Weekly definition - 'Ananda' or 'happiness'- devotion to ishta devata /guru

[Guest guest]

the following post was inspired by Anandaji's words on 'Devotion' -

Devotion to an ishta-nishta and devotion to a guru ! thanks

Anandaji !

 

(In this kind of worship, God is approached through personal desire,

although the final aim is to surrender all desires to an ultimate

value that is represented by God's form. Through personal attentions

of worship, a devotee's love is meant to grow towards a final

fulfilment, in which everything is seen as an expression of the

ultimate. In that fulfilment, no matter what is done, nor where

attention is directed, the devotee sees always the pervading

goodness and truth that has been shown by the worshipped form.

 

 

But, underneath the sectarian variety, there is a further use of

devotion that is shared in common. This use is individual. It occurs

in the relationship of teacher and disciple. For a disciple, the

teacher stands for truth that has been taught. So love for truth

gets naturally expressed in a spiritual devotion towards the

teacher. But this is a very delicate matter of sensibility, where an

impersonal truth is seen expressed in the person of a teacher.)

 

advaitin , " dhyanasaraswati "

<dhyanasaraswati wrote:

>

> Sankararamanji :

>

> may i quote this verse from 'moha mudgara' also known as Baja

> govindam stotra ?

>

> YOGARATO VAA BHOGARATO VAA

> SANGARATO VAA SANGAVIHEENAH

> YASYA BRAHMANI RAMATE CHITHAM

> NANDATI NANDATI NANDATYEVA (verse 25)

>

> Whether one is immersed in yoga or is reveling in bhoga (i.e.,

> outward enjoyment), whether he is enjoying himself in social

company

> or has retired into solitude, true happiness certainly cannot be

> his; but who alone is reveling inwardly in Brahman, (wherever he

> be), he alone will be truly happy and will verily enjoy.

>

> SATYAM JNANAM ANANTAM BRAHMAM

>

> WHEN YOU ARE SITUATED IN 'BRAHMAN' ANANDAM IS ANANTAM ( INFINITE

> JOY)!

> Even a paramajnani like Adi shankara Bhagvadapada after realizing

> brahman bursts into a devotinal outpouring in a blissful state in

> the following verse on his Ishta Nishta Lord Shiva thus :

>

> Manasthe padhabjhe nivasathu vacha sthothra phanithou

>

> Karou chabhyarchyam sruthirapi kadha karnana vidhou

>

> Thava dhyane budhir nayana yugalam moorthi vibhave

>

> Para grandhan kairvaa paramashiva janee para matha 7

>

>

> Let the mind dwell on your two lotus-like feet,

>

> Let my words dwell on your praise,

>

> Let my two hands dwell on your worship,

>

> Let my ears dwell on hearing your holy stories,

>

> Let my mind dwell meditating on you,

>

> Let my two eyes dwell on your beauty,

>

> And after this I do not find any use,

>

> Of other great books to me, Oh supreme God?

>

> and in Soundarya Lahari , Adi Shankara bhagvadapada salutes the

> consort of Shiva , devi , herself in this way ...

>

> Japo jalpah shilpam sakalam api mudra-virachana

> Gatih pradaksinya-kramanam asanady'ahuti-vidhih;

> Pranamah samvesah sukham akilam atmarpana-drsa

> Saparya-paryayas tava bhavatu yan me vilasitam.

>

> Let my every word be a prayer to Thee,

> Every movement of my hands a ritual gesture to Thee,

> Every step I take a circumambulation of Thy image,

> Every morsel I eat a rite of sacrifice to Thee,

> Every time I lay down a prostration at Thy feet;

> Every act of personal pleasure and all else that I do,

> Let it all be a form of worshiping Thee. VERSE 27

>

>

> THESE ARE THE BLISSFUL OUTPOURINGS FROM A Jnani! Yes ! jnana

> culminates in bhakti just as Bhakti, to be effective , should

> culminate in Jnana !

>

> THIS IS WHY A DISCIPLE SHOWS HIS DEVOTION TO A SADGURU BY BOWING

> DOWN TO HIM IN REVERANCE WITH THIS PRAYER FROM GURU GITA

>

> Brahmanandam parama sukhadam kevalam jnanamurtim

>

> dvandvaateetam gagana sadrusam tatvamasyadi lakshyam

>

> ekam nityam vimala machalam sarvadheesaakshibuutam

>

> bhaavaateetam triguna rahitam sadgurum tam namaami.

>

> I salute to that Sadguru who is the source of eternal bliss,

>

> supreme happiness, who has true wisdom,

>

> who is beyond the dualities, who is infinite,

>

> whose attention is always on the divine, who is unique,

>

> eternal, pure, steady, and who sees with the eyes of wisdom

>

> who is beyond thoughts and beyond three gunas .

>

> SUCH SADGURUS ARE RARE !

>

> Hara hara shankara

>

> Jaya jaya shankara

>

> (shankara i means one who bestows happiness and Ramana means one

who

> pleases )

>