LORD RAMA HIMSELF EXPLAINS NINE TYPES OF DEVOTION (NAVDHA BHAKTI) (नवधा भक्ति) #Blog0032

NAVDHA BHAKTI (नवधा भक्ति)

IN THE RAMAYANA, LORD RAMA EXPLAINS THE NINE TYPES OF DEVOTION OR PENANCE TO SHABRI:

श्रीराम जी ने शबरी को नवधा भक्ति के बारे में ज्ञान दिया था:

अवधी भाषा में (रामचरितमानस से)

नवधा भगति कहउं तोहि पाहीं। सावधान सुनु धरु मन माहीं॥

THE NINE (नवधा ) STEPS OF DEVOTION (भगति), I IMPART (कहउं) TO YOU. LISTEN YOU WELL (तोहि पाहीं) AND REMEMBER IT ALWAYS (सावधान सुनु धरु मन माहीं)

1. प्रथम भगति संतन्ह कर संगा।

THE FIRST STEP (प्रथम भगति ) TO DEVOTION (BHAKTI) IS TO KEEP COMPANY (संगा) OF THE SAINTS (i.e., SATSANG) (संतन्ह)

2. दुसरि रति मम कथा प्रसंगा॥

THE SECOND (दुसरि) STEP IS TO ENJOY (रति) LISTENING TO LEGENDS/DISCOURSES (कथा प्रसंगा) PERTAINING TO ME (LORD) (मम)

3. गुरु पद पंकज सेवा तीसरि भगति अमान।

SELFLESS SERVICE (सेवा ) TO THE GURU'S LOTUS FEET (गुरु पद पंकज) WITHOUT ANY PRIDE (अमान) IS THE THIRD (तीसरि) STEP. (IT IMPLIES FOLLOWING GURU’S SHOWN PATH)

4. चौथि भगति मम गुन गन करइ कपट तजि गान॥

THE FOURTH STEP (चौथि भगति ) IS TO EARNESTLY SING (गान) PRAISES OF THE LORD'S VIRTUES (मम गुन गन ) WITH A HEART CLEAR (तजि) OF GUILE, DECEIPT OR HYPOCRISY (कपट)

5. मंत्र जाप मम दृढ़ बिस्वासा। पंचम भजन सो बेद प्रकासा॥

CHANTING MY NAME (मंत्र जाप) WITH STEADFAST FAITH (दृढ़ बिस्वासा) IS THE FIFTH STEP (पंचम भजन) AS THE VEDAS REVEAL (सो बेद प्रकासा)

6. छठ दम सील बिरति बहु करमा। निरत निरंतर सज्जन धरमा॥

THE SIXTH (छठ), IS TO PRACTICE SELF-CONTROL (दम), GOOD CHARACTER (सील), DETACHMENT (बिरति) FROM MANIFOLD ACTIVITIES (बहु करमा) AND ALWAYS (निरंतर) FOLLOW THE DUTIES AS GOOD SPIRITUAL (धरमा) PERSON (सज्जन).

7. सातवँ सम मोहि मय जग देखा। मोतें अधिक संत करि लेखा॥

THE SEVENTH (सातवँ) STEP IS TO PERCEIVE THE WORLD AS GOD HIMSELF (सम=EQUAL, मोहि=MINE) AND REGARD (कर=(SAINTS) ACT, लेखा=DO) THE SAINTS (संत) HIGHER (अधिक) THAN THE LORD (मो तें).

8. आठवँ जथालाभ संतोषा। सपनेहुं नहिं देखइ परदोषा॥

THE EIGHTH (आठवँ), IS A STATE (WHICH ONE ARRIVES AT WHEN ONE TRAVELS THE FIRST SEVEN STEPS) WHERE THERE IS NO DESIRE LEFT (संतोषा=(BE) CONTENTED), BUT THE GIFT OF PERFECT PEACE AND CONTENTMENT WITH WHATEVER ONE HAS (जथा=WHATEVER, लाभ=(WHATEVER) YOU GOT). (IN THIS STATE) ONE DOES NOT (नहिं) SEE (देखइ) FAULT IN OTHERS (पर=(IN) OTHERS, दोषा=FAULTS), EVEN IN A DREAM (सपनेहुं).

