Navavidha Bhakti-1

Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj

The Nine Faceted Devotion

The first type of devotion is "Listening" or shravana. Devotion is the mother of Knowledge (jnana). Without devotion (bhakti), there is no Knowledge. Devotion is the highest path. If you cannot do it in actions, then do it mentally. Listen to how to do worship. Listen to all of the paths explained by the Guru; the Path of Knowledge (jnana), the Path of Desirelessness (vairagya), the Path of Spiritual Practice (sadhana), and the Path of Final Truth (siddhanta). Find out the essence of them all.

The second type of devotion is "singing God's praises" or "kirtan bhakti (kirtana bhajana). Kirtan is singing in praise of God who is embodied. Do the kirtan that you have learned by heart, recognize the many important references, and understand the meaning of them all. The story of God, Lord Hari, should be told in kirtan not for any other purpose other than because you feel happy to do so. The entire world is you field for propagating the greatness of the Self, (Atman, God). The "kirtan devotion" purifies all.

The third type of devotion is "remembrance of God". Remember the Sadguru. This should be done all of the time, morning, noon, and evening. Remember, "I am Brahman", "I am Shiva", "I am He". The remembering should be as constant as the clock that ticks. The heart in which devotion to God is constant, is the moving, living temple. All can become liberated by the name of Rama. Lord Mahadev (Shiva) himself escaped from the sense objects, through repetition of the sacred name of Rama.
(To be continued)