BHAKTI YOGA : E -3.

-




E. NAVA-VIDHA-BHAKTI : 3.


1.
Sravana is hearing of Lord's Lilas.

Sravana includes hearing of God's virtues, glories, sports and stories connected with His divine Name and Form.

The devotee gets absorbed in the hearing of Divine stories and his mind merges in the thought of divinity; it cannot think of undivine things.

The mind loses, as it were, its charm for the world. The devotee remembers God only even in dream.



2.
The devotee should sit before a learned teacher who is a great saint and hear Divine stories.

He should hear them with a sincere heart devoid of the sense of criticism or fault-finding.

The devotee should try his best to live in the ideals preached in the scriptures.



3.
One cannot attain Sravana-Bhakti without the company of saints or wise men.

Mere reading for oneself is not of much use.

Doubts will crop up.

They cannot be solved by oneself easily.

An experienced man is necessary to instruct the devotee in the right path.



4.
King Parikshit attained Liberation through Sravana.

He heard the glories of God from Suka Maharishi.

His heart was purified.

He attained the Abode of Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha.

He became liberated and enjoyed the Supreme Bliss.

Swami Sivananda

To be continued  ...




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 2.

-
Image
Opinion               25/12/2017.                    1077                 All Members,          Respected family members of this great holy Nation. Everyone's idea of practical religion is according to his theory of practicality and the standpoint he starts from. There is work. There is the system of worship. There is knowledge.           VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESENT DAY STUDENTS : - This article was recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand. As, however, Swamiji's speed was too great for her in her early days, dots are put in the articles to indicate the omissions, while the words within square brackets are added by way of linking up the disconnected parts. (Delivered in San Francisco, April 5, 1900) Sub : PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 2. Swami Vivekananda We are always talking [about] practical religion. But it must be practical in our sense. Especially [so] in the Western countries. The Protestants' ideal is good works. They do not ca
Read more

The Essence of Dharma-23.

-
Image
23/02/2018 Spoken on February 11th, 1973) This is the concept of dharma, of the duty of man in the universe, the nature of which is thus explained. Dharma has sometimes been regarded as one of the four purusharthas: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. This is the sum and substance of Hinduism. The essence of the religion of India is summed up in a phrase: dharma, artha, kama, moksha. If you are asked by anyone what is Hinduism, simply say, “Dharma, artha, kama, moksha.” This is Hinduism: a blend of these four concepts of duty. Hinduism is always a blend. It is never a one-sided affair. It has no name. ‘Hinduism’ is not the name of this religion. It is the name that is foisted upon it by Westerners, not knowing what it is. We have no name for our religion. It is not founded by any person. It is universal, capable of absorbing everything into itself like a menstruum. It is sanatana dharma, eternal dharma. It is eternal religion forever applicable to all persons of all creeds and sexes.
Read more

PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 4.

-
Image
Opinion               08/01/2018.                    1087                 All Members,          Respected family members of this great holy Nation. Everyone's idea of practical religion is according to his theory of practicality and the standpoint he starts from. There is work. There is the system of worship. There is knowledge.           VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESENT DAY STUDENTS : - This article was recorded by Ida Ansell in shorthand. As, however, Swamiji's speed was too great for her in her early days, dots are put in the articles to indicate the omissions, while the words within square brackets are added by way of linking up the disconnected parts. (Delivered in San Francisco, April 5, 1900) Sub : PRACTICAL RELIGION : BREATHING AND MEDITATION - 4. Swami Vivekananda Here is a bad odour. It will bring me unhappiness as soon as it touches my nose. I am the slave of my nose. If I am not its slave, I do not care. A man curses me. His curses enter my ea
Read more