9. नवम सरल सब सन छलहीना। मम भरोस हिय हरष न दीना॥

IN THIS NINTH (नवम) STATE, ONE HAS FULL FAITH IN THE LORD, AND BECOMES (CHILD-LIKE) SIMPLE (सरल) WITH NO HYPOCRISY OR DECEIT (छल=DECEIPT, हीना=WITHOUT). THE DEVOTEE HAS STRONG FAITH (भरोस) IN THE LORD (मम) WITH NEITHER EXALTATION (हरष) OR DEPRESSION (दीना) (IN HEART (हिय) IN ANY LIFE CIRCUMSTANCE (BUT BECOMES EQUANIMOUS).

नव महुं एकउ जिन्ह कें होई। नारि पुरूष सचराचर कोई॥
सोइ अतिसय प्रिय भामिनी मोरे। सकल प्रकार भगति दृढ़ तोरे॥

O MY (मोरे) DEAR (प्रिय ) SISTER (भामिनी), YET IF ANYONE (नारि=WOMAN, पुरूष=MAN, सचराचर=LIVING BEING, कोई=ANY) WERE TO HAVE TAKEN (जिन्ह कें होई) EVEN ONE STEP (एकउ) TOWARDS DEVOTION, OUT OF ALL NINE (नव महुं), HE/SHE (सोइ) WOULD BE VERY DEAR (अतिसय प्रिय ) TO THE LORD. SHRI RAM ADDS THAT SHABRI’S BHAKTI IS PERFECTLY COMPLETE (सकल=ALL, प्रकार=(NINE) TYPES, भगति=DEVOTION, दृढ़=STRONGLY, तोरे =IN YOU)

video 1 < click to listen

video 2 < click to listen

Entire playlist of Navdha Bhakti 3 < click to listen

Read 1 < click to read

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Navdha bhakti explained by Sri Sathya Sai as follows:

The (first six of the nine) steps in the pilgrimage of man towards God along the path of dedication and surrender are:

(1) Developing a desire to listen to the glory and grandeur of the handiwork of God and of the various awe-inspiring manifestations of Divinity. It is by hearing about the Lord again and again, that we can transform ourselves into Divinity.

(2) Singing to oneself about the Lord, in praise of His magnificence and manifold exploits.

(3) Dwelling on the Lord in the mind, revelling in the contemplation of His beauty, majesty and compassion.

(4) Entering upon the worship of the Lord, by concentrating on honouring the feet or foot-prints.

(5) This develops into a total propitiation of the Lord, and systematic ritualistic worship, in which the aspirant gets inner satisfaction and inspiration.

(6) The aspirant begins to see the favourite Form of God, which one likes to worship, in all beings and all objects, wherever one turns, and hence develops an attitude of Vandana (reverence) towards nature and all life!

(7) Established in this bent of mind (of seeing the Lord in all), the devotee becomes the devoted servant of all, with no sense of superiority or inferiority. This is a vital step which presages great spiritual success.

(8) This takes the seeker so near the Lord that one feels like the comrade and friend, the sharer of God's power and mercy, of God's triumphs and achievement, one becomes His sakha like Arjuna had become.

(9) As can be inferred, this is the prelude to the final step of total surrender, or Atmanivedanam, yielding fully to the Will of the Lord which the seeker knows through one’s own purified intuition. You will note that the seventh step is dasyam (the servant stage). That is the stage of service, which every person calling oneself a social worker, or volunteer, or sevak has to reach. It is more fruitful than reciting the Name or counting beads, or spending hours in meditation, though one's service will be richer and more satisfying if done on the basis of spiritual discipline

Love for God must be manifested as love for man, and love must express itself as service. - Baba

Fill your hearts with pure love and surrender to God. Then, whatever you experience,good or bad is a gift from God. - Baba

- Divine Discourse, Feb 19, 1970.

Bhagvatam NO AMOUNT OF MATERIAL ACTIVITY CAN GIVE REAL HAPPINESS – ONLY SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES CAN, 6th June

Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION
THE ACTUAL FORM OF LIFE FOR THE LIVING ENTITIES IS ONE OF SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS, WHICH IS REAL HAPPINESS. THIS HAPPINESS CAN BE ACHIEVED ONLY WHEN ONE STOPS ALL MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES. MATERIAL SENSE ENJOYMENT IS SIMPLY IMAGINATION. Therefore, considering this subject matter, I have ceased from all material activities and am lying down here.

