Bhakti: Devotion

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© 2007 Mahesh B. Sharma. All rights reserved.

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First published by AuthorHouse 6/12/2007

ISBN: 978-1-4343-1788-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4678-2477-4 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2007904339

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction

Part I

The Shastras Say —

A Collection Of ‘Sayings’ From The Shastras

Part II   

Narada Bhakti-Sutras

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Part III   

Bhagavad Gita -Chapter 12   

Bhakti Yoga -

The Path Of Devotion

Part IV   

Bhakta - Devotee

1.   Draupadi

2.   Dhruva

3.   Uddhava

4.   Prahlada

5.   Vidura

6.   The Lord Of Elephants (Gajendra)

7.   Rantideva

8.   Bhakta Bilvamangala

9.   Guha, The Chief Of The Nisadas

10.   Yajna Patnis

11.   Samadhi Vaishya

12.   Sanjaya

13.   Sutiksna

14.   Ambarisa

(The Royal Sage)

15.   The Seven Seers

Part V   

Shri Adi Shankaracharya’s

Bhaja Govindam

I. Shri Adi Shankaracharya (788 - 820 Ad)

II.   Verses

Part VI   

Sanskrit Epithets Of Lord Krishna

And Arjuna In The Bhagavad Gita

I.   Lord Krishna

II.   Arjuna

Conclusion

About The Author

Mahesh B. Sharma

BHAKTI

Devotion

PRAYER

"He is the Soul of the Universe, He is Immortal;

His is Rulership; He is All-knowing, the All-pervading,

The Protector of the Universe, the Eternal Ruler. None

else is there to govern the world eternally. He who at the

beginning of creation projected Brahma (i.e., the Universal

Consciousness), and who delivered the Vedas unto him - seeking

liberation I go for refuge unto that effulgent One, whose light

turns the understanding towards the Atman."

(Shevtashvatara Upanishad, VI. 17-18)

MAHESH B. SHARMA

The Author is a retired professor from Columbus

State University, Columbus, Georgia, U.S.A. He retired

in 1997 as Associate Professor of Chemistry after 28

Years of service. He still continues to work for the

University on a part-time basis.

PROSTRATION

"O thou sacred singer, thou inspired interpreter of Divinity!

Whatever may be thy name among mortals, I bow before thee!

Hail to thee, author of the mighty poem, whose oracles lift up

the Soul in joy ineffable, toward all that is sublime, eternal and

Divine! Full of veneration, I salute thee above all singers, and I

worship unceasingly by the trace of thy footsteps."

(A.W. Schlegel, the celebrated philosopher, writing about Sage

Vedavyasa, the author of the Bhagavad Gita, in a foreword to his Latin translation of the Bhagavad Gita)

REALIZATION

Arjuna Uvaacha

Param Brahma param dhaama pavitram paramam bhavaan;

Purusham saashvatam divyam aadidevam ajam vibhum.

(Bhagavad Gita, X-12)

Arjuna said:

You are the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Abode and the Supreme Purifier. You are the Spirit, the Eternal, Effulgent, the Unborn, the First of the Gods, and the All-pervading.

Shri Bhagavaan uvaacha

Aham atma gudaakesha sarvabhootaashaya sthitah;

Aham adish cha madhyam cha bhootaanaam anta eva cha.

(Bhagavad Gita, X-20)

The Blesssed Lord said

O Gudakesha, I am the Soul seated in the heart of all beings. I am the beginning (as the Creator Brahma), the middle (as the Sustainer Vishnu), and the end (as the Destroyer Rudra) of all beings.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Grateful acknowledgments for the material used and quoted from the following publications:

1.   Bhagavad Gita, by C. Rajagopalachari, 1997, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, India.

2.   Bhagavad Gita, by N.V. Thadani, 1933, Bharat Publishing House, Karachi, (presently) Pakistan.

3.   The Bhagavad Gita, 1954, 7th edition, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, India.

4.   The Bhagavad Gita, by M.K. Gandhi, 1991, Orient Paperbacks, New Delhi, India.

5.   The Bhagavad Gita, by Paramhansa Yogananda, 2001, Self-Realization Fellowship, California, U.S.A.

6.   The Bhagavad Gita, by Ramesh S. Balsekar, Zen Publications, Bombay, India.

7.   The Bhagavadgita, by S. Radhakrishnan, 5th Impression, HarperCollins Publishers, printed in India by Gopsons Papers Pvt. Ltd., Noida, India.

8.   The Bhagavad Gita, by Stephen Mitchell, 2000, Harmony Books, New York, U.S.A.

9.   Bhagavad Gita, translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood, 1951, New American Library, New York and Scarborough, Ontario.

10.   Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, 4th printing, 1992, Bhaktivedanta book Trust, CA, U.S.A.

11.   Bhagavad Gita and Modern Life, by K.M. Munshi, 1988, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, India.

12.   Bhaja Govindam, by C. Rajagopalachari, Seventh Edition, 1997, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, India.

13.   Hinduism Doctrine and Way of Life, by C. Rajagopalachari, 1889, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, India.

