VEDAPATASALA

BHAKTI YOGAM

NINE FORMS OF BHAKTI

Bhakti is the easiest form of reaching god. It slowly and gradually takes the individual to higher levels of realisation of God, even being amidst samsara. It is not a direct assertion of God, but a progressive realisation of Him.

http://www.vedapatasala.com/Prahalada's/Bhakthiyogam/3minutesaudio.mp3

In Srimad Bhagavatham 7.5.22 Hiranyakasipu asks Prahlada :

Svadhitam kinchid uttamam

Out of all you have learnt so far which is the best?

Prahlada replies 7.5.23 & 24:

"Sravanam kirtanam Vishnoh smaranam pada-sevanam archanam vandanam daasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam "

" Iti pumsaarpitaa Vishnau bhaktis che nava-lakshana kriyete bhagavaty addhaa tan manye (a)dhitam uttamam "

" Hearing about Lord Vishnu, singing in praise of Him, remembering Him, serving His Lotus feet, worshipping Him, saluting Him, being His Servant, being His Comrade and totally surrendering to Him ."

"These nine forms of Bhakthi if one could practice that is the most 'Uttamam' (highest), and this is what I have learnt. A devotee can practice any of the nine modes of bhakti to realize the Supreme. "

BHAKTI - 1/9 - SRAVANAM

Sravanam is hearing of Lord's Lilas, virtues, glories, sports and stories connected with His divine Name and Form. The devotee gets absorbed in the hearing of divine stories and his mind merges in the thought of divinity. The mind loses, as it were, its charm for the world. The devotee remembers God only, even in dream.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya says, "The company of the wise, even for a moment, becomes the boat to cross across the ocean of Samsara."

Satsanga, illumines the devotee and removes his impurities. It is only then that subtle truths are grasped well by the devotee. Lord Krishna says to Uddhava that nothing but Satsanga alone can put an end to all worldly attachments.

In the Bhagavata Mahatmya it is told that the best Dharma in this world is to hear Lord's glories. For, thereby, one attains to the Divine Abode.

King Parikshit spent his final days before death, listening to the discourses of Sage Śukadev (son of Veda Vyasa). This book compiled as the Bhagavata Purana.

It is believed, whenever and wherever there is Sri Ramachandraji's glory spoken or sung, you will for sure find Sri Hanumanji listening among the gathering with utmost devotion.

BHAKTI - 2/9 - KIRTANAM

Kirtanam is singing of Lord's names and His glories. This is the easiest of all modes of approach to God. 'Kalau Kesavakirtanam' - this is the prescribed method of devotion for this Kali Yuga.

Kirtanam comes from the heart and not the mischievous mind. The mind is ever intent upon singing Lord's Names and glories and it has no occasion to take interest in things of the world. Day and night the devotee feels the presence of God and thins out his ego. He becomes Sattvic and pure at heart.

By constantly chanting the Lord’s name, devotees like Bakth Prahalada, Meerabhai, Sant Surdas, Chaitanya Maha Prabhu and Sant Tukaram have achieved God realization.

Ratnakar, a very cruel hearted hunter by chanting Lord Rama's name in the reverse 'Mara' on the advise of Sage Narada, got transformed into a Great Sage Valmiki. Such is the power of doing Kirtanam of the Lord's name.

BHAKTI - 3/9 - SMARANAM

Smaranam is remembrance of the Lord at all times. The mind does not think of any object of the world, but is ever engrossed in thinking of the glorious Lord alone. Even Japa is only remembrance of God and comes under this category of Bhakti.

Generally the mind runs extrovert. But remembrance of God makes it introvert and does not allow it to run to particular objects of the world. Remembrance of God is a very difficult method of Sadhana. It is not possible to remember God at all times. The mind will cheat the person. Remembrance is equal to concentration or meditation.

Smaranam is swimming against the forceful current of the river of Maya. Smaranam leads to exclusive meditation on God. The mind meditates on what is heard about the glories of God and His virtues, Names, etc., and forgets even the body and contents itself in the remembrance of God, just as Bhakt Dhruva, Ramakrishna paramahamsa did.

BHAKTI - 4/9 - PADASEVANAM

Padasevanam is serving the Lord's feet. To worship someone’s feet is to accept the humblest of approaches, and yet the Lord makes this attractive with His exquisite feet.

Sri Lakshmi, has perfected herself at pada-sevanam. This is remarkable, as noted in the Srimad Bhagavatam: “The goddess of fortune, although by nature is very restless and moving, could not quit the Lord’s feet.”

Devotees must approach the Lord as humble supplicants for even the goddess of fortune comes to Him in that way.

Bharata carried Sri Rama's Padukas (sandals ) with great reverence by placing them on his head as a mark of his respect to his elder brother who was like his father, guru and god. Bharata ruled Ayodhya as his brother's proxy by considering "the Padukas" as Sri Rama, yet another Padasevanam.

