60 results for “Devotion”

7.16 'Men of good deeds,' i.e., those who have meritorious Karmas to their credit, and who resort to Me and worship Me alone - they too are divided into four types according to the degrees of their good deeds, each subseent type being better than the preceding, because of the greatness of their good deeds and gradation in respect of their knowledge. (i) The 'distressed' is one who has lost his position in life and his wealth, and who wishes to regain them (ii) He who 'aspires for wealth' is one who desires for wealth which he has not till then attained. Between them the difference is very little, as both of them seek wealth. (iii) He 'who seeks after knowledge' is one who wishes to realise the real nature of the self (in Its pure state) as an entity different from the Prakrti. He is called 'one who seeks to secure knowledge,' because knowledge alone is the essential nature of the self. (iv) And the 'man of knowledge' is he who knows that, it is the essential nature of the self to find happiness only as the Sesa (subsidiary or liege) of the Lord, as taught in the text beginning with, 'But know that which is other than this (lower nature) to be the higher Prakrti' (7.5). Without stopping with the knowledge of the self as different from the Prakrti, he desires to attain the Lord. He thinks that the Lord alone is the highest aim to reach.

Through various forms of yoga and devotion, and by adhering to righteousness, one can achieve both engagement and detachment.

Devotion has acts for its characteristic. Knowledge is the characteristic of renunciation. Therefore, kecping knowledge before his view, the man of understanding should practise renunciation.

Anyone who hears the narration of Dhruva Mahārāja, and who repeatedly tries with faith and devotion to understand his pure character, attains the pure devotional platform and executes pure devotional service. By such activities one can diminish the threefold miserable conditions of material life.

Dhritarashtra said He who lives for a hundred years, who is gifted with heroism, who studies the Vedas and who celebrates sacrifices with devotion, indeed, such men proceed to the region of Shakra. I shall go to a higher region, Indeed, Dhritarashtra shall not go there.

Dhritarashtra said Those men who adore the celestials by observing the vow called Chaturmasya, who perform a hundred and ten sacrifices, who pour libations every day on their sacred fire with devotion and faith for three years according to the ordinances declared in the Vedas, who perform without hesitation of all duties, who walk steadily along the way trod by the pious, who steadily sustain the course of conduct followed by the righteousshould, only they go to such region, I shall go to a higher region. Indeed, Dhritarashtra shall not go there.

After Dhruva entered Madhuvana Forest to execute devotional service, the great sage Nārada thought it wise to go to the King to see how he was faring within the palace. When Nārada Muni approached, the King received him properly, offering him due obeisances. After being seated comfortably, Nārada began to speak.

And he said, I have come here personally considering that my emissaries are not fit to bring such a devotional and handsome person, endued with qualities, vast as a sea."

There shall be no obstacle to my course on account of my asceticism, my devotion to superiors, my affection for my husband, my observance of vows and your grace.

Get up, get up, may you be all hale, O you of good devotion, come and see your parents. The sun has long gone down and the night is deepening.

Suyodhana will today behold the world to contain two Arjunas. Beholding thousands of kings slain by me in battle, king Duryodhana will be overwhelmed with grief in this day's great fight. Slaying thousands of monarchs today, I will show love and devotion to those high-souled ones viz., the sons of Pandu. Today the Kauravas will know the extent of my prowess and energy and my gratefulness to the Pandavas.

Brahma said, "Thus listening to the word of 588, the eyes of Rama were blossomed. H remembered lord Siva, which increased th devotion of Siva in his heart.

