Be a
devotee not a slave of worldly enjoyments
A devotee is he who has
become a man of God, who has dedicated his all to God. Such a devotee alone is
a truly emancipated soul. For, so long as ignorance persists a man, far from
being a man of God, continues to be a man of the world, a slave of worldly enjoyments,
and is certainly not liberated. And such a man can never dedicate his all to
God and become a man of God. Hence he who is a devotee is rid of nascence-devoid
of ignorance—and knows the reality about the greatness of God.
Devotion is necessary even
for true knowledge of the reality about God’s greatness; for, without very
close intimacy nobody can know the real character, the intrinsic nature, of
anyone. Hence he alone knows the true essence, the secret of God, who loves him
intimately. It is the intimate love which they call Para Bhakti (Supreme
devotion) and it is in the context of this intimate love that true knowledge is
attained. Hence it is this intimate love which has been referred to as the “Highest
consummation of the Path of knowledge.”
Even for intimate love or
supreme devotion, knowledge is prerequisite; how can one love anybody without knowing
something about him or her? Therefore, knowledge or cognition leads to supreme devotion,
and through supreme devotion knowledge of the real character or essence of God becomes
possible and the moment this knowledge is attained one finds access to His
Divine Pastimes.
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| Konark Temple Images |
Knowledge of God, therefore
aids Devotion and vice versa. In integral knowledge and consummate Devotion both, nescience is completely
got rid of though real knowledge of God. And he alone is liberated whose
nescience has been completely wiped out. Hence a devotee is an emancipated
soul.
In spite of his being thus
freed from nescience, a devotee is ever devoted to the service of God. He is
rid of nescience of worldly bondage, but he is not relieved from the service of
the beloved Lord; nor does he ever seek such Liberation as may wean him from
that service to the Lord. On the other hand, he does not accept, even when
offered to him, that emancipation which deprives him of service to his Lord.
When a devotee does not
crave even for emancipation, much less will he hanker for enjoyments either of
this world or the other. He is neither perturbed by any sorrow nor does he
hanker for any pleasure. The well-known four objects of human endeavour are of
no value mere trash in his eyes. He does not care even to look at them. Of course,
the fourfold object of human pursuit in its turn is eager to serve him.
1.
A devotee shuns emancipation only because he
has become God’s, he has no longer any independent desire of his own;
2.
Also because emancipation deprives him of
service to God and
3.
Further because selfishness is ingrained in the
very idea of Mukti; presupposes the desire to rid oneself of bondage of woes,
and not the desire to serve God. And craving for one’s own happiness is what
constitutes Kama (the desire of self-gratification)—selfishness.
Such Devotion itself is the
supreme and ultimate object of human pursuit. Securing participation in the
Pastimes of God, such a devotee is ensouled by God’s mind, inspired by His
vitality and directed by His promptings. He becomes completely divinezed. His desire
is God’s desire, His actions are God’s action and his speech is God’s speech. Doing
everything in the world, he does nothing; living in the midst of all, he
remains aloof from all; conversing with all, he talks with none. For it is God
who does His work through him; he ever lives and moves in God and is always and
constantly communing with Him.
- Be a Devotee
- Konark Temple Images
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god delusion, christianity, is there a god, who made god, god names