In today's post we are going to look at the prayers and vows that has to be done.Many people ask me how should we pray,or am I doing the right way.I have told many of you,and I would like to support my statements with devi's own words.
The Devî said:--"O King of Mountains! I now describe to you the rites and ceremonies and the methods of My worship that are pleasing to Me. Hear it attentively and with fai th. My worship in of two kinds:--External and internal.The highest Form of worship is the internal form of worship of Mine that you saw before, with innumerable heads, innumerable eyes, innumerable feet, and the Illuminer of the intelligenees of all the Jîvas, endowed with all powers, Higher than the Highest, Very Grand, worship That, bow down to That and meditate on That. O Nagendra! This is the first form of worship that I describe to you. With your senses controlled, peaceful, with a well concentrated mind, void of egoism and vanity, and devoted to That, perform sacrifices to That,, take refuge of That, see That within the temple of your mind, and always recite Her name and meditate on that. Take hold of Me, and My ideas with one pointed loving devotion."
Meditation with Karma and Jnana with Bhakti will lead one to Her. From Dharma arises Bhakti and from Bhakti arises the Highest Jnana.Here the goddess is talking about para bhakthi.first let us understand bhakthi.Your Bhakti should always be Nishkamya Bhakti. God has already given you a good position, a good job, wife and children and enough wealth. Be contented with these. Aspire for Nishkamya Bhakti. Your heart will be purified and the Divine Grace will descend upon you. Be in communion with the Lord, you will become one with the Her and you will enjoy all the Divine Aisvaryas (Divine attributes like wisdom, renunciation, power, etc.). All the Vibhutis (Special forms in which the godess manifests) of the god.SHE will give you. SHE will give you Darsan. SHE will help you to dwell in HER. At the same time SHE will give you all the Divine Aisvaryas also. Another classification of Bhakti is Apara-Bhakti and Para-Bhakti. Apara-Bhakti is for beginners in Yoga. The beginner decorates an image with flowers and garlands, rings the bell, offers Naivedya (food-offerings), wave lights; he observes rituals and ceremonies. The Bhakta here regards the Lord as a Supreme Person, who is immanent in that image and who can be propitiated through that form only.
He has no expanded heart. He is a sectarian. He dislikes other kinds of Bhaktas who worship other Devatas. Gradually, from Apara-Bhakti, the devotee goes to Para-Bhakti, the highest form of Bhakti. He sees the Lord and Lord alone everywhere and feels His Power manifest as the entire universe. "Thou art all-pervading; on what Simhasana shall I seat Thee ? Thou art the Supreme Light, in whose borrowed light the sun, the moon, the stars and the fire shine; shall I wave this little Deepa or light before You ?" - thus the devotee recognizes the transcendental nature of God. Para-Bhakti and Jnana are one. But every Bhakta will have to start from Apara-Bhakti. Before you take your food, offer it to God mentally; and the food will be purified. When you pass through a garden of flowers, mentally offer all the flowers to the Lord in Archana (offering flowers in worship). When you pass through the bazaar and see a sweet shop, offer all the sweets as Naivedya to the Lord. Such practices will lead to Para-Bhakti.
Bhakti is also classified into Gauna-Bhakti and Mukhya-Bhakti. Gauna-Bhakti is the lower Bhakti and Mukhya-Bhakti is the higher type of Bhakti. so begin with the simplest form of bhakthi see the transformation in your life. In many translations of devi gita they have literally translated but the essence of such a text is lost if the readers are not brought into the mood and the context in which these words were uttered.There are tantric methods also,depending on the manifestation different forms of bhathi has been explained.Alternative form of rayers and external worship is also mentioned which we will be discussing in my next post.
He has no expanded heart. He is a sectarian. He dislikes other kinds of Bhaktas who worship other Devatas. Gradually, from Apara-Bhakti, the devotee goes to Para-Bhakti, the highest form of Bhakti. He sees the Lord and Lord alone everywhere and feels His Power manifest as the entire universe. "Thou art all-pervading; on what Simhasana shall I seat Thee ? Thou art the Supreme Light, in whose borrowed light the sun, the moon, the stars and the fire shine; shall I wave this little Deepa or light before You ?" - thus the devotee recognizes the transcendental nature of God. Para-Bhakti and Jnana are one. But every Bhakta will have to start from Apara-Bhakti. Before you take your food, offer it to God mentally; and the food will be purified. When you pass through a garden of flowers, mentally offer all the flowers to the Lord in Archana (offering flowers in worship). When you pass through the bazaar and see a sweet shop, offer all the sweets as Naivedya to the Lord. Such practices will lead to Para-Bhakti.
Bhakti is also classified into Gauna-Bhakti and Mukhya-Bhakti. Gauna-Bhakti is the lower Bhakti and Mukhya-Bhakti is the higher type of Bhakti. so begin with the simplest form of bhakthi see the transformation in your life. In many translations of devi gita they have literally translated but the essence of such a text is lost if the readers are not brought into the mood and the context in which these words were uttered.There are tantric methods also,depending on the manifestation different forms of bhathi has been explained.Alternative form of rayers and external worship is also mentioned which we will be discussing in my next post.
