Without devotion Self-realization is quite impossible
Atman Nityananda
Devotion is a complete dedication of body, prana. mind and heart to God or Truth. It is love for God. It is intense longing and aspiration to realize Truth or God consciousness.
Devotion to God takes our interest and attention from the external world and the sensory objects and directs it in our inner world, in our heart, the center of our existence.
Devotion to God takes our interest and attention from the external world and the sensory objects and directs it in our inner world, in our heart, the center of our existence.
By gathering our attention from the
outer world we stop the creation of worldly samskaras (impressions and vasanas
(tendencies) and we stop to empower the egoic tendencies that already are stored
in our subconscious mind (chitta), which are mainly based on desire, pride,
fear and anger.
The repetition of God’s names (japa nama ), kirtan and the prayer increase the sattva guna, eliminates the rajas and tamas
and dissolves gradually all egoic tendencies. Meditation and Self-enquiry
direct the mind towards the source of our mind and thus the mind abandons the
objects and is permeated by peace and light divine.
Thus the egoism which is fed and
grows by the sensory inputs and the impressions which are created by these
inputs, gradually is thinned out and our
mind becomes purer and purer reflecting more and more with clarity the divine
light, peace and love.
Devotion is not only for aspirants
of Bhakti yoga but also for jnana yoga aspirants. Without devotion a real
progress in spiritual path is not possible. The bhaktas are devoted to a form
of God while the jnanis in the impersonal truth (Atman or Brahman). For some devotion to a form is
easier and for others appears more natural to be devoted to the impersonal
Truth. Both lead at the same destination. The dissolution of egoic self and the
realization of our essence, God or Brahman and the unity of life.
Really there are only two methods, Enquiry and devotion. One leads to the other. A devotee concentrates on God.
A seeker, follower of the Jnana-marga seeks the Self. The practice is equally difficult for both.
Since God is verily the Self, love of
the Self is love of the God and that is bhakti. Jnana and Bhakti are
thus one and the same.
Service, like prayers, japa and even businesss done in God’s name, lead to the highest Goal; Self-realization.
Complete effacement of the ego is
necessary to conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement
through Self enquiry or through bhakti-marga.
Self-enquiry is possible for mature minds, not for immature ones.
For the immature ones, japa nama,
worship of images, pranayama, visualizing a pillar of light and similar
yogic and spiritual and religious practices have been prescribed.
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi