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Kinds of devotion

CHENNAI: The basis of unflinching devotion is absolute humility. This state of total humility is reached only when in one's consciousness the awareness of the truth of the Supreme Being is felt with unqualified certainty. In a lecture on the Bhagavad Gita, Swami Parthasarathy pointed out that Lord Krishna has most extensively dealt with true devotion, when He enumerates the noble qualities of a true devotee with the focus on sincerity in worship. Even a leaf, fruit, flower or a drop of water offered with true devotion is acceptable to Him. Practice of Bhakti Yoga is a sure route to salvation.

Devotion to the Lord springs only to the worthy because of their past virtuous conduct. Among such devotees, the Lord enumerates four types of worshippers. There are those who desire God's help when in distress and seek to be relieved of their day-to-day sufferings. There are others who wish to acquire wealth and worldly possessions to improve their material prospects. On a higher plane are those devout and upright people who wish to know the truth of bliss. Yet higher are the Jnanis or realised souls who are well immersed in the divine experience and are in constant union with the Lord. They remain devoted to Him at all times, accepting whatever comes their way and have no other motive or personal gain when they worship God. Such a person, the Lord says, is dear to Him as much as the Lord is dear to him.

Prayer is full time awareness and adoration of the Supreme Being with an undistracted heart. One who ceaselessly strives to know the Atman because one knows that this is the ultimate truth to be known is in the pursuit of true wisdom.

Upholding the ideal of Ahimsa, the true devotee never thinks, speaks or acts in such a way as would cause harm to others. He harbours no ill will, is able to understand the limitations in others and has the capacity to forgive. His uprightness arises out of conviction. His sense of discrimination makes him place the right value on worldly possessions. The knowledge that joy and sorrow result due to one's karma enables him to encounter the painful and the pleasant with equanimity.

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