Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

God reciprocates the sentiments of His devotees (Gita 4:11)

 

" Ye yathaa maam prapadyante taamstathaiva bhajaamyaham

Mama vartamaanuvartante manusyaah paartha sarvasah. " (Gita 4:11)

 

" Oh! Partha! In which ever way that devotee takes refuge in Me , I

approach and support him in the same manner; for all men ultimately

follow My path. " (Gita 4:11)

 

How so ever devotees seek God, so God reveals Himself to the devotee

and grants them their hearts' desires. If a devotee thinks of God as his

preceptor, He becomes an excellent teacher, a guide. Similarly, God becomes a

worthy father or mother, son, brother, friend, a lover or even an obedient

servant, according to the desires and sentiments of the devotee. If a devotee

feels restless without God, God also becomes restless without His devotee.

 

Arjuna regarded Lord Krishna, as his friend and wanted to make Him his

charioteer, therefore God became Arjuna's charioteer. Sage Vishwamitra

treated God as His disciple, therefore God became his disciple. With

whatever sentiments a devotee seeks God; He correlates by the same

sentiments. The Lord of infinite Worlds reciprocates to the sentiments

of His own created beings. So generous, affectionate and merciful is the Lord!

 

The topic reveals that the Lord manifests Himself for the sake of His

devotees. He descends to the Earth, according to the sentiments of His

devotees. It is mentioned in the Upanishad " The Lord felt lonely

(Brhandaaranyaka 1/4/3), so He manifested Himself in different forms as part of

His divine sport. Similarly, when a devotee cannot take

separation from God any longer, God too cannot bear a separation from

the devotee.

 

Though the words " Yatha " (in whatever way) and " Tatha " (so) explains,

that in whatever way a devotee seeks Him, He reciprocates His

sentiments, yet there is a great difference in their manner. If a

devotee takes one step towards God, God takes 100 strides towards His

devotee. The Lord is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. A devotee

who uses his entire power to attain God, then God will be surely

realized through His infinite powers.

 

An aspirant himself creates obstacles in God Realization; In fact an

aspirant is unable to develop devotion for God through his own effort

and actions. Devotion is automatically bestowed upon a devotee that

takes refuge in God. Refuge (surrender) is the best sentiment of all

the other sentiments. When a devotee surrenders Himself at God's feet,

God even forgets the past sins of His devotees. The only thing that

remains hundred folds in the forefront, is his present sentiments and emotions

(bhava) (Manasa 1/29/3). Therefore an aspirant giving up his egoistic notions

and selfishness, which are the stumbling blocks to surrender, must accept his

affinity with God even if he does not understand this at the moment. By doing

so, he will realize this close affinity with God, which is real.