Shri Hari’s sermon on devotion.
Shri Hari’s sermon on devotion.
Once, in a large assembly, worshipped by groups of devotees who tendered valuable clothes and other presents, Shri Hari was sitting on an elevated seat, giving His devotees great delight. 1.
Surrounding Him were seated the all-renouncing ascetics and behind them sate the commoners. Glancing them with eyes full of joy and compassion, the master of the celibate said to them: 2.
O bands of devotees, listen to my words of advice. It is for your good. Do your sacred duties according to your status and stage, and develop devotion to Krishna wholeheartedly. 3.
‘If any one of you have any question in this respect, he may ask me now.’ Hearing these words of the lord, one named Bhalachandra, an intelligent devotee asked: 4.
“It is well known (from the Shastras and Puranas) that devotion to Shri Krishna emancipates one from all worldly ties. It is the most excellent, wide highway (made by saints) on this earth. 5.
What are the features of devotion, what are the signs of those firmly settled in devotion, what kind of love should they nurse towards Krishna and what has Krishna in store for them?” 6.
Hearing these questions of the devotee, He, the teacher of the world, lord of the devotees, was pleased. Then the all-knowing Lord began to tell the secrets of the science of devotion, which none other than the Satvatas (endowed with Satvic quality predominantly), the noble worshippers of Shri Krishna knew. 7.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
O great Vaisya (merchant), I explain to you the nature of devotion, which is very difficult to understand even to the knower of the Shastras, unless they are graced by Lord Shri Hari. Now, all of you listen to me. 8.
First taking initiation in Bhagavat Dharma from a Guru endowed with the highest devotion and righteousness, then learning from him the procedure of worship and obtaining an image or idol of the Lord from him, one sho-uld offer devotional service to Lord Vishnu, promptly and without delay. 9.
Knowing His magnanimity in its essentiality, and involuting essential natures of all the senses and diverting them onto Him with unceasing love is what is called Bhakti (devotion), and it is of nine modes. 10.
Listening to Vishnu’s story, singing His glory, always reminiscing Him, taking succor at His feet, becoming His servant & friend and confiding in Him the innermost feelings - these nine are the modes of Bhakti.
Men have to serve the lord in these ways according to their capacities. Those men of desire who worship Him are certainly bound to get their desired fruits and those seeking emancipation attain their goal. 11 - 12.
The unmotivated Bhakti (devotion) shown intently and firmly to Shri Hari is reputed to bestow the highest good which is superior even to the supreme felicities, for it annihilates one’s sheath of karma like Vaisvanar fire burns away the food in stomach eaten by Jiva. 13.
The devotees of the consort of Ram (Vishnu) with their undivided devotion do not wish even for absolute absorption in Him. All they desire is to immerse in His service. All their acts are aimed at Him alone and by that they would become wholly contented and pleased. 14.
Those devotees of Vishnu get together to narrate His exploits, hear stories of Him and sing His praises. Thus, mind, speech and actions of all of them together become engrossed in Him, the one and the only object of their love. 15.
They shall not go even for a second without thinking about Him. Their hearts are enthralled by reflecting on him. They shall see images of His incarnations on this earth, and converse with them. 16.
The mind of the devotee of Vishnu will not be moved by the affluence of Indra even. Is there a iota of superior comfort available there to the shelter of Vishnu’s holy feet? 17.
What shall I speak of the supreme state wherein all the superior felicities like Anima and others dwell? The highest devotee never aspires for (four-fold) salvation even if bestowed upon him by the Lord. 18.
Even if one has no desire for pleasures, devotion to His holy feet alone bestows upon him habitation at His abode and fortune in abundance that is beyond the reach of celestials even. 19.
To whom Shri Hari indeed is a beloved son, a friend, a favourite deity, his own self and everything else, Time and Maya (illusion) do not wield any influence. Rather, He has evidenced himself in order to release men from earthly bondage. 20.
He that has abandoned longing for kith & kin, wealth, mansion, worldly bashfulness as well as aspiration for heavenly abode and has become attached firmly to the Lord by ceaselessly reminiscing Him, will be protected forever from this world of miseries, for the sun scorches, the fire burns, the wind blows, Indra rains and the god of death moves in apprehension to the paramount lord Vishnu. 21 - 22.
