him that before answering him, the bird had died. Lord Vishnu, once again smiling told him to go to a certain village where a calf was just born to a Brahmin. "Question the calf and get your answer." Narada muni came to the village and found the house of the Brahmin. The new-born calf was just getting up on its legs when Narada asked, "Dear calf, please tell me what is the result of associating with devotees?" No sooner had he completed his question that the calf fell down dead. Narada was very sad. "What a sinful person am I," he thought, "I appear to be responsible for two deaths."Grieving, he went to Vaikuntha and told Lord Visnu what had happened. The Lord consoled him and said, "Don't worry, its not your fault. In the stable of the king of Kasi a foal has been born. Go and ask the baby horse for the answer."Narada went to the stable as directed and very hesitantly put forward the same question to the baby horse. Here too, the baby horse fell dead as soon as the question was completed. The great sage Narada muni was now in despair. Three deaths on his conscience !! What mistake hade he made in approaching these new-born babies ? The Lord had directed him in each case, then how could such tragedies occur?Puzzled and confused Narada muni went to Lord Visnu and reported the death of the foal. Looking at Narada's harrased faced the Lord smiled and said "Despite all your trouble, you didn't get the answer. Now do one thing. A son has just been born to the king of Kasi. Go and ask the baby your question." Narada's face grew pale with fear. "No more, Lord," he cried out. "I don't want any more deaths on my account. Let my question remain un-answered. I am already weighed with guilt. I don't want the death of a prince also on my conscience." The Lord smilingly assured Narad muni, "This time you will get the answer to your question".Very reluctantly Narada went to the palace of the the king of Kasi. There was great rejoicing in the palace because of the birth of a prince. When the king saw Narada muni, he considered himself doubly blessed. He immediately brought his son for the sage's blessings. Narada gathered the baby in his arms and very softly asked: "Baby, kindly tell me what is the result of associating with devotees?"Hardly had he completed his question that the baby gurgled and said, "O greatest of the sages, have you not understood so far? I was the baby bird whom you questioned on the banyan tree. Because of the brief contact with a saint like you, I got released from the tiny body immediately and was born as the calf. There again you came and questioned me, and by that short contact i got rid of my insignificant birth and was born as a horse. In that birth too, you asked me the same question. As a result of that brief contact with you I have been blessed with the most precious human form as the prince of the Kasi kingdom. This is the result of a "BRIEF ASSOCIATION WITH DEVOTEES (SADHU SANGA)" I am grateful to you, O Sage, for elevating me to this stage.On hearing this, Narada muni's doubts were cleared. He was not sad any more for the deaths of the baby animals. He blessed the prince and singing the glories of the Lord went away. ********************Jai Shree Krishna !In the devotional service of Bhagavan Shree Krishna !