PURPORT
The difference between the philosophy of the Mayavadis and that of the Vaishnavas is explained herein.

BOTH THE MAYAVADIS AND VAISHNAVAS KNOW THAT IN MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES THERE IS NO HAPPINESS.

The Mayavadi philosophers, therefore, adhering to the slogan brahma satyam jagan mithya, want to refrain from false, materialistic activities.

They want to stop all activities and merge in the Supreme Brahman.

ACCORDING TO THE VAISHNAVA PHILOSOPHY, HOWEVER, IF ONE SIMPLY CEASES FROM MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITY ONE CANNOT REMAIN INACTIVE FOR VERY LONG, AND THEREFORE EVERYONE SHOULD ENGAGE HIMSELF IN SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD.

It is said, therefore, that although the Mayavadi philosophers strive to refrain from materialistic activities and merge in Brahman, and although they may actually merge in the Brahman existence, for want of activity they fall down again into materialistic activity (aruhya krcchrena param padam tatam patanty adham).

THUS THE SO-CALLED RENOUNCER, UNABLE TO REMAIN IN MEDITATION UPON BRAHMAN, RETURNS TO MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES BY OPENING HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS AND SO ON.

THEREFORE, SIMPLY CULTIVATING KNOWLEDGE THAT MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES CANNOT GIVE ONE HAPPINESS, AND THAT ONE SHOULD CONSEQUENTLY CEASE FROM SUCH ACTIVITIES, IS INSUFFICIENT.

ONE SHOULD CEASE FROM MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES AND TAKE UP SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES.

THEN THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WILL BE ACHIEVED.

SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES ARE ACTIVITIES PERFORMED ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF KRSHNA (ANUKÜLYENA KRSHNANUSILANAM).

IF ONE DOES WHATEVER KRSHNA SAYS, HIS ACTIVITIES ARE NOT MATERIAL.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN ARJUNA FOUGHT IN RESPONSE TO THE ORDER OF KRSHNA, HIS ACTIVITIES WERE NOT MATERIAL.

FIGHTING FOR SENSE GRATIFICATION IS A MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITY, BUT FIGHTING BY THE ORDER OF KRSHNA IS SPIRITUAL.

BY SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES ONE BECOMES ELIGIBLE TO GO BACK HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, AND THEN ENJOY BLISSFUL LIFE ETERNALLY.

HERE, IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, EVERYTHING IS BUT A MENTAL CONCOCTION THAT WILL NEVER GIVE US REAL HAPPINESS.

THE PRACTICAL SOLUTION, THEREFORE, IS TO CEASE FROM MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES AND ENGAGE IN SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES.

Yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanam).

IF ONE WORKS FOR THE SAKE OF PLEASING THE SUPREME LORD—YAJNA, OR VISHNU—ONE IS IN LIBERATED LIFE.

IF ONE FAILS TO DO SO, HOWEVER, HE REMAINS IN A LIFE OF BONDAGE.

Gita shloka 2.72 : ONE CAN ATTAIN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS OR DIVINE LIFE AT ONCE, WITHIN A SECOND,6th June

Gita shloka 2.72
ONE CAN ATTAIN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS OR DIVINE LIFE AT ONCE, WITHIN A SECOND

TRANSLATION

THAT IS THE WAY OF THE SPIRITUAL AND GODLY LIFE, AFTER ATTAINING WHICH A MAN IS NOT BEWILDERED. BEING SO SITUATED, EVEN AT THE HOUR OF DEATH, ONE CAN ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

PURPORT

ONE CAN ATTAIN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS OR DIVINE LIFE AT ONCE, WITHIN A SECOND-OR ONE MAY NOT ATTAIN SUCH A STATE OF LIFE EVEN AFTER MILLIONS OF BIRTHS.

 IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING THE FACT.

Khatvanga Maharaja attained this state of life just a few minutes before his death, by surrendering unto Krsna.

NIRVANA MEANS ENDING THE PROCESS OF MATERIALISTIC LIFE.

According to Buddhist philosophy, there is only void after the completion of this material life, but Bhagavad-gita teaches differently.

ACTUAL LIFE BEGINS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THIS MATERIAL LIFE.

