Swami Krishnananda Shashtyabdapurti Mahotsava Commemoration Volume
A Souvenir released on Swami Krishnananda's 60th Birthday
What is Bhakti?
by Sant Keshavadas
What is Bhakti? Attachment to the lotus feet of God is Bhakti. Attachment to hear His glories, His pastimes, to visit His shrines, to serve His servants, to prostrate before His devotees is also Bhakti. According to Sage Narada, “Supreme love towards God is Bhakti”.
Devotion to any object will not come to one, unless one knows something great and good about that object. Devotion will grow with the increase of knowledge regarding that object if it is good and great, and devotion will decrease if the object is bad and wicked. God, being a repository of all the good virtues, is alone perfect and the greatest, and all the souls are bound slaves or servants to Him.
If the love is tainted with fear or selfishness, it cannot be called pure love or love divine. Selfless dedication to know the Truth alone could be called pure love, which is devotion or Bhakti.
Bhakti is the foundation of all spirituality. Yoga is union. Union can never be possible without love. Thus, Bhakti or love alone will bring union or Yoga. Hence, Bhakti Yoga is the path of love which leads to union with God.
Selfless work or Karma Yoga ultimately becomes Bhakti Yoga which brings about union. Thus, the individual soul or Jivatma enters into Brahman and attains Mukti, the final beatitude.
Without the grace of a Guru or saint, you cannot become a Jnani, because the knower of Truth alone can impart to you the knowledge which he has obtained. Seekers of Truth should seek the company of the wise first and please them with selfless service. When the Guru is pleased and feels that the disciple is ready to receive the Mantra which contains the power divine, he initiates the disciple by whispering the Mantra in the ears of the disciple, transmitting his spiritual powers to him. The heart's lotus of the disciple blossoms through the rays of the sun of knowledge, and he gains supreme peace and poise. He becomes fully satisfied and contented and attains freedom while living. A Bhakta becomes a Jivanmukta, or a soul liberated while living, and makes free all those who come in contact with him and all those who follow in his footsteps. He becomes a replica of God. He sees God everywhere and in everybody. His infinite love embraces the whole universe. His eyes sparkle with compassion. He conquers hatred through love and ignorance through knowledge. He works for the good of all. Following his precepts, the devotees reach the other shore of the sea of transmigratory existence.
CHANTING OF THE NAME DIVINE
In Bhakti Yoga, chanting of the Name Divine is essential. Chanting of the Name, according to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, has seven great benefits: (1) It cleanses the mind's mirror of all sins and evil proclivities; (2) It cools the scorching fire of the round of rebirths; (3) It brings into blossom the lily of supreme wisdom; (4) It is life-giving to all sciences and Vidya or wisdom; (5) The ocean of bliss swells by the appearance of the moon of Name Divine; (6) It is purely nectarine and sweet; and (7) It gives the vision of Lord Krishna. Such is the efficacy of the Name Divine. Bhagavan Veda-Vyasa says, "Once the Name Divine enters into man, it will never cool until it establishes the devotee
in God". He says: (1) The Name Divine destroys all sins; (2) The Name Divine-inspires one to do only meritorious deeds; (3) It bestows dispassion not only towards the objects of the world, but also towards the celestial positions like the position of Brahma; (4) It gives unalloyed devotion towards the lotus feet of the Guru; (5) It widens the range of spiritual wisdom; (6) It destroys the delusion that causes rebirth; and (7) It brings union between the individual soul and God.
We have seen the example of great saints in whom chanting the Name Divine continued even after God-union. They pray to God not to give them final beatitude, but to give divine birth as devotees of God to live a life of chanting and singing of the Divine Names. "Give up all argumentation, drink the nectar of the Name Divine which makes you remain in the Kingdom of Heaven which is within you." This is the opinion of all great sages and saints. The immortal Surdas says, "O mind, sing the Name of Lord Krishna. Have great faith in the word of the Guru and live in the company of saints. Read and narrate the scriptures on Bhakti, like Bhagavata, and glorify the immortal stories of the Lord's pastimes. Life without chanting the Name Divine is life that is wasted. The sweet juice of the Name Divine flows like the Ganges. Why don't you drink to your heart's content? The life of one who has surrendered to the Lord is indeed fruitful". The immortal saint Surdas gives an illustration of a devotee who surrenders totally to God and engages himself in chanting the Name Divine is saved from an inescapable situation. A tiny bird is sitting on the branch of a tree. A fowler has strung his bow, fixes the arrow and is about to discharge the same pointing it at the simple bird. An owl, perching on a higher branch of the same tree, is about to pounce upon the tiny bird. Caught in between the enemies, the bird closes its eyes in utter humility and surrenders itself to the Supreme Lord. Lo! A miracle happens! The owl and the fowler fall dead to ground and the bird is saved. Do know how? A serpent comes all of a sudden and bites the fowler. His grip is loosened and the discharged arrow hits owl which was about to pounce on the tiny bird. The bird that was chanting the Name Divine is thereby saved. What is there to a Bhakta engaged in chanting the Name Divine!
Blessed are those who have become Bhaktas of the Lord and have taken the pathway of love, for their way is safe, their path is natural and they will be united with God.