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| | | Principles
and Practice of Hindu Religion | | Companion
- Part
- I | | Devotional
and Ritualistic Paths |
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| | Lesson -
05 - | Bhakthi
Yoga - the Devotional Pathway Bhavas
as an expression of Devotion and Love | |
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1.
Santha Bhava: [means calmness of mind] The mind of the devotee is filled
with divine knowledge and is emotionless, always undisturbed, peaceful and tranquil.
Only Yogis and Jñanis, like Bhishma, who are highly developed and have
had direct experience of God will be able to practice Santha Bhava. | |
2.
Dasya Bhava: The devotee considers himself as inferior to God. He takes
God to be his Master and looks upon himself as just a humble servant. He considers
it is his duty to worship and to love God. Hanuman is an example of Dasya Bhakthi. | |
3.
Sakhya Bhava: The devotee considers God to be a dear friend, the sole
supreme companion, and as his equal in relation, with pure friendship not degenerating
into familiarity. Arjuna is an example of Sakhya Bhaktha. | |
4.
Vatsalya Bhava:
The devotee considers God as his Child and the themselves as the mother giving
and also getting the unconditional love of the Child. Mother Yashoda had Vatsalya
Bhakthi towards Child Krishna as her own child. | |
5.
Kantha Bhava: This
is the expression of devotion with a feeling like the one a wife gets and gives
towards her husband, as in the case of devotion of Sita or Rukmini towards Sri
Rama and Sri Krishna, called Kantha Bhava. | |
6.
Madhurya Bhava:
This is the highest expression of Divine love. Here, the devotee takes the lord
to be his beloved, with deep love, devotion and surrenders himself. When Gopikas
like Radha develops Bhakthi towards Sri Krishna, it is the romantic love and surrender
of the self to the lover, without any sensuality but with pure devotion and surrender,
called Madhurya Bhava. | |
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| | | Bhakthi
Yoga - the Devotional Pathway Modes
of Expression of Devotion to God | |
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| | There
are nine modes for expression of Bhakthi: | |
| | 1.
Sravana: Hearing of the Lord's Lilas or divine past times. Listening
to the Divine stories from a learned teacher is important. | |
| | 2.
Kirthana: Singing the glories and praises of the Lord. It gives
pleasures to the mind and at the same time purifies the heart. Kirthan is
the method suitable to all people. | |
| | 3.
Smarana: Remembrance of His Name and Presence. God is to be remembered
at all times. This alone will destroy all worldly habits and turn the mind
from sense-objects. | |
| | 4.
Padasevana: Service of His feet. As it is not literally possible,
we can have an image of God or consider the entire humanity as His image
and do service to them as a service to God. | |
| | 5.
Archana: Worship of God. The worship can be performed to a picture
or Image of God or through a mental form or image. | |
| | 6.
Vandana: Prostration to the Lord. This is a humble prostration
before the form of God with faith and reverence or to all beings, regarding
them as the forms of Lord. | |
| | 7.
Dasya: Service of the Lord. This includes service in the temple,
service to people, service to the poor and the sick as a service to God. The
devotee destroys his self will and gives himself completely to God and does
not retain any personal desires. | |
| | 8.
Sakhya: Friendship with the Lord. The devotee joyfully takes up
any work of the Lord leaving aside any of his personal work. He feels, that
everything he owns belongs to "his friend" God also. | |
| | 9.
Athma Nivedana: Complete self-surrender to the Lord. The devotee
offers himself entirely to God. God will take care of everything far better
than man can ever dream of. | |
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| Lessons:
-
01 , 02 , - ,
03 , 04 , - , 05 , 06
, - , 07 , 08 , - , 09 , 10
, - , 11 , 12 , - , 13 , 14
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