FOR THE GROSS MATERIALIST IT IS SUFFICIENT TO KNOW THAT ONE HAS TO END THIS MATERIALISTIC WAY OF LIFE, BUT FOR PERSONS WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY ADVANCED, THERE IS ANOTHER LIFE AFTER THIS MATERIALISTIC LIFE.

BEFORE ENDING THIS LIFE, IF ONE FORTUNATELY BECOMES KRSNA CONSCIOUS, HE AT ONCE ATTAINS THE STAGE OF BRAHMA-NIRVANA.

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF THE LORD.

SINCE BOTH OF THEM ARE ON THE ABSOLUTE PLANE, TO BE ENGAGED IN THE TRANSCENDENTAL LOVING SERVICE OF THE LORD IS TO HAVE ATTAINED THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM.

 IN THE MATERIAL WORLD THERE ARE ACTIVITIES OF SENSE GRATIFICATION, WHEREAS IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD THERE ARE ACTIVITIES OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.

ATTAINMENT OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS EVEN DURING THIS LIFE IS IMMEDIATE ATTAINMENT OF BRAHMAN, AND ONE WHO IS SITUATED IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS HAS CERTAINLY ALREADY ENTERED INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

BRAHMAN IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF MATTER.

THEREFORE BRAHMI STHITIH MEANS "NOT ON THE PLATFORM OF MATERIAL ACTIVITIES."

DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF THE LORD IS ACCEPTED IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA AS THE LIBERATED STAGE.

 THEREFORE, BRAHMI-STHITIH IS LIBERATION FROM MATERIAL BONDAGE.

 

 

 

 

 

Bhagvat: HUMAN HIMSELF/HERSELF ONLY CHOOSES OWN NEXT LIFE - (A) ANIMAL OR (B) 1000 TIMES BETTER THAN HUMAN OR (C) LIBERATION,5th June

Srimad Bhagvatam: Human being himself/herself only chooses next life - (a) Animal or (b) 1000 times better than human or (c) liberation

TRANSLATION
IN THE COURSE OF THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS, WHICH IS CAUSED BY FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES DUE TO UNDESIRABLE MATERIAL SENSE GRATIFICATION, I HAVE RECEIVED THIS HUMAN FORM OF LIFE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE HEAVENLY PLANETS, TO LIBERATION, TO THE LOWER SPECIES, OR TO REBIRTH AMONG HUMAN BEINGS.

PURPORT
All living entities within this material world are undergoing the cycle of birth In this verse, however, evolution has been very well explained on the strength of Vedic authority and death according to the laws of nature.

 

This struggle of birth and death in different species may be called the evolutionary process, but in the Western world it has been wrongly explained. DARWIN'S THEORY OF EVOLUTION FROM ANIMAL TO MAN IS INCOMPLETE BECAUSE THE THEORY DOES NOT PRESENT THE REVERSE CONDITION, NAMELY EVOLUTION FROM MAN TO ANIMAL. In this verse, however, evolution has been very well explained on the strength of Vedic authority.

 

HUMAN LIFE, WHICH IS OBTAINED IN THE COURSE OF THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS, IS A CHANCE FOR ELEVATION (svargapavarga) OR FOR DEGRADATION (tirascam punar asya ca). IF ONE USES THIS HUMAN FORM OF LIFE PROPERLY, HE CAN ELEVATE HIMSELF TO THE HIGHER PLANETARY SYSTEMS, WHERE MATERIAL HAPPINESS IS MANY THOUSANDS OF TIMES BETTER THAN ON THIS PLANET, OR ONE MAY CULTIVATE KNOWLEDGE BY WHICH TO BECOME FREE FROM THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS AND BE REINSTATED IN ONE'S ORIGINAL SPIRITUAL LIFE. THIS IS CALLED APAVARGA, OR LIBERATION.

MATERIAL LIFE IS CALLED PAVARGA BECAUSE HERE WE ARE SUBJECT TO FIVE DIFFERENT STATES OF SUFFERING, REPRESENTED BY THE LETTERS PA, PHA, BA, BHA AND MA.

PA MEANS PARISRAMA, VERY HARD LABOR.

PHA MEANS PHENA, OR FOAM FROM THE MOUTH. FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES WE SEE A HORSE FOAMING AT THE MOUTH WITH HEAVY LABOR.

BA MEANS BYARTHATA, DISAPPOINTMENT.  IN SPITE OF SO MUCH HARD LABOR, AT THE END WE FIND DISAPPOINTMENT.

