BHAKTHI YOGA

By

Achala Bhakthan

One of the seekers asked me to comment in detail about Bhakthi Yoga.  I took it as a subject for my next article, since it is a common quest. 

In AATMA SAMARPANAM we discussed about four paths.  Out of this, Bhakthi Yoga is the easiest and simplest method that is prescribed for Kaliyuga.  Why?  In Kaliyuga, persons are impatient, selfish, and materialistic.  Envy, Dwesha, Kama Krodha etc. are predominant. It is difficult to make them believe on God, do Sat Karma because they are bereft of doing their Swakarma. Fighting will be the mainstay with many.  People long for immediate results and are not amenable to logical way of thinking.  People believe on what is seen and not what is hidden.    

KALOU KALMASHA CHITHANAAM.

PAAPA DRAVYA UPAJEEVINAAM

VIDHI KRIYA VIHEENAANAAM

GATHIR GOVINDA KEERTHANAM

 In Kaliyuga, it is natural that all will be of KALMASHA CHITHA (Dhurbudhi) dominated by Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha, Matsaryaadhi six Dhur Gunaas.  Dwesham, fighting, cursing, envying etc. etc. are all together called Kalmasha Chitham.  It is the order of the day and that is natural.  No one can avoid it but can overcome.  Why this as a Saapam (curse)?  Because all live on Paapa Dravya Upajeevinaam,,  people live with all pleasures that can be bought by Money, which is papa.  Meaning, people will be purely materialistic and go for enjoyment but suffer ultimately.  They do not know that every pleasure brings pain at the end and vice-a-versa, because Pain and Pleasure are two sides of a coin.  Without one the other is absent. Materialistic life and enjoyment always create negative tendencies and takes one away from reality.  They do not do their Swadharma.  They do not perform any Vidhi or Karma as prescribed by our Vedas nor follow the path given by our Seers.  Their budhi is muffled and cannot think in terms of attainment.  Even to such people there is relief (Gathir) through doing Keerthanam (or Naama japam) on Govinda – the Sureme Consciousness, the SELF.  Or we can take  it as Lord Krishna for easy assimilation.  This is the crux of Bhakthi Yoga.  It is so simple that every one can follow.  It is merely chanting the Name of Lord, which takes you to concentration automatically.  The music and rhythm absolves you within yourself.  The Ultimate Truth revealed itself first through Naada (sound) OM and is also called Naada Brahmam, the Brahman principle revealing in the form of sound.  The nature is full of Sound vibrations.  The vibration effect of the Energy creates a sound and that is ever permanent in Aaasa (space) and from this sopund vibrations everything appears.  Therefore Bhakthi marga is directly taking you to the Ultimate truth by making you fully silent and concentrate on SELF, which culminates in surrender principle, which is also taking place instantaneously. -  a must for Realisation.

The question is What is BHAKTHI and how to practice? It is pure  LOVE or PREMA. When do you love someone or something?  Only when you are attached to it isn’t it?  This is called  PATTRU (attachment).  Alas! We talked about non-attachment as the way to Mukthi and now we are starting with Attachment!  Yes, we cannot but remain attached because we are always extroverts and depend upon the Vishayaas that come to us through our Gnanedriyaas which get analysed in the laboratory of Budhi and transferred as orders to the Mind and gets converted into action through Karmendriyaas.  This is to be avoided if you want to do Bhakthi.  But then what is the attachment that is mentioned above?  What to attach and where to attach?  Attachment can bring positive or negative effect.  Negative in case of extrovertedness and positive in case of introvertedness.  As our nature is getting attached to something, we should turn it to the positive aspect.  Attach yourself to the Godly principle in you, the SELF, the Energy Supreme with which we are able to receive vishayaas and react as said above. The Mind cannot exist without attachment.  It always gets attached to the vishayaas that come in.  The vishayaaspathi should be stopped to relieve the mind from attachment.  But Mind cannot remain unattached.  Therefore, turn it away from Vishayaas and get it attached to Self Enquiry, i.e. enquire about our Source. This is again going to the source or knowing THY SELF.

