Devotion with love is better than penance and knowledge. God showers his pleasure on worldly souls. But man is so unwise that he fails to love God. Remember repeatedly the favours granted by God and strengthen your devotional fervour.
Love is best for devotion
Jayadeva was a great devotee of the Lord. Devout poet Jayadeva and his wife – Padamavati – were a god-fearing couple, engaged in devotion and service of God. Jayadeva was a scholar of literature and scriptures. He was an enlightened soul who is renowed for composing the scripture ‘Gita – Govinda’ (the praises of Lord Govinda). In those days he composed a song in praise of Lord Govinda, but despite his repeated efforts, he was unable to complete it in suitable diction. He finally decided to leave the shloka incomplete to try again later and went to the river to have a refreshing bath.
His wife was busy cooking the meals when he left the house to bathe. Meanwhile, Bhagwan in guise of Jayadeva, went to the house of his devotee to help him by composing the shloka on his behalf. Padamavati saw him coming back to the house. She asked him, “Have you come back without bathing?”
Bhagwan in guise of Jayadeva said to her, “Devi! It is true. I have come back in a hurry to get my inspiration noted before I forget it. You know, I have spent a good many hours to complete the shloka, but the words chosen earlier were not fit for the shloka. Now, I will complete it,” and he completed the shloka with his own hand.
Padmavati said, “You were much upset before but now it seems to have settled. Now please go back quickly to have the holy bath as the meal is ready. You must be hungry.”
Padmavati didn’t realise that he was not her husband, but God himself was in front of her. The Lord in guise of Jayadeva, said to her, “Devi! I am very hungry. It is better if you serve me the meal now.”
She arranged a dish for him and served Roti, Daal, Vegetable and rice. God sat there to have his meal. She too sat beside him to serve the meal. She was a bit confused by her husband. He never had a meal without bathing. Then why did he do so today? Regardless, he was her husband and whatever he thought fit was perfectly welcome. She pushed away the nagging thoughts from her mind with due respect for her husband. God had the meal in the guise of Jayadeva, walked into the inner room and disappeared from there.
Meanwhile, Jayadeva came there singing and chanting sacred shlokas. Padmavati was shocked in bewilderment when she saw him. She could not believe it. Jayadeva came to her and said, “Devi! What are you thinking about? Why do you look so perplexed? Please serve to me the meal. I am very hungry after having the refreshing dip.”
Padmavati uttered in astonishment, “What is this? You only just had the meal. Your plate of leftovers is still there. And you want to have a meal again?”
“Devi! What are you saying? I have just come here, after my holy bath.”
“O My Husband! Please try to recall. You wrote your incomplete shloka just now. Please refresh your memory.”
“Devi! I have come just now, not before.”
“Then, who was he?” Said she.
“Devi! Bhagwan has favoured you with his blissful darshan.”
They were both thrilled with such miracle. When they checked his scripture, Jayadeva found the shloka completed by the Lord!
Jayadev came back to the kitchen and added some water to the dish graced by God. He had the leftovers as prasadam of Bhagwan. Jayadeva said, “O Lord! I salute your love for your devotees. You manifest yourself in different forms to favour your devotees. You have favoured my wife with your blissful darshan. But I am not as fortunate. You have left me without your darshan.” Tears rolled from his eyes when Jayadeva concluded his prayer.
God manifested himself and placed his blessed hands on the head of his devotee. “Jayadeva! Please stop crying. I have come here for you. Devotees are very dear to me. Now complete your Gita-Govinda. Don’t hesitate to call me to help you in your devotional service.” Bhagwan disappeared from there with these assuring words.
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! There are many kinds of devotion to attain me, but the devotion with love and affection, is the best amongst all these.”
(I remember my loved ones. My loved ones remember me. We love each other, like love between the soul and the body. I dwell in people – my dear devotees – who are simple, innocent and affectionate.)
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! My devotees take good care of me and I take good care of my devotees. There is absolute oneness between us. It is the kind of oneness that exists between the soul and body. I dwell eternally in the heart of my devotees who are simple, innocent and affectionate. I am bound by their love.
