Stages of Devotion

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Madhusudana Saraswathi, the famous author of Advaita

Siddhi, was a great devotee of Krishna. His being an Advaitin

par excellence did not in any way stand in his way of composing

soul-stirring verses on Krishna.

 

He has spoken of three stages of devotion. The first stage

is the one where the devotee feels " I am Yours " with regard to

God. In other words, the devotee dedicates himself to God. A

special characteristic of a true servant of God is that he longs for

nothing from God in return for his devotion and service.

Here the following instance comes to mind. To prove

Prahlada's view that God is present everywhere and also in a

pillar pointed at by Hiranyakasipu, the Lord emerged from the

pillar in the form of Narasimha. Lord Narasimha slew

Hiranyakasipu but continued to be very fierce. The Devas were

afraid of approaching Him and so was Goddess Lakshmi. Hence,

Prahlada, who was but a young boy, was asked to pacify the

Lord. Prahlada consented and fearlessly walking up to the Lord,

who was full of fury, prostrated before Him. Immediately, the

Lord calmed down and moved by compassion, He rose from

the throne He was occupying and placed His hand on the boy's

head. Being pleased with His devotee, the Lord asked Prahlada

to seek a boon. Promptly, Prahlada replied that he desired

nothing from the Lord.

 

There is a scintillating verse in the Bhagavatam wherein

we have Prahlada telling the Lord, " He who desires anything

from God is a trader and not a servant of God " . The story

brings out two aspects. One is that a true servant of God knows

no refuge other than God. This is why Prahlada felt no fear in

approaching Lord Narasimha. The second aspect is that the true

servant of God desires nothing from God. In fact, he does not

even pray for Moksha.

 

In a verse in the Sivanandalahari, Sankara tells the Lord:

" Tell me why You are not redeeming me from this wretched

worldly state. If the answer be that it pleases You that I should

wallow thus then I have achieved all that has to be achieved.''

When God is pleased what else is there to long for?

The second stage of devotion spoken of is the feeling " He

is mine " with regard to God. Here the devotee is positively

concerned about ensuring God's welfare. It is not as though

God is in need of the devotee's care. In spite of this, He allows

Himself to be even controlled by the devotee on account of the

devotee's love.

 

The Bhagavatham contains the explicit declaration of

Bhagavan, " I am subservient to My devotee like one under the

control of another " . Yashoda's love for Krishna is an illustration

of devotion of the form, " He is mine " . To her Krishna was her

darling child and not the Lord. Krishna seems to have relished

her motherly love so much that He deliberately withdrew from

her the awareness that He was none other than the Supreme.

Though omnipotent, He even allowed Himself to be tied to a

mortar by Yashoda.

 

The third stage of devotion is the feeling " I am He " with

regard to God. In other words, Advaitic realization is the highest

stage of devotion. A reason is that while others are willing to

brook at least some minute separation from God, a devotee of

this class cannot bear even that. When can separation be totally

obliterated? Obviously when one realizes that one is not different

from the Supreme. In the Gita, Krishna Himself indicates

that the knower of the Truth is not different from Him.

 

[ Reproduced from the Book: 'Enlightening Expositions' of HH Sri Abhinava

Vidyatirtha SwaminaH, 35th Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham.]