BHA MEANS BHAYA, OR FEAR. IN MATERIAL LIFE, ONE IS ALWAYS IN THE BLAZING FIRE OF FEAR, SINCE NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.

FINALLY, MA MEANS MRTYU, OR DEATH.

WHEN ONE ATTEMPTS TO NULLIFY THESE FIVE DIFFERENT STATUSES OF LIFE—PA, PHA, BA, BHA AND MA—ONE ACHIEVES APAVARGA, OR LIBERATION FROM THE PUNISHMENT OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE.

The word tirascam refers to degraded life. Human life, of course, provides an opportunity for the best living conditions. As Western people think, from the monkeys come the human beings, who are more comfortably situated. HOWEVER, IF ONE DOES NOT UTILIZE HIS HUMAN LIFE FOR SVARGA OR APAVARGA, HE FALLS AGAIN TO THE DEGRADED LIFE OF ANIMALS LIKE DOGS AND HOGS.

THEREFORE A SANE HUMAN BEING MUST CONSIDER WHETHER HE WILL ELEVATE HIMSELF TO THE HIGHER PLANETS, PREPARE TO FREE HIMSELF FROM THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS, OR TRAVEL AGAIN THROUGH THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS IN HIGHER AND LOWER GRADES OF LIFE. IF ONE WORKS PIOUSLY ONE MAY BE ELEVATED TO THE HIGHER PLANETARY SYSTEMS OR ACHIEVE LIBERATION AND RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, BUT OTHERWISE ONE MAY BE DEGRADED TO A LIFE AS A DOG, A HOG AND SO ON.As explained in Bhagavad-gita (9.25), yanti deva-vrata devan.

THOSE INTERESTED IN BEING ELEVATED TO THE HIGHER PLANETARY SYSTEMS (DEVALOKA OR SVARGALOKA) MUST PREPARE TO DO SO. SIMILARLY, IF ONE WANTS LIBERATION AND WANTS TO RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, HE SHOULD PREPARE HIMSELF FOR THAT PURPOSE.

Our Krshna consciousness movement is therefore the highest movement for the benediction of human society because this movement is teaching people how to go back home, back to Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (13.22) it is clearly stated that different forms of life are obtained by association with the three modes of material nature (karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu).

ACCORDING TO ONE'S ASSOCIATION WITH THE MATERIAL QUALITIES OF GOODNESS, PASSION AND IGNORANCE IN THIS LIFE, IN ONE'S NEXT LIFE ONE RECEIVES AN APPROPRIATE BODY. MODERN CIVILIZATION DOES NOT KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF VARIED ASSOCIATION IN MATERIAL NATURE, THE LIVING ENTITY, ALTHOUGH ETERNAL, IS PLACED IN DIFFERENT DISEASED CONDITIONS KNOWN AS THE MANY SPECIES OF LIFE. MODERN CIVILIZATION IS UNAWARE OF THE LAWS OF NATURE.

"THE BEWILDERED SPIRIT SOUL, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE, THINKS HIMSELF THE PERFORMER OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IN ACTUALITY CARRIED OUT BY NATURE." (BG. 3.27) EVERY LIVING ENTITY IS UNDER THE FULL CONTROL OF THE STRINGENT LAWS OF MATERIAL NATURE, BUT RASCALS THINK THEMSELVES INDEPENDENT. ACTUALLY, HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT BE INDEPENDENT.

THIS IS FOOLISHNESS. A FOOLISH CIVILIZATION IS EXTREMELY RISKY, AND THEREFORE THE KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT IS TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THEIR FULLY DEPENDENT CONDITION UNDER THE STRINGENT LAWS OF NATURE AND IS TRYING TO SAVE THEM FROM BEING VICTIMIZED BY STRONG MAYA, WHICH IS KRSHNA'S EXTERNAL ENERGY.

BEHIND THE MATERIAL LAWS IS THE SUPREME CONTROLLER, Krshna (mayadhyakshena prakrtim süyate sacaracaram). THEREFORE IF ONE SURRENDERS UNTO KRSHNA (mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te), ONE MAY IMMEDIATELY BE FREED FROM THE CONTROL OF EXTERNAL NATURE (sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhüyaya kalpate). THIS SHOULD BE THE AIM OF LIFE.