God obeys Love
Namdev was a devotee of God. Since his early childhood, Namdev learnt and imbibed devotion from his father. His father taught him poojan and meditation of God. Once, he said to his son, “My Son! I am going on a short tour. Do daily poojan and serve thaal to Lord Thakorji. Serve milk as thaal and have prasad form it. Don’t drink it without serving it to God.” Namdev was very happy with such assignment. The boy could not sleep in excitement of serving meals to the Lord. He saw God standing in front of his eyes.
Namdev got up early in the morning, concluded daily rituals, had a ritual bath and prepared boiled milk to serve to God. He did pooja and presented aarti with sweetened milk as thaal. He kept the milk bowl in front of God and prayed:
(O Maharaj! I am serving this boiled milk. Please drink it lovingly.)
Namdev prayed to him with love. He prayed heartily and said, “O Lord! My father has asked me to take good care of you, by serving poojan and thaal. He has asked me to have milk only after serving it to you. O Lord! I am hungry. Why are you not drinking the milk? Please have it quickly.”
“O Lord! Have I committed any mistake? I am a small boy. There may be some mistake in sweetening it. Should I add some more sugar?” Namdev then added some sugar to make the milk sweeter. He then prayed again “Please drink it now. Why are you not saying anything? Don’t you like it? Are you shy? Should I shut my eyes?” Namdev shut his eyes, but God still did not drink the milk! Child Namdev thought for a while and said to Thakorji. “O Lord! Have it all alone. I will hide somewhere to give you privacy. Now be quick and drink it.” He left the room for a while and came back to receive prasad, but found the milk unconsumed. The bowl was still full and Lord Thakorji had not touched it!
Dispirited, Namdev cried in front of Thakorji and said, “O Vitthal! O Vitthal! I will not drink the milk either if you do not consume it right now. I will crush my head by pounding it upon your threshold.” As he tried to pound his head, Lord Vitthal manifested himself before him and took the bowl to drink the milk!
Namdev danced in joy when he saw Lord Vitthal having milk from his bowl. “Finally you are drinking the milk. For so long I have been requesting you to drink the milk.” Then he took the hand of God and asked him not to finish the whole bowl. He prayed politely to leave some milk as prasad. He too was hungry waiting for prasad. Lord Vitthal pleased with his innocent ways and devotional love, took him on his lap and helped him to have the prasadi of milk. God said, “My child Namdev! I love devotees like you. You are very dear to me.”
God answers our ardent prayers. The omnipresent Lord manifests himself to answer our hearty call. He is not away from us for even a second. Devotion cannot succeed without dedicated devotional service. Devotional love holds the power to transform an image into the real Lord.
Shree Hari said to Uddhava:
(I cannot live with such a devotee who is dry in his heart and mind and his eyes are without any feelings of love. Even though they may do devotion day and night, I still won’t go to see them personally.)
Devotion is an ornament of knowledge
A saint was conducting Katha-Satsang at a village. His discourses were very interesting and appealing. Hundreds of villagers were gathered there to attend his Satsang session, but none were interested in the Katha-Varta. Same of them were dozing, some were snoring and some were looking here and there. None were concentrating in the discourse. A few of them left the session to enjoy rustic talk and backbiting.
Almost all of them left the session except for one, who was sat upright looking straight at the reader priest. The reader priest concluded his discourse and addressed the lone Satsangi, “Gentleman! I appreciate your dedication. You have real thirst for the ultimate knowledge. You know well the majesty and glory of this Katha-Satsang. This is why you are here with solace and peace. I admire your devotion and dedication.”
The listener then said to him, “Maharaj! The carpet you are sitting on belongs to me. I was merely waiting impatiently for the end of your katha. I will be comforted only when I have collected that carpet. I’m hardly interested in your katha session. I don’t like listening to such discourses. I was here just to guard my carpet!”
Devotion and devotional love cannot penetrate such dry and selfish hearts. A mere presence will be futile if attention and concentration are missing. Food is useless, if it cannot be digested. Holy company will not be of any use if it cannot touch our heart and soul.
Devotion and the devotional sessions call for spiritual strength, and such spiritual strength cannot be had without the knowledge of the majesty of devotion. One cannot fight the eternal entity or gross matter (Maya), without spiritual strength and enlightenment. God manifests himself to his truest devotees. God is bound by the devotional love of his devotees.
Always think that God is with you. Think that he dwells with you. Realise that God joins you in all your works and acts.