He who in his heart seizes the soothing radiance of moonlike rays streaming from the toe-nails of His holy feet finds that the heat of torments born out of his covet of other enjoyments are annulled by those rays akin to the heat of fire vanishing when doused with water. 23.
Those feet of the Lord worshipped by Brahma and other celestials, and of the inner controller of the sentient and insentient, that Lord Krishna - when those feet of His are imbibed firm (in the heart of the devotee) by the cord of the sentiment of intense love, how will it be possible for Him to leave the heart of the devotee! 24.
Neither Ram nor Radhika is His beloved; neither is Brahma nor Sankarshan dear to Him; He is not fond of His own body. Only His ardent devote matters to Him. 25.
Through knowledge (Sankhya) and practice of Yoga, performance of sacrifice, observance of austerities and renunciation as well as study of the Vedas and giving ample donations made in many a previous birth to appease Shri Hari alone will help to attain so called devotion of nine modes. 26.
This way, when sentiment of devotion develops and blooms in a person, (the heart of) it fructifies in the deepest love for Krishna. As long as it has not reached that state it is called undeveloped (primary) in sprouting stage, by the wise. 27.
When deep love for Krishna, the granter of happiness develops, then nothing interests the mind here in this world or in the other world except Him. Those who have this love for Krishna, any length of their time is spent on savouring His name, contemplation and service rendered unto Him, for it will be like a moment for them and in His separation, even a moment will be like a Kalp (an eon) for them. 28.
In His separation, the devotee becomes desperate, but strives to see Him or His form everywhere. One hence converses with a tree or a pillar or even with a wall (which may seem strange to others). Perceiving Him in some form, he acts the way it makes him, sometimes he weeps or laughs like a mad man or dances in bliss. 29.
Sometimes, the devotee having visualized Him in his heart has tears of love in his eyes and his throat swells up in ecstasy. He becomes forgetful of his own body, loses himself in Him, and comes to his senses only by the Lord’s wish. 30.
Not only men of high learning would become devotees of such intensity, but also women who are virtuous and religious, with their deep love for the lord who is revered by gods. 31.
Men whether learned or not, irrespective of their belonging to Brahmin, Ksatriya, Vaisya or Shudra or even lower class, are all equal in terms of their affectionate devotion to the consort of Kamala (Vishnu). 32.
Given His omnipresence and impartiality, one whose mind is given to Him with firm attachment knowingly or unknowingly is known to be a liberated soul, be it a man, women or eunuch. 33.
He who is devoted to Shri Hari, his devotion shall be stabilized indeed, for he is always in the association of virtuous men. Otherwise the mind becomes distracted, as in the case of Bharat, who with his boundless sentiment of compassion lost his mind and moved away from Krishna. 36.
An unripe ascetic though engaged deeply in the service of the Lord, at times will become corrupt by befriending bad men. But his merit of devotion to Shri Hari will not go in vain, for the seed of devotion will sprout in Him in this life or in the next birth. 35.
Hence one should always be tranquil at heart and repose faith in Krishna. By shedding distrust from the mind, one should have great belief in Him being in good association by getting rid of pretensions as well as inner foes. 36.
The devotee of Shri Hari should speak truth. He should subdue his senses and be virtuous. He should be a man of love towards all the living beings and respect the elderly. He should comfort the wretched beings with his soothing word, as do the sires with their kin. He should be affectionate to his equals. 37.
A devotee of Shri Hari should nurse similar devotion towards those who have love for the Lord, should have a mind to seek Shri Hari (Him) in them, but not harbour an ego of wisdom, wealth, stature and class. He should subdue his senses as well as passions and refrain from addictions. He should always indeed regard this world to be unreal and ephemeral. 38.
He should lend his service unto the places wherein devotees of Shri Hari have taken shelter. He should engage himself in the activities of Shri Hari’s worship and being himself in the company of devotees, should involve in the temple services of Shri Hari, such as helping in the festivities and observing fasts on special days in His name.
