BHAKTI YOGA :5 -3&4

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5. NAVA-VIDHA-BHAKTI -3&4.

5.Smarana -

Smarana is remembrance of the Lord at all times.

This is unbroken memory of the Name and Form of the Lord.

The mind does not think of any object of the world, but is ever engrossed in thinking of the glorious Lord alone.

The mind meditates on what is heard about the glories of God and His virtues, Names, etc., and forgets even the body and contents itself in the remembrance of God, just as Dhruva or Prahlada did.

Even Japa is only remembrance of God and comes under this category of Bhakti.

Remembrance also includes hearing of stories pertaining to God at all times, talking of God, teaching to others what pertains to God, meditation on the attributes of God, etc.

Remembrance has no particular time. God is to be remembered at all times without break, so long as one has got his consciousness intact.

6. Padasevana -

Padasevana is serving the Lord's Feet.

Actually this can be done only by Lakshmi or Parvati.

No mortal being has got the fortune to practice this method of Bhakti, for the Lord is not visible to the physical eyes.

But it is possible to serve the image of God in idols and better still, taking the whole humanity as God.

This is Padasevana.

Padasevana is service of the sick.

Padasevana is service of the whole humanity at large.

The whole universe is only Virat-Swarupa.

Service of the world is service of the Lord.

Swami Sivananda
To be continued  ....




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