Miscellaneous - Religion   

Modes of devotion

CHENNAI : Devotion to God takes on several modes according to the predilection of the devotee and Prahlada, whom the scriptures laud as a devotee even before he was born, described them when his father Hiranyakasipu asked him what he had learnt at school. To the angst of the tyrant who hated God his child replied: "To hear the names, praises and stories of Lord Vishnu and chant them, to remember Him, to wait upon Him, to offer worship and salutation to Him, to dedicate one's actions to Him, to cultivate friendship with Him and to offer one's own body as well as one's dependents and belongings to Him."

In her discourse, Srimathi Prema Pandurang said among these nine modes of devotion friendship with the Lord was possible only for the chosen few like Arjuna, Uddhava, Vibhishana and Sudama for He chose who He wanted to befriend. The camaraderie Arjuna enjoyed with Krishna can be seen from the way the Lord became his charioteer in the war and Arjuna almost ordered Krishna to station his chariot between the two armies to assess their relative strengths. During His teaching of the truth (Bhagavad Gita) it was when Krishna enabled Arjuna to see His cosmic form that he had insight into Krishna's divinity and exclaimed, "If without knowing Thy greatness and taking Thee only to be a friend, I have, out of ignorance or love, alone or even in company, addressed Thee discourteously in fun, while playing, relaxing, sitting or feasting, with words such as `O Krishna! O Yadava!' I beseech Thee, O boundless One, to pardon me for the same." What a privilege indeed!

The childhood friend of Lord Krishna's who was singled out for His bounteous grace was Sudama. Sage Suka went into rapture describing the qualities that made Sudama special to the Lord.

The sage told Pareekshit, "There was a certain devotee, who was a great friend of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. He possessed true knowledge of Brahman (the Absolute) and was free from attachment to the objects of the senses. His mind was composed and he had full control over the senses." It is such a man of wisdom that the Lord holds dear.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu Crossword No. 8724
Solution to Puzzle No. 8723
Modes of devotion
dated October 5, 1956: Akalis to join Congress
dated October 5, 1956: Tungabhadra scheme
Weather

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu