Spiritual Discourses: Devotion

There is a collection of excerpts from the lectures of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (P.R. Sarkar) that were focused on the Spiritual Philosophy. These excerpts were published under the title of "Spiritual Discourses" in the compilation "The Thoughts of P.R. Sarkar".

 

You can obtain Shrii Shrii Anandamurti’s publications from Ananda Marga Books.

DEVOTION

Devotion means longing for the Supreme. Now the question arises, is devotion natural or unnatural for living beings? All the conscious or crude things we see in the manifested universe bear attraction for one another, and as a consequence, the continuity of the thought-projection of the Cosmic Mind is maintained. It is on account of the mutual attraction of myriads of heavenly bodies oscillating in the infinite space that balance is maintained in the firmament.

In this attraction, there is effort for self-preservation. The bee flies around and around flowers in quest of honey, just for the sake of preserving its existence. It can be seen that every entity runs toward that abode which is more lasting and secure and which can provide it greater and longer safety. People run after money for the only reason that they believe they can maintain their lives under the shelter of money; that is to say, money alone can save them. But they do not know that money can provide them neither permanent stability nor a securely-founded shelter. Even during the span of their lives, money will come and go several times. At times its glamour will dazzle their eyes, and sometimes it will make them cry, hunger-stricken. Not to speak of money alone, all finite objects have this characteristic. What is not infinite cannot permanently remain the object of your enjoyment. It cannot be your permanent resort, since the existence of all these finite objects is dependent on others, bounded by the limits of time, place and person. If the terrific speed with which the extroverted person runs after finite objects is introverted towards the Supreme Being of his or her life, s/he can attain the Supreme Consciousness, can achieve the Supreme State.

The world is a changing phenomenon. Therefore, it is unwise to be attached to any object in this ever-changing world. The very name and form will undergo changes with the change in time and place. The child changes into youth, the youth into the old, and the old into the corpse. But if wise people take every object of the world as the expression of the one and single Cosmic Consciousness, then on seeing the changes in the name and form of any particular object, they will not be affected by pain or pleasure. Cosmic Consciousness to them would remain Cosmic Consciousness; they would lose nothing.

(Subháśita Saḿgraha I, 69)


Now what is devotion? Leaving all the relative things, when mind moves toward the Absolute, that alone is known as Devotion. When the mind moves toward the Supreme Soul, the nearer it comes to Him, there is an unknowing change in it. The caterpillar does not know when it becomes a butterfly. The mind does not know how changes occur in it. Thus, one day it sees that it is no longer an individual being and hence the individualistic feeling disappears. When the mind is free from individualistic feelings, that alone is the Supreme State.

(“Karma Samnyása and Parábhakti”)


Devotion is that bridge which connects the individual with the Cosmic Consciousness. Before crossing the bridge of devotion, one feels, “You are that Supreme Consciousness”. But while crossing the bridge, one feels, “I am That”.

(“Bhakti Rupa Setu”)


When a person is established in devotion one becomes able to understand the greatness and magnificence of the Supreme Consciousness The understanding at this moment is born of real experience through taste. Sweet things, mango and sugar, can be distinguished only by taste. One cannot enjoy the flavour of mango by seeing its reflection in water. One will have to climb the tree, pluck the mango and taste it. Similarly, experience in the spiritual realm also can be had only after climbing a step on the tree of devotion. Only then can one understand the brilliance and greatness of the transcendental Cosmic Entity.

(“Bhakti Rupa Setu”)


The Supreme Consciousness Himself will teach knowledge and the technique of doing the work. It is not the devotees’ headache. Surrender everything to the Lord. If one requires something from God, one must ask only for absolute devotion. When devotion is attained, God is attained. If God is attained, everything is attained. What remains unattained?

Therefore, from ancient times learned people have been accepting that the wisest person in the world is the devotee. The devotee is not bereft of intellect. On the contrary, s/he is the wisest. If you want to remain in the world, remain like a devotee. As long as devotion is absent, one’s heart is like a desert; and when devotion is attained, an oasis appears in the desert.

(“Astitva and Shivatva”)


In this cosmic cycle, everyone has their individual and particular desire, and everyone is running after it. Those who have several desires run after all of them and become exhausted; and in the long run they receive none. If one desires to drink milk and smoke at the same time, it cannot be done. A person can do only one or the other. But those who have only one desire fulfill it very easily. Hence the desire should be for the Supreme and nothing else; the desire for other objects has to be channelized towards the Supreme.

If a person wants to become a devotee of the Lord, but if deep in his mind he thinks that God will make him pass in his examination – here the desire is not one but two. When something is demanded from God, the desire becomes two, and the time will be completely wasted. Where this desire is towards the Supreme Consciousness alone, there it is known as devotion: “I want the Supreme Consciousness and from Him I want nothing.”

(“Astitva and Shivatva”)


Those who have taken the shelter of the Supreme Consciousness, He will think for their welfare, and those who think for their own welfare, the Supreme will not help them, saying that they are taking care of themselves. But those who have left themselves entirely on the Supreme, the Supreme has special responsibility for them. Therefore, it is said that for devotees, the Supreme Consciousness has special responsibility. It is the duty of the Supreme to save the prestige of the devotee, and the duty of the devotee is to leave everything on Him. Whatever energy is working in the universal flow, or in the material flow, is under Him. Therefore, when once you have made love with Him you are not weak, not helpless and not alone. Victory is with you. Remember Him and march ahead – victory will be yours. You have not to be afraid of my worldly forces. Those who enjoy the highest force of the Supreme are sure to succeed. Victory will surely be theirs. Victory to you all.

(“Parama Puruśa”)


Does the Supreme Consciousness lack anything? Does He want name, fame, money, etc? He has no such want, because the entire universe is within His mind; all the properties of the universe are His. But the true devotee says, “Oh, Supreme Consciousness, there are so many great devotees and I am an ordinary devotee, but Lord, your great devotees have stolen away Your mind.” Because the Supreme Consciousness loves His devotees very much, His mind has been stolen by His devotees. So He has one shortage, one want. His Mind has been taken by His devotees. The devotee says, “So you have lost your mind. Oh Lord, take my mind, I offer my mind to you. Accept it.” Devotees are very intelligent; they are more intelligent than intellectuals, more intelligent than people of action.

(Discourse in Taipei, Taiwan, 1979)


The devotee says, “Oh, my Lord, I love you because in loving You, I get pleasure. I want nothing from You. I want to love You because I get pleasure.” But this is not the highest form of devotion. In the highest form of devotion, the devotee says, “Oh Lord, I love You. I want to love You. And why do I want to love You? Because I want that my love should give You pleasure. I don’t want any pleasure. I love you not to get pleasure, but to give You pleasure.” And by means of this type of devotion, the Yogi comes in closest contact with the Supreme Self and becomes one with Him. When one’s love is to give pleasure to the Lord and not to enjoy the pleasure for oneself, one’s mind gets metamorphosed into the mind of the Lord. By this devotion, the Yogi gets established into the stance of Supreme Beatitude. The person and his God become One.

(“Man and His God”)