BHAKTI YOGA
BHAKTI YOGA IS THE EASIEST FORM OF GOD REALISATION. IT IS A BEATIFUL WAY TO SHOW LOVE TOWARDS GOD. AS SAID, GOD IS LOVE AND LOVE IS GOD'. BHAKTI MEANS "TO WORSHIP" OR TO BE ATTACHED TO GOD'. ONE CANNOT ATTAIN GOD THROUGH LOGIC AND REASON BUT FROM PURE FAITH AND DEVOTION. ONE YEARNS FOR GOD AND GOD ALONE. IN THIS FORM OF LOVE THERE IS NO EXPECTATION AND SELFISHNESS. IT PURIFIES ONE'S HEART.
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1. SAKAM BHAKTI : IN SAKAM BHAKTI, ONE DESIRES FOR MATERIALISTIC GAINS. IF ONE WORSHIPS GOD SINCERELY AND WITH INTENSE DEVOTION ARISING FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE'S HEART, GOD FULFILLS ONE'S MATERIALISTIC WISHES. BUT ONE CAN'T ATTAIN SALVATION WITH SAKAM BHAKTI.
👀MR. 'X' WENT TO A SANCTUM, LIT A LAMP IN FRONT OF DEITY AND OFFERED A RED FLOWER AND PRAYED. HE ASKED FOR HIS WIFE'S HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, HIS DAUGHTER'S MARRIAGE, HIS SON'S JOB, BUYING A NEW HOUSE AND FOR HIS PROMOTION IN JOB.
ONE FLOWER FOR THE DEITY AND INFINITE DESIRES FOR HIMSELF!
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2. NISHKAM BHAKTI : IN NISHKAM BHAKTI, ONE DESIRES OF GOD AND NOTHING FROM THIS MATERIALISTIC WORLD. ONE IS THANKFUL TO GOD FOR WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN. IT PURIFIES THE HEART. IT HELPS IN BECOMING ONE WITH GOD.
👀 MR. 'Y' VISITED A SANCTUM, LIT A LAMP IN FRONT OF THE DEITY AND OFFERED A RED FLOWER. HE THANKED GOD FOR GIVING HIM GOOD JOB, COMFORTABLE HOUSE AND OBEDIENT CHILDREN. HE ASKED HIM TO BLESS THE WORLD WITH HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND PEACE.
NOTHING FOR MYSELF AND INFINITE DESIRES FOR THE WORLD!
FORMS OF DEVOTION : IN BHAGAVATA PURANA, PRAHLAD EXPLAINED TO HIS FATHER HIRANYAKASHIPU, " THERE ARE NINE WAYS TO WORSHIP GOD.".
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* SRAVANAM : LISTENING TO SCRIPTURES, STORIES OF GOD'S LILA (PLAY) , HIS NAME AND HIS POSITIVE QUALITIES. DEVELOPING TASTE FOR ASSOCIATION WITH DEVOTEES WHO SPREAD LOVE AND HEARING TALES WHICH ARE NECTAR TO EARS AND MIND. SERVING DEVOTEES WHO ARE LOVE INTOXICATED SO THAT MAXIMUM TIME CAN BE SPENT WITH THEM.
IN RAMACHARITMANAS, GARUDA LISTENED TO THE STORY OF RAM WITH FULL DEVOTION AS NARRATED BY KAKBHUSHUNDI.
* KIRTANAM - SINGING OF GOD'S GLORY IN CHORUS. COMMUNAL CHORUS. CHANTING HIS NAME, PRAISES AND STORIES. MIND WILL DEVELOPE EXTREME FONDNESS FOR GOD. DOING ONE'S OWN DUTY WITH TOTAL DEVOTION. CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU AND HIS DISCIPLES PERFORMED KIRTANAM IN THE STREETS PRAISING LORD KRISHNA.
IT IS MENTIONED IN SRIMAD VALMIKI RAMAYANA THAT ON THE PATHS OF AYODHYA, LUV AND KUSH SONG AND DANCED ON POETIC VERSES OF RAMAYANA WRITTEN BY SAINT VALMUKI.
* SMARANAM - REMEMBERING GOD'S NAME AND HIS IMAGE MENTALLY ALL THE TIME WITHOUT ANY DISCONTINUATION. DOING JAPA, CONTINUOUS REPETITION OF GOD'S NAME AND CHANTING BHAJANS (DEVOTIONAL SONGS), FIXING ONE'S THOUGHT ON HIM AND DOING UNCEASING PRAYERS.
AHILAYA WAS CURSED BY HER HUSBAND, GAUTAM MUNI FOR INFIDELITY. AFTER THIS INCIDENT SHE WAS CONSTANLY REMEMBERING LORD RAM TILL HE VISITED HER HUT.
* PADASEVANAM - WORSHIP OF LORD'S FEET. THIS WORLD IS LORD'S FEET, SERVING EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD IS A WAY TO SERVE LORD'S FEET. ONE SHOULD SEE GOD IN FATHER, MOTHER, GURU, BROTHER, HUSBAND AND THE POOR AND FIX MIND IN SERVING THEM AS THEY ARE SERVING GOD. SERVING HUMANITY LIKE SERVING GOD.
BHARAT, LORD RAM'S BROTHER WORSHIPPED HIS PADUKAS AND LOOKED AFTER HIS KINGDOM, AYODHYA FOR FOUTEEN YEARS WHEN HE WAS IN EXILE. BHARAT WORSHIPPED THOSE SANDALS AS GOD'S FEET AND CONSIDERED WITH WHOLE KINGDOM AS LORD'S FEET. HE SERVED THE CITIZENS OF AYODHYA WITHOUT WISHING ANYTHING IN RETURN.
* ARCHANAM - PRAYING AND WORSHIPPING GOD WITH RITUALS WITHOUT ASKING ANYTHING IN RETURN FROM HIM. ADI SHANKARA USED TO PRACTISE ARCHANAM.
DURING EXILE, WHEN LORD RAM WENT INTO THE FOREST THEN NISHAD CHIEF, GUHA WELCOMED HIM WITH FLOWERS AND SERVED HIM FRUITS. NUTS AND ROOTS WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATIONS FROM LORD RAM.
