The nine-fold devotion is the means of devotion. The extraordinary love for God that arises from it, is the ultimate devotion. "Mahaatmya-gnyaan-yug yug Era. Age. Division of time used to outline the time-scale of the world. There are four yugs: Satya-Yug (Era of Goodness), Tretã-Yug (Era of Three), Dvãpar-Yug (Third Era), and finally, the present age, Kali-Yug (Era of Darkness). The dharmas of the yugs exist externally as well as internally in the heart. [Sãrangpur – 9]. Tap to open in glossary → That by which worship and service are performed is devotion, meaning serving God with affection is devotion. Shri Vallabhacharya has said in the Shri Bhagavata Subodhini that the root 'bhaj' means service, and the suffix means love; thus, service performed with love is devotion. It is written as 'bhaj sevaayaam', isn't it? In 'bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → The suffix 'ktin' denotes love, and 'bhaj' denotes service. Serving with love is called devotion. If one performs dry, emotionless service, it is like a king's servant. Like, "I have finished this, okay." "I finished as much as you told me to." Then it becomes like a king's servant. And if service is done with love, it is called devotion. Commentary: As mentioned above, it has been shown that the scriptures define the goal to be attained as the Supreme Soul, and the means as the instruments of liberation for the seekers. Now, it describes the nature of those means, the instruments of welfare. The description of the nature of the Supreme Soul, the goal to be attained, will be presented during the discussion on knowledge. First, it describes the nature of dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Know that the righteous conduct prescribed in the Shruti Shruti That which is revealed and heard. Philosophical and spiritual wisdom – as revealed to the rushis after strict tap and deep dhyãn. The four Veds are Shruti shãstras. Tap to open in glossary → dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Shruti Shruti That which is revealed and heard. Philosophical and spiritual wisdom – as revealed to the rushis after strict tap and deep dhyãn. The four Veds are Shruti shãstras. Tap to open in glossary → dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → harmful to other birds, and thus the conduct of the wicked is bad conduct. Because the intellect has endless branches, actions bind the soul. Lacking a resolute conviction, the intellect of those turned away from God has many divisions. On the contrary, "Bahushaa-khaa hyan-antaash-cha buddhayo-avyava-saayinaam." Those who do not want to go to God, and have not made the decision to go to God, their intellect is scattered in all directions. They feel like, "Let me gain respect," "let me gain money," "let me enjoy the pleasures of this world," it is scattered in many ways. "...buddhayo-avyava-saayinaam." On the contrary, the resolute intellect of the seekers of liberation is focused on a single form. "Vyava-saayaat-mikaa buddhir-ekeh kuru-nandana, bahushaa-khaa hyan-antaash-cha buddhayo-avyava-saayinaam." What does 'vyavasaayaatmikaa' mean? What is called 'vyavasaayaatmikaa'? Why is it called 'vyavasaaya'? Decision. Decision of what? We make many decisions. The decision to perform devotion to God, keeping it as the goal. Such is the resolute intellect. It is of only one kind. To serve God or to become a devotee of God. Therefore, there is no anomaly in the nature of dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Therefore, seekers of liberation should know that the dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Shruti Shruti That which is revealed and heard. Philosophical and spiritual wisdom – as revealed to the rushis after strict tap and deep dhyãn. The four Veds are Shruti shãstras. Tap to open in glossary → The conduct of saints who know Brahman is righteous conduct. 'Asti brahmeti...' It is very beautifully said. The translation is done very well. The conduct of the saints, the holy men who know Brahman, is dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → The meaning of righteous conduct is 'sataam aachaarah', isn't it? 'Sataam aachaarah' means the holy men who know Brahman, their conduct is exemplary, and serves as a role model. One should act accordingly. The conduct of saints who know Brahman is righteous conduct. "Asti brahmeti ched veda santamenam tato viduh." One who accepts the nature of Parabrahman and has faith in Him is called a saint. One who has complete faith in Maharaj, then his conduct is worthy of being followed. And that is called dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → "Asti brahmeti ched veda santamenam tato viduh." One who accepts the nature of Parabrahman and has faith in Him is called a saint. The auspicious conduct of those saints is selfless action. Now, it describes the nature of devotion. 