BHAKTI - 5/9 - ARCHANAM

Archanam is worship of the Lord. "Those who perform the worship of Vishnu in this world, attain the immortal and blissful state of Moksha." Thus says the Vishnu-Rahasya.

Worship can be done either with external materials or merely through an internal Bhava or strong feeling. The purpose of worship is to please the Lord, to purify the heart through surrender of the ego and love of God.

Bhagawan Sri Krishna says in Bhagawath Geetha

patram puspam phalam toyam

yo me bhaktya prayacchati

tad aham bhakty-upahrtam

asnami prayatatmanah

(Ch 9 Ver 26)

Meaning:

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.

This mode of Bhakti is followed by many to attain the Lord - Parvathi Devi, Sri Raghavendra swamy, hunter devotee Kannappar, animals have also attained moksha by worshipping - Elephant, Spider, Ant, Cow (Kamadhenu).

BHAKTI - 6/9 - VANDANAM

Vandanam is prayer and prostration. Humble prostration touching the earth with the eight limbs of the body (Sashtanga-Namaskara), with faith and reverence, before a form of God, or prostration to all beings knowing them to be the forms of the One God, and getting absorbed in the Divine Love of the Lord is termed prostration to God.

In this form of devotion a devotee begins to see his favorite form of the Lord everywhere and in all beings and objects. The ego or Ahankara is effaced out completely through devout prayer and prostration to God. The Divine Grace descends upon the devotee and man becomes God.

Bhishma in Mahabharatha says”Even one bend of the head to Lord Sri Krishna is equal in merit to the completion of ten horse sacrifices. The latter does not bring about Liberation, but the former makes one God Himself”. Bhishma offered salutation to Sri Krishna in a choked voice and immediately, the Lord bestowed the Divine Knowledge upon Bhishma.

King Maha Bali, Akkrura (devoted uncle of Sri Krishna) and Gajendra Moksha are some devotees who attained the Lord following Vandanam Bhakti.

BHAKTI - 7/9 - DASYAM

Dasya-Bhakti is the love of God, as His servant. To serve God and carry out His wishes, realising His virtues, nature, mystery and glory, considering oneself as a servant of the Supreme Master, win His Divine Grace and attain thereby Immortality.

Serving and worshipping the Murtis in temples, sweeping the temples, meditating on God and mentally serving Him like a slave, serving the saints and the sages, serving the devotees of God, is also included in Dasya-Bhakti.

When Ravana asked Hanuman who he was, Hanuman immediately replied

“Daasoham Kosalendrasya - meaning, “Iam the servant of Kosala's king (Sri Rama)”.

Hanuman prayed to Lord Rama: "My dear Lord, if You like You can give me salvation from this material existence, or the privilege of merging into Your existence, but I do not wish any of those things. I do not wish anything which diminishes my relationship with You as servant to master, even after liberation."

Sri Lakshmana's Bhakti towards Sri Rama, Thirumangai Alwar, Thondaradippodi Alwar's Bhakti are all in the form of Dasya-Bhakti.

BHAKTI - 8/9 - SAKHYAM

Sakhya-Bhakti is the love of God, as His friend. To be always with the Lord, to treat Him as one's own friend, to be in His company at all times, to love Him as one's own Self. There is a higher transformation of the mundane into the eternal, as the physical love is turned into spiritual love.

The Bhagavata says: "Oh, how wonderful is the fortune of the people of Vraja, of cowherd Nanda whose dear friend is the perfect, eternal Brahman of Absolute Bliss!".

Arjuna with Sakhya-Bhakti had the greatest love and respect for Sri Krishna and never forgot his great and divine qualities. Lord Krishna as a friend of Arjuna explained life and the way to proceed along the divine path of realisation.

Sundaramurthy Nayanar (one of the 63 Nayanmaars) had the attitude of a friend towards Lord Shiva. He freely demanded of the Lord whatever he wanted without selfish desires but only for the sake of others.

BHAKTI - 9/9 - ATMA-NIVEDANAM

Atma-Nivedanam is complete self-surrender to God. The devotee totally surrenders to God, just like a kitten to its mother.

In the Vishnu-Sahasranama it is said: "The heart of one who has taken refuge in Vasudeva, who is wholly devoted to Vasudeva, gets entirely purified, and he attains Brahman, the Eternal."

As given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11. 29.34):

_martyo yada tyakta-samasta-karma

niveditatma vicikirsito me

tadamrtatvam pratipadyamano

mayatma-bhuyaya ca kalpate vai_

Meaning:

A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely unto Me, eagerly desiring to render service unto Me, achieves liberation from birth and death and is promoted to the status of sharing My own opulences.

In Bhagavath Gita, Sri Krishna says :

_Ananyas chintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate |

Tesham nityabhiyuktanam yoga-kshemam vahamy-aham || (9.22)_

Meaning

Once you are surrendered to God, once you take His refuge, then He takes on the responsibility to provide you with all that you need, and also protect that which you already have.

_sarva-dharman parityajya

mam ekam saranam vraja |

aham tvam sarva-papebhyo

moksayisyami ma sucah || (18.66)_