2023-05-31 04:00:39 by ambuda-bot
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INTRODUCTION
account of His faultless qualities. And it contains in itself
the sense of belonging Him. It is this intense devotion that
is referred to by the Lord in the Gita: "I am the closest to
and most beloved of the jñānin (VII. 17); "With love
towards those who are devoted (to Me)" (X. 10); and "They
feel glad when they talk about Me and feel happy when they
hear about Me (X. 9).
99
In the Vishnu Purana, again, occur the two passages:
"However many thousands my births be, may I be devoted to
Thee' (1-20-18); and also "My love to Thee is as great as
the love for earthly enjoyment is to fools" (1-20-19). It is
also said: "Being immersed in the bliss of remembering Him".
There is the further passage: "Thrilled by the remembrance of
His Name was the Daitya Chief (Prahläda)." In the Vishnu
Tattva, it is said: "Service prompted by the impression of wis-
dom on the mind is bhakti. When such service is being per-
formed, love and affection do naturally spring up." Says the
Barlaspatya Smriti also: "Whosoever is devoted to God and
turns away from attachment to other things and has also
renounced all desires (such as love of children, wealth and the
world), he is fit to eat by begging (i. e., fit to become a
sannyasin)". The Taittiriya śruti contains the invocation: "Let
this God make us united with auspicious meditation". Thus
are all the sayings about the injunction to do upasana depen-
dent on love towards God.
(4) The word anusamaraṇa (repeated recollection) used in
several places denotes that thought becomes bhakti. The
suffix anu shows not merely continuity, but also humility, that
is, the knowledge that the devotee is the servant of the Lord.
Hence, thought along with the consciousness of this rela-
tionship is bhakti. In the Gitü occur the words: "Remembering
(anusmaran) Me continuously" (VII- 13) and "Thinking of
(anucintayan)" (VIII. 8). Elsewhere it is stated: "Repeated re-
collection of Krishna (anusmaranam) is supreme". Recitation
of His Holy Names (Kirtana) and prostration are included in
bhakti. For example, the Gita says: "The devotees perform
worship by recitation and prostration" (IX. 14); as also "Keep
Me in your mind (while doing all actions)" (IX. 34). This bhakti
is called the Great Secret because it constitutes the essence of
the purport of all the sästras. The Gita refers to it thus: "To
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account of His faultless qualities. And it contains in itself
the sense of belonging Him. It is this intense devotion that
is referred to by the Lord in the Gita: "I am the closest to
and most beloved of the jñānin (VII. 17); "With love
towards those who are devoted (to Me)" (X. 10); and "They
feel glad when they talk about Me and feel happy when they
hear about Me (X. 9).
99
In the Vishnu Purana, again, occur the two passages:
"However many thousands my births be, may I be devoted to
Thee' (1-20-18); and also "My love to Thee is as great as
the love for earthly enjoyment is to fools" (1-20-19). It is
also said: "Being immersed in the bliss of remembering Him".
There is the further passage: "Thrilled by the remembrance of
His Name was the Daitya Chief (Prahläda)." In the Vishnu
Tattva, it is said: "Service prompted by the impression of wis-
dom on the mind is bhakti. When such service is being per-
formed, love and affection do naturally spring up." Says the
Barlaspatya Smriti also: "Whosoever is devoted to God and
turns away from attachment to other things and has also
renounced all desires (such as love of children, wealth and the
world), he is fit to eat by begging (i. e., fit to become a
sannyasin)". The Taittiriya śruti contains the invocation: "Let
this God make us united with auspicious meditation". Thus
are all the sayings about the injunction to do upasana depen-
dent on love towards God.
(4) The word anusamaraṇa (repeated recollection) used in
several places denotes that thought becomes bhakti. The
suffix anu shows not merely continuity, but also humility, that
is, the knowledge that the devotee is the servant of the Lord.
Hence, thought along with the consciousness of this rela-
tionship is bhakti. In the Gitü occur the words: "Remembering
(anusmaran) Me continuously" (VII- 13) and "Thinking of
(anucintayan)" (VIII. 8). Elsewhere it is stated: "Repeated re-
collection of Krishna (anusmaranam) is supreme". Recitation
of His Holy Names (Kirtana) and prostration are included in
bhakti. For example, the Gita says: "The devotees perform
worship by recitation and prostration" (IX. 14); as also "Keep
Me in your mind (while doing all actions)" (IX. 34). This bhakti
is called the Great Secret because it constitutes the essence of
the purport of all the sästras. The Gita refers to it thus: "To
23