nn 1,2

1.4.8 spir. in practice, 1.4.4 bhakti yoga, 1.4.5 jinana yoga

DEVOTION

Should I speak on Devotion and devotional practices?

Devotion to Guru is the pre-requisite of deep and sincere sadhana. When a devotee brings heart and mind together in Love for that Supreme Entity, the forces of Dharma are enhanced. When a human being expresses sincere love, sincere devotion without selfish motives, when a human being holds to their Ishta regardless of all pressures then that human being realizes how much they are needing that Supreme Entity.

Love is of three forms. The first form is devotion build upon the external relationship. In this form the Bhakta knows Guru in physical form and worships that Guru. So in this form there is a physical object of ideation. When a great personality exists upon the face of this earth this type of devotional sentiment is aroused, human beings clammer for the darshan of Guru and that darshan brings in them Love for the Supreme.

Now in the second type of devotion there is no physical Guru, but there is an indeation upon the form of Guru. He is not physically present but in subtle form He exists and accepts the worship of His children. Now in this form of devotion there is no external object, no physical person but there is an internal object, a psycho-spiritual form which is the object of ideation. In this form of devotion a sadhaka says :' Oh Lord, come to me, I am calling for you, I want only your undying Love.'There is no need for an external object because internal form is well established. In this type of devotion a sadhaka is loving the Supreme in His psycho-spiritual manifestation.

Now there is a third form of devotional practice. That is to love the Supreme in His formless state.Those who follow this path do not take a personalized form. They acquire generalized love for all living beings and for the consciousness which abides in all forms.

Now, when this devotion is kindled all forms fade.

I was saying there are three types of devotion. One involves devotion to the form of Guru, another to the essence. Now, if the pure formless Brahma is taken as one's object of ideation, one's spiritual goal, devotional sentiment will not come as easily, but when it comes it will be very sweet, very pure. To love the formless infinite Entity that is the essence of all expressions is to love the pure consciousness.

So when one has attachment to that formless Brahma, one may give one's surrender to the pure light or awareness held within, the most subtle aspect of intellect reflecting the essential cognition. Now whatever the aspect that one adores, the involvement of ones sentiments, ones feelings is essential to sway ones entire expression towards ones object of ideation. If the sentiments or feelings are not involved then one's practice becomes dry and one's all cannot be given up in wholehearted surrender. So devotion is essential to spiritual practice, to the attainment of self-realization.

Now the question comes how is one to attain devotion? Can it not be gotten by doing pujas? Or perhaps singing chants? Or better still following some devotional practices? Can devotion be achieved by these means? They are all very good practices for the attainment of devotional sentiment, but practice alone will not bring devotion. There must be a stirring of the heart, there must be a desire, a yearning to know that Blessed Entity. Then this yearning is matured until that Supreme Brahma begins to come into view. Then and only then will devotion begin to dawn in the heart of an individual. When that lovely Entity is first perceived, the heart leaps, it cannot do otherwise.

When the perception of that existence comes into awareness then the person is attracted, magnetically pulled. They wish to leave everything, they want that Beloved Entity, they want to know His sweetness, to keep Him for their very own. They want to possess Him. But He is a very naughty fellow. He just then disappears making them cry for Him and when they are crying, they begin to feel: 'Oh, Lord, I have wasted my life in superficial desires, not knowing how lovely you are. But now I have seen you, I have seen how sweet you truly are. Now Lord do not leave me, please come to me, please come to me, come to me so that I may be with you'. So intellect is there, but now the intellect is captured by sentiment and sentiment becomes foremost.

Now Lord is very generous, He cannot watch such suffering. When a human being cries for Him, He must again show Himself, what can He do? He must again come into view until the human being becomes so absorbed that they never want to depart from His sublime company, be it in form or in formless demeanor.

At this point devotion begins to mature. The devotee genuinely affected, now says: ' Oh Lord, not only are you beautiful, but you are great, you are the greatest Entity and I exist not to possess you but to love you. Oh Lord, I offer myself to you, to your Greatness, take what I am for your pleasure. When devotion reaches this stage a Bhakta must find some small method for giving this Love, this Devotion a serviceful outlet. Such Love cannot be contained.It must have scope for expression, so that all propensities, all remaining desires get focused and transmuted. So Devotion is the main key to spiritual success.

Jinani is good, one should study, one should become knowledgeable regarding spirituality and spiritual philosophy, but knowledge will not bring one to the singularity of heart required. For this Bhakti must be present. Only then can heart, mind and spirit become united that most Blessed Entity find His throne within.

To love Guru is very fitting. To serve Guru is also necessary. To have the knowledge of the path is essential and to walk it one must do spiritual practice. When this is done surely progress will be made.

It is sufficient.