'Mahaatmye-ti'. Generally, abundant affection can exist towards subjects, etc. Yet, it is not called devotion. Because the object of affection is different from God. Great love towards those who are highly venerable and great is indeed devotion. "Mahaneeya vishaye preetih bhaktir-ityuchyate." In a venerable object, the love that arises, is called devotion. God means, it is said, with the knowledge of His greatness. That knowing the greatness of God, if love arises for Him, then it is called love. A son, if he has love for his parents, it is called filial devotion. But if a father has love for his son, it is not called filial devotion. He is not venerable. The scriptures have not described his greatness. There must be some greater weight in it. For a wife, from the scriptural perspective, if she has love for her husband, it is called devotion to the husband. If the husband, in turn, has great love for his wife, it is called attachment, it is not called devotion to the wife. The scriptures have not said so, that is why. Therefore, love towards a venerable object is devotion. If disciples have ordinary love for the guru guru A teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn. Tap to open in glossary → guru guru A teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn. Tap to open in glossary → If the guru guru A teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn. Tap to open in glossary → It is not a venerable object. That which is worthy of knowing its greatness or is better, then if one has love for that, then it is called devotion. The most venerable object of all is the Supreme Soul; there is no other like Him. "Na tat-samah abhy-adhikash-cha." There is no one even like Him, so who could be greater than Him? Therefore, the love that arises for Him is indeed called devotion. Mere love arising is not called devotion. In a venerable object, affection must arise. What is called affection? "Aakarshana hetuko snehah." In that, one must feel attraction. If attraction does not arise, and it is just okay, like all these calves being crazy. Yesterday we went to the cowshed, and a cow had recently given birth. She ran like that, she turned around and came back. She came near the calf and bellowed two or three times. Again she went away like this. Again she turned and came back. That is the quality of attraction. Some attraction must arise towards God. In satsang satsang 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company. Tap to open in glossary → towards God's saints and devotees, one must feel a pull. The more that pull is felt, it is called affection. And if that is towards a venerable object, then it is called devotion. Love towards a venerable object is called devotion. That is called devotion. It must be towards what is superior. If it is towards what is inferior, it is called attachment and desire, etc. What is called inferior? And superior means a venerable object. Who is the supreme object? And attraction arises towards Him. The nature of a pure intellect is such that it takes His side. But, if some weakness has entered its intellect, then it takes the side of the weak; that is why taking a side is called loyalty. Taking a side means loyalty. Taking the side of the superior is called loyalty. Taking the side of the weak is indeed its weakness. Therefore, if it is a superior object, the pull we feel towards it, and the pull felt in that subject. What was the characteristic of affection mentioned in that? It has two characteristics. One is 'aaditsaa' (desire to receive), and 'Tarpanecchaa'. 'Tarpanecchaa'. The desire to please Him. And one feels in the mind, "Let me go and stay near Him." That is called 'aaditsaa'. The Gopis said, "Atati yadbhavaan ahnikaananam trutiyugaayate tvaam-apashyataam." When God goes to graze the calves in the morning, then "trutiyugaayate tvaam-apashyataam jadam-udeekshataam pakshma-krud-drushaam", they said so. They were cursing Brahma. Why were they cursing him? Because when they are beholding Lord Shri Krishna Krishna 1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan. Tap to open in glossary → So Brahma made such an arrangement; Brahma is completely senseless. They were cursing Brahma like that. That is called 'aaditsaa'. The desire to receive. As if wanting to drink God in. We have descriptions in the Satsangijivan, when Maharaj