14.   The Holy Geeta, by Swami Chinmayananda, The Book Centre Pvt. Ltd., Bombay, India.

15.   Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, by Jayadayal Goyandka, 1986, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, India.

16.   Srimad Bhagavad Gita, by Swami Jyotirmayananda, 1986, Yoga Research Foundation, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

17.   Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, by Swami Paramananda, 5th edition, Sri Ramakrishna Math Printing Press, Mylapore, Madras, India.

18.   Srimad Bhagavad Gita, by Swami Swarupananda, 1993, Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, India.

19.   The Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, by Sri Chinmoy, 1996, AUM Publications, New York, U.S.A.

20.   The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volumes I - VIII, 12th edition, Sri Gauranga Press, Calcutta 9, India.

PREFACE

I have tasted just a very minute fraction of a drop of this Nectar of pious Wisdom available in our Shastras. The thirst for more is intense and it continues. When we consider how long ago the Truth was seen and laid down for men’s guidance in such emphatic terms, we are in a position to appreciate and admire the spiritual greatness of the fathers of Hinduism.

I have looked into the essence of Bhakti or Devotion. The mind and heart of a Bhakta or Devotee, immersed in God’s love, are always intent on Him. Every thought and action is grasped as a new opportunity to love and worship Him. God has no friends or foes. He is impartial. The only way to win His love is by faith and devotion and each must tread the path by himself. Bhakti is an intellectual marriage with God. God always expects 100% from His Bhaktas (Devotees).

I have divided this presentation into six Parts. Part I consists of a collection of ‘Sayings’ from our Shastras; Part II lists the Narada Bhakti-Sutras; Part III discusses Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita entitled Bhakti Yoga or the Path of Devotion, which emphasizes Bhakti (Devotion) and also discusses the qualities of a Bhakta (Devotee); Part IV gives a brief discussion of the lives of some devotees of the Lord; Part V consists of the beautiful song Bhaja Govindam by Shri Adi Shankaracharya; and Part VI gives some of the Sanskrit Epithets of Lord Krishna and Arjuna used in the Bhagavad Gita.

Personally, I have benefited tremendously from my study of our sacred literature and also presenting it in written form. My sincere hope is that the readers will also benefit likewise.

Needless to say, this work would never be complete without the reference material I have freely used, a list of which is included in the ‘Acknowledgment’ section. I feel eternally grateful to these masters for providing me with an opportunity of benefiting from their work and immense wisdom.

I have reviewed this work a few times but errors have a special knack of escaping our attention. I beg forgiveness for any unintentional errors I may have committed.

MBS

February 16, 2007

INTRODUCTION

Bhakti (Devotion) is a real, genuine search after the Lord, a search beginning, continuing and ending in love. One single moment of the madness of extreme love to God brings us eternal freedom. Bhakti, says Sage Narada in his explanation of the Bhakti-aphorisms, is intense love to God; When a man gets it, he loves all, hates none; he becomes satisfied for ever; This love cannot be reduced to any earthly benefit, because so long as worldly desires last, that kind of love does not come; Bhakti is its own fruition, its own means and its own end.

The word ‘Bhakti’ comes from the root ‘Bhaja’. The word ‘Bhaja’ has many meanings in the dictionary. Ten meanings have been chosen here to properly understand the word ‘Bhakti’.

Ten meanings of the word Bhaja:

1) Divide or distinguish: A Bhakta should have the capacity to divide or distinguish the meaningful (saartha) and the meaningless (viyartha). He must have the clear vision of what will accompany him after death and what will not.

2)   Accept: A Bhakta should accept with pleasure whatever God gives. This is the mark of a true Bhakta. Shri Vallabhacharya taught this many years back.

3) Resort to: A Bhakta should place himself totally at the feet of the Lord.

4) Observe: Psychologists say that the mind is influenced by what one observes. If you observe the Lord, then the mind picks up the Lord’s qualities.

5) Enjoy: A Bhakta should enjoy the higher planes of enjoyments. When one enjoys worshipping God, God also enjoys.

6) Experience: A Bhakta must actually experience what he reads and hears.

7) Wait upon: A Bhakta must have patience. After having made his demand at the feet of the Lord, he must wait patiently. The highest waiting is the ultimate encounter with God.

8) Serve: Service brings intimacy with the Lord.

9) Adore: A Bhakta must adore God and think about what he can give to God.

10) Love: There cannot be devotion without love in the heart.

People in general lay more stress on the body aspect of man; those philosphers who wrote on Bhakti in India, laid stress on the spiritual side of man. Every soul is destined to be perfect, and every being, in the end, will attain to that state. Whatever we are now, is the result of whatever we have been or thought in the past; and whatever we shall be in the future will be the result of what we do and think now.

We may study books all our lives, we may become very intellectual, but in the end we find we have not developed at all spiritually. The quickening influence cannot be received from books; the soul can receive impulse only from another soul, and from nothing else. The soul from which this impulse comes is called the Guru, teacher; the soul to which the impulse is conveyed is called the disciple, the student.

How are we to know the teacher then? In the first place, the