weekly definition:Bhakti-Para Bhakti !

[Guest guest]

Shyamji writes :

 

(The bhakti that is talked about in a vedantic context is

parabhakti - devotion for the sake of devotion, a severe longing of

seeking oneness with Ishwara - not the bhakti which asks Ishwara to

bless me with a better job, etc.)

 

In the initial stages of Bhakti Yoga ,a devotee chooses to worship

his Ishta devata ( chosen deity) by offering prayers to the Idol(

Pratima ), does daily Puja ( 'Pu' stands for Pushpam( flowers) and

Ja stands for Japa ( chanting of God's names ).He/she offers items

of Food like Fruits etc and asks for the God's blessings ! At this

stage , the devotee worships the idol with all his heart and soul so

much so that all that matters to him his God IN THAT IMAGE! but as

the bhakta progress in his bhakti , this love for God matures and

now the mature devotee is no longer obsessive only about the God in

that image .... His heart expands to such an extent that He sees God

in everything he comes in contact with - so 'Krishna' is just not in

the image he worships in his Puja room - Krishna is everywhere - in

all of God's radiant Creation! He becomes a man of expanded

consciousness ! So , bhakti in the beginning stages is 'praying and

chanting and associating with other devotees.' In mature stages , a

bhakta thinks only of God and sees 'God' in everything! this is para

bhakti ! This was the state of Parama bhaktas like Sri Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa , Chaitanya Mahaprabhu etc ! THis is a state of

Spiritual ecstacy! ( MAD IN THE LOVE OF GOD)

 

Such a parama bhakta according to Narada Bhakti Sutra IS ONE WHO

 

yal labdhva puman siddho bhavaty amrto bhavati trpto bhavati( sutra

4)

 

Upon achieving that stage of transcendental devotional service in

pure love of God, a person becomes perfect, immortal, and peaceful.

 

now read Sutra 5 in the same Narada Bhakti Sutra

 

yat prapya na kincid vanchati na socati na dvesti na ramate notsahi

bhavati

 

A person engaged in such pure devotional service neither desires

anything for sense gratification, nor laments for any loss, nor

hates anything, nor enjoys anything on his personal account, nor

becomes very enthusiastic in material activity.

 

now compare the above verse to the following verse in Srimad

Bhagavad Gita , chapter 18 , verse 54

 

brahma-bhutah prasannatma

na socati na kanksati

samah sarvesu bhutesu

mad-bhaktim labhate param

 

A vaishnava's ( Srila Prabhupada , Iskcon Founder Acharya)

translation of this verse

 

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the

Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he

is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains

pure devotional service unto Me.

 

Swami Chinmayananda's translation

 

Becoming BRAHMAN, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor

desires; the same to all beings, he obtains a supreme devotion

towards Me.

 

What is this 'Devotion '( para bhakti or supreme debvotion) we are

talking about ?

 

" As oil poured from one vessel to another falls in an unbroken

line, so, when the mind in an unbroken stream thinks of the Lord, we

have what is called Para-Bhakti or supreme love. " ( Devi Bhagvata)

 

As Kanchi Mahaswamigal says

 

" The major purpose of bhakti is to quell all desires and get

attracted to that Infinite source of Bliss. "

 

where is this infinite source of Bliss ?

 

Adi shankara bhagvadapada himself , a parama jnani , sings

raptuorously in verse 59 of Shivananda lahari ( the wave of bliss of

lord Shiva)

 

haMsaH padmavanaM samichchhati yathaa niilaambudaM chaatakaH

kokaH kokanadapriyaM pratidinaM chandraM chakorastathaa |

cheto vaaJNchhati maamakaM pashupate chinmaargamR^igyaM vibho

gauriinaatha bhavatpadaabjayugalaM kaivalyasaukhyapradam.h || 59||

 

Just as the Swan intensely desires the cluster of lotuses,

the Cataka bird the dark cloud, the Ruddy goose the sun,

and the Greek partridge the moon, likewise, Oh Pasupati, Oh

Vibhu, Oh Gowrinatha, my mind desires your pair of lotus

feet, every day, which is sought by the *path of knowledge*

and which is the bestower of the bliss of emancipation.

 

in this verse , Jagadguru Adi Shankara Bhagvadapada himself is

seeking the lotus feet of Lord Shiva and says which is sought by the

path of knowledge ( jnana marga) and the lord's feet are the source

of infinite bliss!

 

Bhagvadapada itself means at the lotus feet of Bhagawan!

 

in closing :

 

viveka-vij¤aana-vato mah'aatmano

brahm'aaham ity eva matiH sad'aatmani .. 160 ( viveka chudamani)

 

I am the body is the opinion of the fool. I am body and soul is the

view of the scholar, while for the greatsouled, discriminating man,

his inner knowledge is I am God.

 

A parama bhakta is also a parama jnani and vice versa!

 

Aum Shri Gurubyo namaha !

 

Aum Namo Narayana!

 

 

ps: i dedicate this post to all the prema bhaktas of LORD KRISHNA!