Thus Spake the Divine - Bhakti

Thus Spake the Divine

Bhakti

One way of exhibiting Bhakti to God is praying to Him seeking relief from all sorrows. In this and the next five chapters, Poojyasri Maha Periyava projects entirely new dimensions of Bhakti. He classifies Bhakti with expectations and Bhakti without expectations. Praying God to “Give me myself” is another unique form of Bhakti, says Maha Periyava. He quotes the characteristics of Bhakti as enunciated by Bhagavadpada.

One single Supreme Brain or Brahmam appears as innumerable living beings. This is because we are all surrounded by Maya. Only because of Maya, we feel that one Brahmam manifests itself into innumerable substances. The Universe of Maya functions in a pre-set order while the Universe runs on the rules of Nature. The Brahmam, which is ‘passive’ or ‘action-less’, appears as Universe due to the delusion of Maya and there occur the activities of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction.

The same Brahmam, which is ‘action-less’, transforms into Ishvara during the activities of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction. Advaita Shastras denote Supreme Power as “no- attribute Brahmam” (Nirguna Brahmam) when it is ‘action-less’. When the same Supreme Power engages itself in activities, then it is called as “Brahmam with virtuous attributes” (Satguna Brahmam). What are called as Ishvara, Bhagavan, Swami and Deyvam are all connotations of only this Satguna Brahmam.

It is human nature to engage in doing something or the other. If we don’t physically engage ourselves in some activities, still, our mind engages in various thoughts. Only when we come to a stage where the mind remains without any thoughts, we can reach the state of “action-less Brahmam”. But, how can one conquer this mind when it does not halt even for a second!?

Bhakti is a means to reach such a state. We can attain the state of “action-less Brahmam” only with our being in an ‘action-less’ state. If it is not possible, there is an alternative. The same Brahmam also remains as Brahmam, which engages in activities of the Universe in the form of Ishvara, isn’t it? You must constantly meditate on this Ishvara. Divert all your actions in the direction of Ishvara. Do namaskaram with your body, recite His names in your own words, do meditation with your mind. This way, you can divert all your actions towards Him. Such incessant rumination of God is Bhakti. Remember, kindness is the essence of Bhakti. Meditate on Him with true love.

All substances that have emerged in this world – be they good or bad, beautiful or ugly, happiness or sorrows – have emerged from only the Brahmam. Once Jeevatma unifies itself with Paramatma, there is absolutely no distinction among good, bad, beautiful, ugly, being happy and sad, and so on.

However, all these do not appear as identical because of our current state of mind. They appear in their original forms, whether beautiful or ugly. So, at this stage, we have to express all our love towards God considering Him as the personification of all beauties, all goods and all happiness. We just cannot visualise Brahmam without any distinct characteristics or ‘no attribute” at all. However, only from that “no-attribute Brahmam” have all attributes emerged. Like how a colourless prism kept in front of sunlight emits several colours by refraction, similarly, “no-attribute Brahmam” falls on the mirror of illusion (Maya), turns into Ishvara, and pours out the various attributes.

While we cannot mentally visualise the substance without any attributes, we can visualise the substance that possesses distinct characteristics. We should renounce bad attributes and focus only on good ones. At this stage, it becomes difficult to focus on good characteristics in vacuum. Therefore, we should visualise a personality with life that possesses all good attributes. Once we start contemplating on good attributes within a divine form, then, we will absorb those characteristics within our own form.

When we constantly keep thinking about something, we ourselves turn as that particular thing. Even psychiatrists believe in this phenomenon. If we constantly keep meditating on God, who is an ocean of compassion, all our deficiencies get eradicated and we become filled with absolute love. Once we exhibit true bhakti, the mind will never even feel like committing sins. To root out evil thoughts from our minds, there is no other solution other than Bhakti towards God. But this is not the only reason to extend Bhakti to God. The main objective is that Bhakti directs us towards attaining the state of absolute truth. When mind comes to a stage of absolute stillness, at that stage, impurities of our mind get erased. Bhakti is one that helps eradicate sins from our mind.

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.