Sivaanandalahari - 61

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Sivaanandalahari -61 (4)The various differences in the bhakthi was

highlighted by AachaaryaaL by his examples in this sloka. There are three

variations of bhakthi. They are (i) Anya Bhakthi, (ii) AnyOnya Bhakthi and

(iii) Ananya Bhakthi. The cases of (a) AngOla seeds that reach the tree and

(b) the needle that reaches the magnet are examples of Anya Bhakthi. The

cases of (a) pathivratha and bhartha and (b) the creeper and the tree are

examples of AnyOnya Bhakthi. The example of the rivers in general that

ultimately reach the ocean, are the examples of Ananya Bhakthi.

 

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of Anya Bhakthi is Hanumaan. By

becoming the most devout slave of Lord Rama Hanuman attained his Parama

Purushaartha. So the Lord blessed him with Chiranjeevithwam. This is

Dwaitham. It will be interesting to see how Bhagavan Ramana describes the

attitude of this ‘Anya Bhaktha’ and the best method of his worship. Bhagavan

says: ‘Easwaraarpitham nEcchyayaakritham chiththasodhakam mukthi saadhakam’.

Nishkaama karmyam is his attitude. In Dwaitham the body attains reality and

knowing that there are three bodies in each one, these three bodies they are

dedicated to the Lord with respective best worship they are capable of.

Bhagavaan says: ‘Kaayavaangmana: kaaryamuththamam poojanam jabas chinthanam

kramaath.’ With the gross body you do pooja to the Lord, with vaak the

subtle body you do japam and with the mind the causal body you meditate on

Him’.

 

BhEdha gnaanam hides the limitless Aanandha. All the joys that one

experiences with bhEdha gnaanam are fleeting. Because Maayai succeeds in

hiding the limitless Aanandha in bhEdha gnaanam, all praaNis experience only

dhukkam. And they crave for everlasting Aanandha. They recon that Aanandha

resides in ParamEswara and begin to attach themselves to Him. And they

confound themselves with the dwaithic philosophy that jeeva is real and

miserable and Easwara is real and Aanandhaswaroopi etc. Therefore they never

understand that in lakshyaartha jeeva is Brahmaanandham and this ignorance

about jeeva persists in them needlessly. Because of this they never

understand that the sukham derived from another even if it be Easwara is

anithyam.

 

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of AnyOnya Bhakthi is Prahlaadha. He

saw the Lord everywhere and in his own self. He was thus entitled to the

coveted ‘SaalOkya, Saaroopya, Saameepya, Saayujya’ padhavis. This is

Visishtaadvaitham. Bhagavan Ramana says: ‘BhEdhabhaavanaathsOhamithyasau

bhaavanaabhidhaa paavanee mathaa’. ‘I am Him (SOham)’ idea is better than

the dualistic idea of I am different from Him. Such people get the idea of

agency such as ‘I am an instrument in His hands’. This gives exceeding

courage and endurance as seen in Prahlaadha. Like dwaithis

Visishtaadhvaithees too believe that separate conciousness resides in jeeva

and Easwara. Therefore all that we have said about the dwaithins apply to

visishtaadhvaithins too.

 

The greatest Bhaktha of the category of Ananya Bhakthi is Kannappa

Naayanaar. He was the personification of non-difference with Parameswara. He

thus had Parama PrEma on Parameswara. He exemplified the Mahavaakya ‘Aham

Brahmaasmi’. This is Advaitham. Bhagavaan Ramana says:

‘Bhaavasoonyasatbhaavasusthithi: bhaavanaabhalaath bhakthiruththamaa.’

Poised in one’s own self, devoid of thoughts is the uththama bhakthi.

 

(continued in 61 (5) )