He should see the Lord within him and above, in his vicinity, and follow the devotional ways of ancient sages as well as of the recent past that have qualities of dispassion, knowledge and of religious duties. 39.
He should not adhere to women, men of lust, heretics, hypocrites and scholars who make absurdities with original ancient texts thus misleading the men from righteousness (Dharma), and those who behave according to their own fancies, and those who are addicts, furious, greedy, and those who are driven by passions, and those who are inclined toward other religions and those who have animosity with Shri Hari. 40.
If there is no firm attachment to Shri Hari, of what use is a series of good qualities that one may possess? If there is firm devotion to Shri Hari, what else is there then, irrespective of presence or absence of qualities to achieve? 41.
Whatever austerities, vows, restraints and such others a man observes to please the Lord, those acts will certainly develop devotion unto Him. If these are done for achieving other ends, the fruit eventually gained will be insignificant. 42.
Having obtained this human body after weltering through many births, the one which even celestials covet, the wise have concluded that the highest wisdom would be to have detachment to sensual pleasures and attachment to Shri Hari. 43.
When the devotee who is firmly attached to Shri Hari, hears or sings marvelous exploits of Vishnu with great delight, then his mind will be filled with joy, and as that flows through him, he is thrilled with elation, and his eyes are often filled with tears of love in remembering Him. 44.
This way, those who devote themselves unto Krishna, the Lord in divine- human form, their rightful wishes will come true indeed. And those who censure His human form being interested in other things, for them the inner foes like passion, greed and others (play with) hunt him from within like a tiger. 45.
Neither the status of a god, of a sage, of a Brahmin or of a man, nor the (merit of) performing of sacrifices or the acts of charity, either the practice of austerities or the observance of vows or restrains acquired through past three births is sufficient for the propitiation of Shri Hari. He is pleased only with pure devotion. 46.
The Lord accepts water, fruit, flowers or even a leaf that is offered to Him with pure devotion. He never looks at the heap of gold or the finest delicacies which are offered sans devotion. 47.
This moment or even after weltering through many transmigrations, one is not sure to get the highest good without devotion to Shri Hari. Thus one who is convinced of this fact and acts accordingly, is to be hailed as the truly blessed. 48.
One who is able to remain undisturbed against umpteen amorous glances by a woman, one who stays awake through the darkest night that evokes Tamas (delusion due to anger) in men and one who is not tied down by passion and attractions, he seems to be the dearest devotee of Vishnu. 49.
Even the wise men are perturbed by the thought of following eight (objects of relish): Children, women, relatives and by their fondness for (looking in) mirror, music, wealth, intoxicants as well as for playing in festivals like Holi. But a real wise man is the one who meditates upon His holy feet and whose mind is never distracted from the sentiment of devotion. Even the gods wish to have the dust from his feet. 50.
Such noble men who are devotees of Krishna and are dedicated to their own religion are to be befriended, respected and worshipped as gurus by the seekers of salvation. 51.
Those that are friendly with men devoid of saintly qualities and consider them as preceptors are as good as quadrupeds having two legs. 52.
Suvrat spoke:-
Thus having consumed His nectarine words through his earcup, the best of the merchants was greatly delighted. All other devotees were also exceedingly happy. 53.
Realizing that He was indeed Krishna, Vishnu or Shri Hari son of Dharma, the devotees become firmly dedicated to Him, O king. 54.
Knowing the magnanimity of the Lord, all the devotees as well as the sages worshipped Him respectfully. 55.
Having worshipped them with Sandal paste, whole grains of rice, flower garlands, clothes and delicacies, they prostrated before them on the ground. 56.
The Lord, also having observed the unwavering devotion of the citizens to Him and the sages, was verily pleased. 57.
O king, the ascetic-lord, delighting the devotees, through queries as well as answers with regard to the highest Dharma, stayed there for seven days, always uprooting heretical elements that were present. 58.
Thus ends the Fifty-first chapter entitled ‘Narration of characteristics of devotion and the devotee in Suryapur’ in the second Prakarana of Satsangijivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 51
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