What is Devotion?

My God is with me and I am not alone

THIS universe was created millions and millions of years ago. Since then there has been a tremendous development in the knowledge of man and science. The man has progressed and enormous landmarks of progress have been established. New inventions have been made to achieve happiness, yet the man remains distressed. He calls for the unknown power and tries to establish relationship with it. He prays: “O Lord Supreme, All-Powerful, Omnipotent, on whose doors should we go, to whom should we pray and before whom should we cry and before whom should we beg.” Only Your door is before us and except for You we don’t belong to anyone else.” This human feeling is called the devotion.

The feeling of devotion is the experience of extreme virtue and purity. There is a strange feeling in the mind. A strange type of excitement is felt. New feelings grow from within, and a sense of satisfaction develops, purity emerges and a certain feeling comes up to assure that “my God is with me and I am not alone.”

Man’s life exists due to His kindness. 

Many of our revered sages have defined and explained the meaning of devotion. The great Shandilya Rishi was one of them. He said that the feeling of total love and total dedication to the God who is all-powerful, and all capable, and who is the lord of all, is called devotion. Such a love has no demarcation. Total belief in God is devotion. For us, human beings, life is very important. One who believes in God more than one’s life he has fully devoted to God. That is his true devotion to God. God is the essence of life, and only God gives strength to life. Man’s life exists due to His kindness.

Maharishi Narda has given an unbounded definition of devotion. He said:

 “Begin to accept love towards that sovereign who cannot be explained in words and to His subjects.”

The meaning of this devotion is two-fold – extreme love towards God and extreme love towards His children. Give love to them, be sympathetic towards them, be compassionate, and with full love, towards Him, and sing His praises. Remember Him, and worship His pious name. Devotion is a way of life. This is a way to conduct life. This is a process, which keeps on going on all the time.

Devotion is a beautiful ornament of man’s life

Devotion is a beautiful ornament of man’s life. This is a true decoration. Lord Krishna has sung praises of devotion in the Shri Bhagavad Gita. In the beginning and at the end of the eternal song of Holy Gita the flow of devotion can easily be observed. The feeling of unlimited belief in God is devotion. Lord Krishna says: “I take care of the sustenance of those pious saints myself who worship me with the feeling that all elements are indestructible and with full belief in me.” In reality, with devotion, the God can be easily found. The God accepts only the relationship of devotion.

Lord Krishna said to Arjuna: “The God is satisfied with devotion, not with qualities. He values the feelings. God knows every one, who does what and with what feelings.”

Feel happy and composed under all conditions

 When you tread the path of devotion, ask from God the blessings of His devotion. There is only one thing, i.e., ask for the gift of devotion. From the very day when the feeling of devotion gets ignited in your mind, the changes in your life will begin to take place from that very day.

The greatest satisfaction lies in the fact that the flame of devotion should not extinguish. As the nectar of devotion gets to clarify within you, the blessings of God will begin to grow. You will begin to experience the kindness of God. You will have a sense of satisfaction, and you will begin to feel happy and composed under all conditions.

The first sign of initiation to devotion

The first sign of initiation to devotion will be that man will appear to be self-contended and happy. If his face does not appear happy then it clearly means that a true urge of devotion has not germinated in him. It is true that love for God does not appear so long as there is love for self, importance for worldly comforts, mental affectations and attractions. Outwardly forsaking this is not the real abandoning because inside the mind there is still a little attraction left. This state is the desire-orientation.

With the presence of desire-orientation the orientation towards God does not take place. That is why in attaining true devotion it is necessary to get rid of the desires and feelings of acquisition. Those great people who have been blessed with the feeling of devotion deserve satisfaction as the wish of God if they get something or if something has been snatched from them.

Believe it, the devotion has truly arrived.

Address the God in all humility: “O God You only conduct this world. Whatever You do, and the way You like to it do, it is alright with us. What can be our expectations? We are all wedded to You. God, whatever You give us we will take, and live the way You wish us to live.” In fact, there is satisfaction when there is the true devotion. And when there is satisfaction, believe it, the devotion has truly arrived.

Place yourself at the pious feet of the God just the same way as a child cries impatiently. Get overwhelmed in the glory of God. In the same context Sant Kabir had said: “Cry, if you wish to get your great friend, then love crying.” Crying here means remembering God. Immerse yourself in His name. Let the tears roll from your eyes. Remember God with a deep sense.  Serve the poor and the distressed. Live in the world – don’t get entangled in it. Install God in your heart, not the world. This is true_devotion.

Fulfillment of wishes.

In the Kaliyuga there is special significance of devotion. It is the hidden treasure of man’s mind. It is not for exhibition. The hidden form of devotion is the best and of higher value. Anyone whosoever submits to God, gets the assurance of protection. The submission to Him is limitless. Complete submission results into fulfillment of wishes.

Highly perplexed Vibhishana comes only to Lord Rama for his own security. Lord Rama accepts him instantaneously. In the court of the Kauravas, as soon as Draupadi, totally disappointed with everyone present there, remembers Lord Krishna, the length of the saree becomes endless. When Sabri remembered Lord Rama and called him with great reverence, Lord Rama came to her and even ate the already-tasted fruits. The Saint Dhruva remembered Lord Narayana. He was indeed blessed with the divine Darshana. There are numerous examples of total submission and deep_devotion.

Devotion is a way to achieve salvation

There are very interesting, satisfactory and unlimited symptoms. Total belief, love and unflinching affection towards God; no attraction in anyone, anything and at anytime except for God; not to be conscious of anything except being immersed in the love for God; wherever the mind moves it sees nothing except God; and dedicate yourself to God by forgetting on

eself, are some of the symptoms. These are the indicators of a pure_devotion. One gets salvation through devotion and freedom from the worldly bonds and worries. Devotion is a way to achieve salvation.

To arouse the feelings of devotion in the mind, the role of a guru is significant. The guru is the personification of the knowledge of God. It is the Guru who, by kindling the light of divine knowledge, leads a man from the darkness of the world to light. This is why to be able to go to the feet of God it is necessary to seek and get the blessings of a guru.

The knowledge of these elements helps us to move towards the pious seat of the God. With this knowledge the world appears to be empty and hollow. The first step to get Him is to have faith and confidence in Him. It is necessary to have a continuous devotion towards Him. Through devotion alone one attains salvation.

Dr Archika Didi

Moving on the Path of Devotion