Nine forms of devotion...
My favourite part of the Ramayana is in the Aranya Kanda (Chaupaii 35,36) where Lord Rama dialogs with Shabari on the nine forms of devotion or "navadhå bhagati" Over the last two weeks, we have sung this part twice and maybe because of old age , I started to wonder how I measuring up on them.
Listen, O good lady, to My words I recognize no other kinship except that of Devotion. Despite caste, kinship, lineage, piety, reputation, wealth, physical strength, numerical strength of his family, accomplishments and ability, a man lacking in Devotion is of no more worth than a cloud without water. Now I tell you the nine forms of Devotion; please listen attentively and cherish them in your mind. The first in order is fellowship with the saints ..
There are traditions of how saints are formed, and this saint thing has to happen two ways.. the followers recognise the saints, and the saints are descended from lineages of spiritual tradition. I know one or two saints.. and on Facebook there are a few pandits, and many church leaders who post up prayers and exhortations on a daily basis. So.. I can't say that I follow this order..
and the second is marked by a fondness for My stories
I sing in the Ramayana Gole and like singing.. and hearing the explanations from some people. Some people go on a bit, and I know that I tend to tune out after 10 minutes. Thing is , I could read for myself if I wanted to follow this form..
Humble service of the lotus feet of one's preceptor is the third form of Devotion,..
When I did my janeo, I 'christened' under Pandit Gowkarran Sharma. He is now passed on. I have not adopted any other guru, but I know that there are many people who have been inspirational in their teachings. I have not done service at their feet though..
while the fourth type of Devotion consists in singing My praises with a guileless purpose
When I do sing, it is sometimes with guileless purpose, and in chorus, though I must confess that I sing for the joy of singing whether I can sing or not..
Muttering My Name with unwavering faith constitutes the fifth form of adoration revealed in the Vedas.
I have been taught to pray and I have learnt to pray a bit more now, sometimes I pray to ask that I could see God, but I have stopped praying for things to happen or for blessings
The sixth variety consists in the practice of self-control and virtue, desisting from manifold activities and ever pursuing the course of conduct prescribed for saints.
Conduct prescribed for saints.. nah, not me.. sometimes self control - but the sweet thing and then i like cussing up now and then, but I am getting better at it.
He who practises the seventh type sees the world full of Me without distinction and reckons the saints as even greater than Myself.
Yep.. learnt to do that, and it has helped to reduce the anger and 'hate' of persons who I think are Godless.. because God seh he deh in dem whether they know it or not.. and I think of the lady on the minibus who want to convert me to Christianity because she got the Holy Spirit and I don't because she think I worshipping man made Gods(my atheist friends will say all gods man made)
He who cultivates the eighth type of Devotion remains contented with whatever he gets and never thinks of detecting others' faults.
Well, this one got some work because if I was contented with what I get, I not sure what that means in terms of looking for ways to test myself and give challenges.. however, when things don't work out the way I want these days, I find that it is easier to switch mode, find alternatives, move on - and not be too preoccupied with other's faults.. though when they doing things which I think stupid.. I tell them. as I expect others to tell me.
The ninth form of Devotion demands that one should be guileless and straight in one's dealings with everybody, and should in his heart cherish implicit faith in Me without either exultation or depression.
I am getting better at implicit faith in 'God'.. realising that God is not external to us but we are part of God and I get a nice comfort from knowing that regardless of how many rituals I do not perform, or how many mantras I cannot recite.. that being guileless and straightforward is as equal to knowing the mantras and performing the rituals.
Whoever possesses any one of these nine forms of Devotion, be he man or woman or any other creature, sentient or insentient, is most dear to Me, O good lady. As for yourself, you are blessed with unflinching devotion of all these types.
This reminds us that sometimes we could find inspiration in people like Sabari (who described herself as the lowest of the low).. because of Her devotion.. and that pompous men who manipulate their way to leadership do not have to be the examples which are set.. there I go again, finding faults in others..
Listen, O good lady, to My words I recognize no other kinship except that of Devotion. Despite caste, kinship, lineage, piety, reputation, wealth, physical strength, numerical strength of his family, accomplishments and ability, a man lacking in Devotion is of no more worth than a cloud without water. Now I tell you the nine forms of Devotion; please listen attentively and cherish them in your mind. The first in order is fellowship with the saints ..
There are traditions of how saints are formed, and this saint thing has to happen two ways.. the followers recognise the saints, and the saints are descended from lineages of spiritual tradition. I know one or two saints.. and on Facebook there are a few pandits, and many church leaders who post up prayers and exhortations on a daily basis. So.. I can't say that I follow this order..
and the second is marked by a fondness for My stories
I sing in the Ramayana Gole and like singing.. and hearing the explanations from some people. Some people go on a bit, and I know that I tend to tune out after 10 minutes. Thing is , I could read for myself if I wanted to follow this form..
Humble service of the lotus feet of one's preceptor is the third form of Devotion,..
When I did my janeo, I 'christened' under Pandit Gowkarran Sharma. He is now passed on. I have not adopted any other guru, but I know that there are many people who have been inspirational in their teachings. I have not done service at their feet though..
while the fourth type of Devotion consists in singing My praises with a guileless purpose
When I do sing, it is sometimes with guileless purpose, and in chorus, though I must confess that I sing for the joy of singing whether I can sing or not..
Muttering My Name with unwavering faith constitutes the fifth form of adoration revealed in the Vedas.
I have been taught to pray and I have learnt to pray a bit more now, sometimes I pray to ask that I could see God, but I have stopped praying for things to happen or for blessings
The sixth variety consists in the practice of self-control and virtue, desisting from manifold activities and ever pursuing the course of conduct prescribed for saints.
Conduct prescribed for saints.. nah, not me.. sometimes self control - but the sweet thing and then i like cussing up now and then, but I am getting better at it.
He who practises the seventh type sees the world full of Me without distinction and reckons the saints as even greater than Myself.
Yep.. learnt to do that, and it has helped to reduce the anger and 'hate' of persons who I think are Godless.. because God seh he deh in dem whether they know it or not.. and I think of the lady on the minibus who want to convert me to Christianity because she got the Holy Spirit and I don't because she think I worshipping man made Gods(my atheist friends will say all gods man made)
He who cultivates the eighth type of Devotion remains contented with whatever he gets and never thinks of detecting others' faults.
Well, this one got some work because if I was contented with what I get, I not sure what that means in terms of looking for ways to test myself and give challenges.. however, when things don't work out the way I want these days, I find that it is easier to switch mode, find alternatives, move on - and not be too preoccupied with other's faults.. though when they doing things which I think stupid.. I tell them. as I expect others to tell me.
The ninth form of Devotion demands that one should be guileless and straight in one's dealings with everybody, and should in his heart cherish implicit faith in Me without either exultation or depression.
I am getting better at implicit faith in 'God'.. realising that God is not external to us but we are part of God and I get a nice comfort from knowing that regardless of how many rituals I do not perform, or how many mantras I cannot recite.. that being guileless and straightforward is as equal to knowing the mantras and performing the rituals.
Whoever possesses any one of these nine forms of Devotion, be he man or woman or any other creature, sentient or insentient, is most dear to Me, O good lady. As for yourself, you are blessed with unflinching devotion of all these types.
This reminds us that sometimes we could find inspiration in people like Sabari (who described herself as the lowest of the low).. because of Her devotion.. and that pompous men who manipulate their way to leadership do not have to be the examples which are set.. there I go again, finding faults in others..
Nice piece on Devotion. I can surely say i learnt a bit and will change the way i feel about some things :)
ReplyDelete