“Some sects have dug wells as deep as a hundred thousand miles; there is no hope of climbing out of them. What are they? The Kudā-panthis have forsaken the religious vows and believe liberation is in adultery. Is this the principle of the scriptures? The Vedantis denounce the (definite human-like) form of God and falsify the religious do’s and don’ts. That is not a principle of the scriptures either. The Shakti-panthis believe liberation is attained from eating meat and drinking alcohol. So (they cite),” Pitvā pitvā punah pitvā, pitvā patanti bhutale.   Utthāy cha punah pitvā, punarjanma na vidyate.1 After reciting this shlok, Swami said, “This is not the eternal principle of the scriptures. Moreover, according to atheists (nāstiks), God does not exist, and they believe that liberation is due to one’s karmas, but they do not believe that God has any role in their liberation. This is like cutting a newborn child’s neck instead of its umbilical cord. For them it is like zeros without the one, a cradle without a child, a body without a soul and a mistake of five 8-shers in one maund (a total mistake).2 They (leaders of these sects) are eminent in the world; so one cannot speak of their sins. Their devotion is merely ostentatious and they do not fear sin. They have no concept of mother, sister, or daughter; such are the vile dharmas they abide by.” Then, Swami said, “It is not as if these sects became spoiled recently. They were spoiled from the root. Was the anus clean when one was young?” Rupshankar answered, “No, Maharaj! It has been dirty since birth.” Swami said, “I speak constantly, but today I have criticized.”3 Everyone said, “We never understood like this before.” Footnotes: 1. 1. After drinking repeatedly an alcoholic falls on the ground; after getting up he drinks again and he enjoys it since there is no next life for him. (Charvak) 2. 40 shers = 1 maund. Hence, 5 × 8 shers = 1 maund. Subtracting 40 shers from 1 maund is equivalent to 0. Thus, arrogance of one’s virtue makes that virtue null. 3. The Aksharbrahma Satpurush never criticizes or denounces other religions. However, to caution faithful aspirants from walking on an unrighteous path, he may reveal the sinful ways of other paths.

evotion and the perfect knowledge. A person vho is engrossed in devotion, enjoys perpetual appiness. A person opposing the devotion an never be comfortable.

The devotion bestows the reward 0 pleasure and liberation. The devotion also i achieved only by my grace, which is of nin

Brahma said, "Thus listening to the glor of the devotion, Sati- the daughter of Daks feeling immensely delighted in her mind offered her salutation to Siva,

Then the goddess Sat, listening to the rords of Rama who had controlled his sense rgans, started praising Rima, who was ngaged in the devotion of Siva and felt clighted at heart

Now listen to the first ten incarnations of Śiva beginning with that of Mahākāla. They are resorted to with devotion and explained in Upāsanākāṇḍa.

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Together with your wife enter that place where there are persons engaged in heretic activities, people excluded from the sacred rites laid down in the Vedas and Smṛtis, persons devoid of devotion to Viṣṇu, persons who censure Mahādeva, atheists and knaves. Accompanied by your wife enter the abode of the persons who do not believe in the superiority of the Pināka-bearing lord and who remember him only as an ordinary deity. It is only the wicked who do not say that Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Indra the ruler of Devas are all born by the grace of Rudra. Foolish persons of confounded mind would say that the glow-worm and the sun are on a par. They would say that Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Indra are equal to lord Śiva. Even if their houses are full and flourishing, enter them without fear and enjoy yourself along with this lady.

Brahmā said: Formerly, by means of devotion, Dadhīca conquered lord Viṣṇu and his associate Devas. He killed Kṣupa with the tip of his foot. He acquired adamantine bones. By glorifying the lord, I too conquered death. Even by the great sage Śveta who had fallen into the jaws of death, death was conquered by the grace of the lord, in the manner it was conquered by me.

Brahmā said: The lord had vulgar traits. He was stark nude. He had smeared his limbs with ashes; His hands were engaged in whirling a firebrand. His eyes were red and tawny. Sometimes he laughed biosteriously, sometimes he sang surprisingly. Sometimes he danced amorously and sometimes he cried repeatedly. He roamed round the hermitages and begged for alms. He assumed forms of his choice by his māyā. When the lord thus came to the forest the sages eulogised him with devotion. By their pleasant countenance and in the company of their wives, sons and attendants, they greeted the lord with waters, garlands of variegated colour, incense and scents. They spoke to the lord thus:

If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

Brahmā said: O brahmins, there was a certain sage named Śveta in the cave of a mountain. His span of life was nearing its end. Hence he worshipped and eulogised the great lord with devotion. He repeated the Mantras of the holy hymn Rudrādhyāya beginning with “Namaste” (Obeisance so Thee).[1] Then the god of Death, of great splendour thought at the time of death had arrived[2] for the excellent brahmin. O leading brahmins, thinking of taking him away he approached the sage. Śveta saw Kāla and though the time of his death was imminent he meditated upon the three-eyed lord Rudra and worshipped him:

Brahmā said: O brahmins, there was a certain sage named Śveta in the cave of a mountain. His span of life was nearing its end. Hence he worshipped and eulogised the great lord with devotion. He repeated the Mantras of the holy hymn Rudrādhyāya beginning with “Namaste” (Obeisance so Thee).[1] Then the god of Death, of great splendour thought at the time of death had arrived[2] for the excellent brahmin. O leading brahmins, thinking of taking him away he approached the sage. Śveta saw Kāla and though the time of his death was imminent he meditated upon the three-eyed lord Rudra and worshipped him:

The lord said: Even dirty leading brahmins may be devotees of Śiva and steady in their rites. By devotion to Śiva much can be achieved in the world in the manner of Dadhīca who could conquer even Viṣṇu the lord of Devas. Hence by all means, those devotees with matted hair or tonsured head, or naked anchorites, who have smeared their bodies with ashes should be worshipped always like Śiva himself mentally, verbally and physically.

The lord said: Even dirty leading brahmins may be devotees of Śiva and steady in their rites. By devotion to Śiva much can be achieved in the world in the manner of Dadhīca who could conquer even Viṣṇu the lord of Devas. Hence by all means, those devotees with matted hair or tonsured head, or naked anchorites, who have smeared their bodies with ashes should be worshipped always like Śiva himself mentally, verbally and physically.

The lord said: Even dirty leading brahmins may be devotees of Śiva and steady in their rites. By devotion to Śiva much can be achieved in the world in the manner of Dadhīca who could conquer even Viṣṇu the lord of Devas. Hence by all means, those devotees with matted hair or tonsured head, or naked anchorites, who have smeared their bodies with ashes should be worshipped always like Śiva himself mentally, verbally and physically.

Nandin said: This hymn of Viṣṇu is destructive of all sins. He who reads or listens to this hymn uttered by Kṣupa, he who narrates this to the brahmins with devotion, goes to the world of Viṣṇu. After worshipping thus and eulogising the invincible lord who is eulogised by the lord of Devas and others and after bowing to him with bent head, Kṣupa spoke in submission.

Nandin said: This hymn of Viṣṇu is destructive of all sins. He who reads or listens to this hymn uttered by Kṣupa, he who narrates this to the brahmins with devotion, goes to the world of Viṣṇu. After worshipping thus and eulogising the invincible lord who is eulogised by the lord of Devas and others and after bowing to him with bent head, Kṣupa spoke in submission.

On hearing the merciful words of the goddess, the gods eulogised her, with their shoulders drooping with devotion.

Hence this charming and meritorious compendium Umāsaṃhitā shall always be heard and read by those who seek for devotion to Śiva.

Śiva said:— O Viṣṇu, your devotion to me will always remain firm. Be worthy of the reverence and worship of all gods in the world.

O great lord, devotion to you is the excellent boon I wish to have. Be pleased. I do not wish for anything else, because, O lord, devotees are never distressed.

A twice-born person should worship Me, his worshipable Lord, without duplicity, offering appropriate paraphernalia in loving devotion to My Deity form or to a form of Me appearing upon the ground, in fire, in the sun, in water or within the worshiper’s own heart.

Viṣṇu and other Devas, though permitted to go, followed Śiva with devotion and great joy.

Do you duly look after the Brahmanas, always making them the first gifts? What need I say of the citizens, and your servants, and kinsmen, are your foes, O chief of Bharata's race pleased with your conduct? Do you, O king of kings, adore with devotion the Pitris and the deities?

If the good and righteous would accept the gifts made to them, the Kshatriya, O king, should continually make gifts with devotion and faith to them. Gifts yield great merit, and are highly cleansing.

Nara and Nārāyaṇa said:— O lord of gods, if you are delighted, if the boon is to be granted by you, O Śiva, stay here in your own form and accept the devotion of your devotees.

The beautiful gopīs said: O all-powerful one, You should not speak in this cruel way. Do not reject us, who have renounced all material enjoyment to render devotional service to Your lotus feet. Reciprocate with us, O stubborn one, just as the primeval Lord, Śrī Nārāyaṇa, reciprocates with His devotees in their endeavors for liberation.

Then, satisfied in his heart with Rāma’s devotion lord Śiva said—“O Rāma, may there be welfare to you. Mention the boon you wish to have.”