Ten Virtues that develop through Devotion

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Dear Devotees of Divinity in TBP,

 

Love and Love alone....

 

Hereunder reproduced 10 virtues that develop through devotion from

the April month issue of " Rishi Prasad " -- a publication of Sant Sri

Asaramji Ashram.

 

Love and Love alone....

 

P. Gopi Krishna

 

Devotion to God eradicates all miseries and afflictions. The

following ten virtues are found in the life of a devotee:

 

RESPECT: One should have a sense of respect for One whom he is

devoted to. For example, Arjuna would standup whenever he saw Sri

Krishna and would be overwhelmed with sublime joy.

 

REVERENCE: One should have a high degree of reverence even for one

by whom he is reminded of the One he is devoted to. For example,

whenever King Ishavaku saw a lotus or a piece of cloud, his heart

would be filled with joy thinking, 'My Lord too is lotus-eyed and

has a dark complexion like the clouds ...'

 

LOVE, SATISFACTION AND BLISS: A devotee loves the Lord. He gets

satisfaction and bliss through japa and meditation on the Lord. A

devotee, by virtue of his devotion to God, attains liberation. For

example, Sudama (Kuchela) was a poor Brahmin, Vidura led an

ordinary and simple life; but love, satisfaction and happiness of

both were all verily related to God. Sabari, the tribal (Bhil)

woman, was no doubt engaged in the simple work of sweeping the

ground at the Guru's ashram, but she loved her Guru and derived

bliss and satisfaction from the knowledge imparted by Him.

Therefore, Lord Rama ate with great relish the plums offered by her.

How supremely great is the glory of devotion to God!

 

PANGS OF SEPARATION: A devotee should feel the pangs of separation

from his beloved Lord and always yearn for His darshanam. Gopis (my

name is also Gopi !!!) longed for the Lord and shed tears suffering

the pangs of separation from their beloved. 'When shall I meet the

Lord? How shall I get to see Him?'. One should suffer such pangs of

separation and shed tears in devotional love. This too is a form of

devotion.

 

ABSENCE OF SKEPTICISM: One should not have any sort of skepticism

regarding one's chosen Deity and ought to have an unwavering faith

in Him alone.

 

GLORIFICATION: The spirit of glorifying the Lord, one's chosen Deity

or Guru. To sing the glories of one's own Guru or Lord before those

who are unaware of the same too is a form of devotion.

 

TO LIVE ONLY FOR HIS SAKE: To sustain one's life for the sake of

Lord alone. When Lord Rama prepared to conclude His divine sport on

earth, Hanumanji said, " Lord! I will continue to live on this earth

so long as Your beloved saints continue to sing the glories of Your

holy name and tell Your divine tales. I will go in some guise to

those places where Your divine tales are told " . Hanumanji is

immortal. He lives even now. Only a rare one can know as to when,

where and in what form he comes and takes his seat to listen to the

narration of the Lord's divine tales. 'He takes delight in listening

to the Lord's ambrosial tales ...' (Sri Hanuman Chalisa). Such is

the glory of Hanumanji.

 

SENSE OF BELONGING TO HIM: " Everything belongs to God, God abides in

all and all exist in God -- nurture this spirit.

 

THE PRACTICE OF BEHOLDING GOD IN ALL: To behold God in the whole of

Creation whether sentient or insentient. For example, Prahlada saw

his beloved Lord swelling in all (even in a pillar).

 

POSITIVE ATTITUDE: The devotee should maintain a positive attitude

even in the face of adverse circumstances. Like it happened when

breaking His vow of not wielding any weapon in the Mahabharata war,

Lord Sri Krishna charged towards Bhishma with a chariot wheel in His

hand. Bhishma welcomed that unfair act of Sri Krishna saying, 'Come!

Come! You are most welcome. Hit me with the wheel. Kill Your devotee

with Your own hands. This will only bring salvation to me. Whatever

You do O Kesava, will only be good, " Bhishma tells his adversary --

Arjuna -- " Bravo, well done! Shoot more arrows on me " , for he was

well aware of the inspiring force behind Arjuna. A modern day

devotee would think, 'Hey! One, whom I adore with loving devotion,

is Himself bent on getting me killed?' but a seeker of Parabhakti

(supreme devotion leading to knowledge) knows, " No doubt there is

love in Thy Love O Lord, but there is compassion even in Thy

harshness, O Lord! I accept whatever Thou give me. Whatever pleases

You is the only good done, O You, Eternal and Formless One!'

 

Devotion to God develops all these 10 virtues in a devotee or in

other words, the Lord does not remain far from the one who

assimilates these 10 virtues in his life, and he does not remain far

from the Lord either. 'That Lord is not far from you, for you verily

are the Lord yourself.....' such is then his divine experience.

Gopi Krishna <gopi