Easily said!  How to practice this?  And what will be the result?  What is the assurance that Bhakthi Yoga will take us to the Supreme Consciousness?  Is there is proof or authority for this in any of our Vedas? 

SRAVANAM KEERTHANAM VISHNOHO

SMARANAM  PAADASEVANAM

ARCHANAM VANDHANAM DAASYAM

          SAKHYAM   ATMA NIVEDHANAM

SRAVANAM: Hear the teaching of our Rishis coming through Srutis, Smrutis.  Our Veda gives the essence of these with elaboration with examples in various Puranaas.  Of which, BHAGAWAT GEETHA contains the essence of our Vedas.  Hearing does not mean mechanical.  Understand what is heard, then only hearing is complete..  This first step is to purify our Intellectual perception for which Sravanam is prescribed.  You know the story of Druva, who got converted as a Bhaktha through constant Sravanam..

KEERTHANAM: means do Naama Japa, Naama Sankeerthanam with devotion.  When you do Sankeerthanam, it gives you soothing effect as it has music and rhythm. When you hear a music it is will be pleasant and it will make you merge yourself within.  This is leading a Bhaktha  to immerse in Love within. This makes you concentrate. Take the story of Raavana, who was a Shiva Bhaktha having done tapas through Naadopaasana.  We got Meera Bhai, Dhrowpathi etc.

VISHNOHO:

That power, which sustains us and leads us towards our Goal, known as Vishnu, the sustainer of all living and non-living beings.

SMARANAM:  To retain what you read or what you enjoyed through Keerthanam, you need to do Smaranam (recapitulating) so that the effect will stay with you permananetly.  The more you think the clearer and peaceful you become inwardly.  This motivates the analytical machinery within us.  Take the example of Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi, who absorbed himself into samaadhi by Smaranam of the inner voice he heard.

PAADA SEVANAM:  Surrender to the Lord and do seva to His Feet.  This is Saranaagadhi.  This is where the Bhaktha starts losing his  selfishness, (Ahamkaar) and leads him to Saranaagadhi.  This is where attachment to the Supreme starts.  Take Vibheeshana, who purified himself from all earlier Paapaas through Saranaagathi.  Havew you not heard about Bharata taking the Paaduka of Sri Raama to Nandi Gramama to rule the country on behalf of Raama.

The Sadhaka is now ready for the take off as he has cast away his outwardly  perception.

ARCHANAM: Praise the Lord, do Archana to him through Naama.  This initiates him into prayer, which should be selfless prayer and for the good of all.   Take the case of Aandal who sent flower garlands to the Lord after testing it on herself for the length and the beauty of it.  Also see the story of Gajendra Moksham, where the elephant performed Archana to the Lord even at the peril of death fear with the lotus from the tank.

VANDANAM : This is the self Surrender.  The Bhaktha is in a state where he realizes that he is nothing without the Supreme and does prostration.  This means showing that he is nothing before the Lord and shows his steadfast belief that Lord is Supreme.  You have heard about Guha, the Boats man, who washed the feet of Raama before entering his boat under a disguise that Rama’s feet touching the boat may turn it into stone as in the case of Ahalya etc.

DAASYAM:   This completes the process of Surrender.  The Bhaktha becomes a servant of the Lord.    He is determined to follow the path shown by the Supreme SELF.Take the case of Bhaktha Hanuman, who attained Mukthi through Service to the Lord.   

SAKYAM:  this is the eight step in evolution through  Bhakthi.  This means the Sadhaka is free from fear, jealous, selfishness etc. and considers the Lord as Friend.  It is easy to please a friend.  This takes him closer to the Supreme since there is no fear for him and what is left is only Pure Love towards the Supreme.   See the effect of Sugreeva, who went through friendship (sakyam) with Raama.  Take the case of Arjuna who got himself as the friend of the Lord.

AATMA NIVEDHANAM: This is the Nineth step and the culmination of Bhakthi.  What we talked earlier about AATHMA SAMARPANAM.  Offer ourselves as a Nivedhyam (food for God).  Once the Food is taken by God we do not remain we enter his Kingdom and become one with Him.   Here is where identity with our Body, Mind and Intellect is getting lost.  See the case of Bheeshmaacharya who surrendered to the Lord through this method.

