Deivathin Kural Series - 119

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 119 of 19 Dec 2006.
1. To-day's title is 'Bhagawat Paadar Tharum Bakthi Lakshanam', that is, 'Definition of Devotion as given by Sri Sankara', occuring in pages 530 to 532, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural, Tamil version, published by Vanady Padippagam, Chennai.
2. There have been many Adwaitins, who having become Bakthas, experienced the oneness of identity with God in essence and continued to remain devoted to God. Madusudana Saraswathi, Appayya Deektshidar, Sadasiva Brhmendral and Baghawannama Bhodendral; are some such supreme gnanis, who have continued to be devoted to the Parambrhma. These people did not see any difference between the Brhmam devoid of any distinguishable qualities and Easwara with endless salubrious characteristics.
3. Madusudana Saraswathi says, what the Yogis experience as Nirguna, Nishkala (devoid of qualities), in their dhyana, I am seeing on the sandy shores of Yamuna river, playing as a flood of blue brilliance of Krishna. Gnanis were aware that all the God forms, were of one Brhmam only. Still they continued to remain devoted to their Ishta Devata, in a particular form as Rama or Krishna or Muruga or Vinayaka. Actually they exhibited greater love to that particular form of God, even after attaining to the Adwaita experience. Adi Sankara, also known as Sankara Baghawat Paadar, who was an ocean of Adwaita Gnana, sees all Gods as different forms of the formless.
4. Sri Sankara, has given us a very beautiful definition of Bakthi, that is Devotion; in 'Sivananda Lahari'. He has made use of five examples to drive home his exposition. That sloka starts, "Angolam Nija Beeja". He says, 'as the Angola seed attaches itself with the mother tree; as the iron needle is attracted to the magnet; as the devoted wife remains lost to the world, in thoughts of her husband; as the creeper plant grows twirling itself around a tree; as the river merges with the ocean; to permanently sub-merge the mind in the feet of God, is Bakthi'. Let me explain.
5. There is a tree by the name, 'Eru Azhinjil'. Its fruit when ripe, falls to the ground and breaks, scattering its seeds. Immediately, the seeds by some attractive force, keep coming closer and closer to the mother tree and get attached to the tree trunk. Then over a period of time, they get reabsorbed in the tree! We who have come from God, should keep moving towards Him and get reabsorbed.
6. The needle moves towards the magnet and gets attached. When it does so, it gets some magnetic power of attraction. Baktha also gets some of the salubrious qualities of God, as his Bakthi matures.
7. Next is the example of the devoted wife. Such a woman's thought, speech and actions, are all revolving around her husband only. Similarly, a Baktha's thought, speech and actions, should be about God only. In the original sloka, the husband is referred to as 'vibu'. It means omni-present. By that the poet indicates that, God should be thought of as being omni-present. Baktha should think of God as being everywhere and as everything.
8. Next example is that of the creeper plant. Creeper plant, which entwines itself around a tree, if moved away forcibly, in no time will regain its hold around the tree. Whatever the worldly pressures and diversions which pull our minds away, we should be stead fast in bringing it back to divinity.
9. The fifth example is the river-ocean-relationship. It is the water from the oceans, that successively, becomes the water-vapour, collects in the sky as clouds, pours as rains, flows as rivulets, combines to form the river. In whichever hill top, the river may start, it relentlessly flows towards the ocean and rejoins it. In doing so, it looses its name and form; and merges completely with the ocean, becoming the ocean. Ocean in its turn, goes forward to meet the river, as though with a welcome! That is why, the water in the river some distance inland, tastes salty! Similarly, if we are truely devoted to God, then God who is a ocean of mercy, will come forward to absorb us!
10. Though in the initial stages, we may start praying to God for name, fame and materials, because of His Grace, we will mature in to Loving God for His sake! Then finally we will dissolve in to Him, with no seperateness whatsoever.
11. For successful worldly life and for experiencing the ultimate 'Anubhava', whether through Dwaita or Visishtadwaita or Adwaita view point, Bakthi is a necessary prelude. Though Bakthi or Devotion to start with, may only be a prelude, becomes an end in itself. Because, out of all 'Moksha Sadhanas', Bakthi is the best, says Adi Sankara. Not only that, he further goes on to emphasise self-realization itself is Bakthi!
Moktsha sadhana samagriyam bakthihi eva ghareeyasi
Swa roopa anusandanam bakthihi iti abideeyate
Sambhomahadeva.