Sutra 2. Sa twasmin parama prema rupaa.
That
(devotion), verily, is of the nature of supreme Love of God.
Sa:
That (i.e., Bhakti)
tu:
But;
Asmin: in
this
Parama:
Supreme
Prema: Love
Rupaa: Form.
SA - THAT (Bhakti)
Devotion or
Bhakti is exclusive love for God. The devotee wants God and God alone. He is
completely attached to God. He has no attraction or love for any object in this
world. He is absolutely free from all mundane desires. He has no desire for the
enjoyment of the next world. He does not want even Mukti. Supreme Love does not
seek a return. It does not expect a reward. The lover wants his Beloved alone.
The devotee is quite indifferent to the pleasures of this world. He has no
interest in the affairs of this world.
Mark how love
develops. First arises attraction. Then follows faith and after that Adoration
leads to suppression of mundane desires. The result is single-mindedness and
satisfaction. Then grow attachment and supreme love towards God.
In this type
of highest Bhakti all attraction and attachment which one has for objects of
enjoyment are transferred to the only dearest object, viz., God. This leads the
devotee to an eternal union with his Beloved and culminates in oneness.
Bhakti is
divided into two kinds, viz., Apara Bhakti or Gauna Bhakti and Para Bhakti.
Apara Bhakti is the lower or initial stage of devotion of an aspirant following
the path of Bhakti, while Para Bhakti is the highest stage of Bhakti.
The
relationship of the devotee with the Lord in various stages is beautifully
described here. Three stages of devotion (bhakti) are explained thus:
1. Thamaivaaam (I am Thine) - affirms I am Yours,
2. Mamaiva-thwam (You are mine) and
3. Thwame-Vaaham (Thou art I) - You and I are One, the Same.
Each is just a step in the rising series and the last is the highest step of all.
First Stage
Tham-eva-aham, the Lord is fully free and Devotee is fully bound (it is like the cat & the kitten). The cat shifts the kitten about as it wills; the kitten just mews and accepts whatever happens. This attitude is very gentle and is within easy reach of all.
Second Stage
In the second, Mama-eva-thwam, the devotee binds the Lord, who is to that extent un-free! Surdas is a good example of this attitude. "Krishna! you may escape from my hold, from the clasp of these arms; but you cannot escape from my heart I have bound You", challenged, the Lord just smiled and assented; for 'I am bound by My devotees'. The devotee can tie up the Lord with his Prema, by Bhakthi that overwhelms and overpowers his egoism. When man is full of this type of Bhakthi, the Lord will Himself bless with everything he needs; His Grace will fulfil all his wants.
Remember the promise the Lord made in the Githa 'Yogakshemam Vahaaamyaham', "I carry the burden of his welfare".
Third and Final Stage
Next about the third stage: "Thwamevaaham ithi thridhaa"; this is the Avibhaktha -Bhakthi, the inseparable devotion. The devotee offers all to the Lord, including himself, for he feels that he cannot withhold himself.
That completes his surrender. The thwa-me-vaaham feeling is the Adwaithic Saranagathi, based on the realisation that all this ('Idam') is Vasudeva and nothing else, nothing else. So long as the consciousness of the Deha or body persists, the bhaktha is the servant and the Lord is the Master. So long as the individual feels that he is separate from other individuals, the bhaktha is a part and the Lord is the Whole. When he progresses to the State when he gets beyond the limits of the body as well as of 'I' and 'Mine', then there is no more distinction; Bhaktha and Bhagavan are the same.
“when I
think of myself as an embodied being. I am your servant; when I think of myself
as an individual soul, I am part of you; but when I realize ‘I am Atman’ I am
one with you. This is my firm conviction.”
Continued........