How many examples are there in our Puranaas which bring the above aspects of Bhakthi in a clear cut manner to us.  Our Vedaas are full of treasure and teaches us for direct Mukthi and every where Bhakthi is stressed.  Even in other paths, Bhakthi is involved.  As said earlier, unless you have LOVE towards anything, you cannot attain it.  If you accept Mukthi is something to be attained then you must have LOVE.  This Love is called Bhakthi.

Dear Sadhakaas!  I have now stated the method for Bhakthi Yoga.  You may ask why Bhakjthi Yoga.  Why not Gnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Hata Yoga etc.?  Our great Rishis have foreseen that in Kaliyuga, because of the characteristics of the Jeevas, the other paths are difficult and time consuming for results and Jeevas will not have the patience and capacity to spend.   Yes, there is proof of Bhakthaas having attained Mukthi:

     PRAHLAADHA NAARADHA PARAASARA PUNDAREEKA

     VYAASA AMAREESHA SUKHA SOWNAKA BHEESHMA THAABHYAAN

     RUKMAANGADHA ARJUNA VASISHTA VIBHEESHANAATHEEN

     PUNYAANIMAAN PARAMA BHAAGAVATHAAN SMARAAMI

This sloka is given in the Dhyaana Slokas in our Bhajan Padhdhathi Books.  We are remembering the above Bhakthaas before we start our Bhajans.  No explanation needed to those who know our Puraanaas and little samslkrit. There is enough authority scriptures with which I describe Bhakthi Yoga.  Bhagawat Geetha gives you the gist of the entire Vedaas In the form of “Question & Answer” between Arjuna and Krishna in the Bharata Yuddha scenery.

Our Scriptues  proclaim:

                   DHYAAYAN KRUTHE YAJAN YAGNAIHI

THRETHAAYAAM DWAAPARA ARCHAYAN

YADHAAPNOTHI THATHAAPNOTHI

KALOU SANKEETHYA KESAVAM  

In Krutha Yuga, Dhyaanam was the order of the day to attain Mukthi.  (Nishkaamam). Rishis used to do Meditation and realize the SELF and became the Seers and gave us the Srutis. In Threthayuga, Yaaga and Yagna were performed to obtain Varam, i.,e. power, pleasure etc.(Kaamyam or seeking). In Dwapara Yuga, people turned to doing Archana and Pooja to Lord, to praise him, please him and get whatever they wanted.  (Materialistic pleasures). See the order in which from first Yuga to the third Yuga people have turned to be materialistic, step by step.  This is bringing extrovertedness - Using our power to get materialistic gains.  In Kaliyuga we are prescribed with SANKEERTHANAM which brings you all that was obtained through the above saadhanaas in the three earlier Yugaas and also the ultimate MUKTHI.  This proclamation is in our Vedaas.   Meaning, through Sankeerthanam, you get not only what others got in previous Yugaas but also Mukthi.  This path of Sankeerthanam contains the entire Bhakthi Yoga. 

The Vedas are explaining the paths followed in various Yugaas and prescribes what is best for Kaliyuga.  All these are supported by our Scriptures and results assured if followed strictly as per the prescription.

Lord Krishna proclaimed to Arjuna, while explaining about Bhakthi :

              NA AHAM VASAAMI VAIKUNTE

           NA YOGI HRUDAYE RAVOW

           MAT BHAKTHAAHA YATHRA GAAYANTHI

           THATHRA THISHTAAMI NAARADA.

  I do not stay in Vaikunta lokha; I do not remain in the hearts of Yogins; I stand there where my Bhakthaas are singing (in praise of me).  The word “THISHTAMI”  means STANDING.  This shows the reverence.  Krishna shows reverence to Bhakthi.  That means the Lord  himself is a servant of Bhakthi. That is the place Bhakthi has according to the Lord.

I need not now over-stress the importance of BHAKTHI YOGA in Kaliyuga, which has to be taken up as the Swadharma by all Saadhakaas. 

Lokahah Samthah Sukhino Bhavanthu