came, as if the saints would drink Maharaj in or what? Such descriptions are there. That is called 'aaditsaa'. If there is a highly liked item, how one feels like, "Let me just put it inside, put it inside, even if the stomach says no, let me put it in." That is called 'aaditsaa'. Similarly, with God, the more one puts Him inside, the more the hunger actually opens up. Such is God's nature. The nature of this world is such that it engages space. And God shows, makes space, increases it. If we put God inside, He keeps making that space larger and larger. And if we put worldly objects, they engage everything, saying, "Now there is no other space." Whose? God's space, no one else's. Therefore, it is called 'aaditsaa'. A burning desire must arise inside, 'aaditsaa'. And a burning desire must arise for 'tarpanecchaa'. Then it is called devotion. That is indeed the fruit of the knowledge of His greatness. I know His greatness very well, but if I cannot shoo away a fly, then what is the knowledge of His greatness in that? Huh? At least if a fly sits, one should shoo it away. If a mosquito sits, that should be shooed away first. If both a fly and a mosquito sit together, then shoo away the mosquito first because it bites, doesn't it? And the fly might just be spreading Corona. So knowing His greatness, if neither the mosquito nor the fly is shooed away, then it is not called knowing His greatness. What is the fruit of knowing His greatness? A blaze of 'tarpanecchaa' must ignite in him. A blaze of 'aaditsaa' must ignite in him. That, "I must attain Him in this very birth." "I will not let go." Burning desire. A burning blaze must ignite in him. Then it is with the knowledge of His greatness. What is called conviction with the knowledge of His greatness? Conviction with the knowledge of His greatness is indeed devotion. What characteristic did Maharaj mention for it? What cannot happen? Renunciation of all things can happen, and all things become possible. If this is possible and that is not possible, then he does not have the knowledge of His greatness, he has not understood it. He has not understood His greatness, thinking that this cannot happen and that can happen. Therefore, with His greatness, "Mahaatmya-gnyaan-yug yug Era. Age. Division of time used to outline the time-scale of the world. There are four yugs: Satya-Yug (Era of Goodness), Tretã-Yug (Era of Three), Dvãpar-Yug (Third Era), and finally, the present age, Kali-Yug (Era of Darkness). The dharmas of the yugs exist externally as well as internally in the heart. [Sãrangpur – 9]. Tap to open in glossary → With His greatness, the meaning of His greatness is such that it awakens hunger in him. It awakens the hunger of 'tarpanecchaa' in him. And it awakens the hunger of 'aaditsaa' in him. It is the quality of attraction. Affection is, what does it mean? It sticks, doesn't it? Like jackfruit, if it sticks to the hand? The hand sticks, if cutting with a knife, the knife sticks, all of that. That is called stickiness (affection). Maharaj says, if there is thick jaggery water, then touching it makes the hand stick. Whatever touches it, sticks. Only on the tongue it does not stick. God has made it naturally. Ghee Ghee This is clarified butter or pure butter that is formed by heating it until the impurities in it settle to the bottom. Tap to open in glossary → Apply it anywhere on the whole body, it becomes sticky. But put it on the tongue and nothing happens, and wherever the tongue touches, it cleans it up, that's it. If a finger gets greasy with ghee ghee This is clarified butter or pure butter that is formed by heating it until the impurities in it settle to the bottom. Tap to open in glossary → then whether you use soap or put it in the mouth, both have the same effect, it cleans it completely. Using soap makes it a bit rougher, and this tongue keeps it smooth, and cleans it. God has placed such a quality in the tongue. But, it is the quality of attraction. And one must stick. In God, one must stick. Therefore, sticking to the means of pleasing God, is called sticking to God. Going near God and sitting in front, deeply engrossed, and not letting God think of any other work, then that is not called devotion. AI translation of the Gujarati transcript above, produced in the same pass that transcribed the audio, one English segment per Gujarati segment. Devotional and technical terms with no precise English equivalent (kirtan, satsang, vasana, samskara, and similar) are kept as their plain transliteration rather than force-translated. Not human-proofread., AI-translated, unverified · Source details