Becoming Bhaktas

bhakta (lit. “partaker”) or devotee--a practitioner of Bhakti-Yoga.



Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisance to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me. (B-Gita 9.34)



Religion Number 1: Hinduism.

After reading selections from the Bhagavad-Gita and parts of Religions of the World: A Latter-day Saint View (by Spencer J. Palmer and Roger R. Keller), Scottie and I decided to focus on achieving salvation. In Hinduism, there are three ways for that to happen: salvation through works (karma), salvation through the Way of Knowledge (jyana), and salvation through devotion (bhakti). After further studying of those topics, the Way of Devotion won out. While reading about it, we decided it was something we could really connect and apply to our lives because we do worship our Heavenly Father through devotion to Him. So we googled "bhakti yoga" and found some really cool stuff.

"Mark how love develops. First arises faith. Then follows attraction and after that adoration. Adoration leads to suppression of mundane desires. The result is single-mindedness and satisfaction. Then grow attachment and supreme love towards God" (http://www.dlshq.org/teachings/bhaktiyoga.htm).

The Way of Devotion is literally that--achieving mosksha through love of God. Palmer says, "This is the way followed by the majority of Hindus today, for it is a path open to all persons regardless of caste or sex. Bhakti means devotion to one or more of the numberless gods in the belief that prayers to them will be answered and assistance gained in one's quest to find release from the wheel of rebirths." Cool.

Thanks to google, Scott discovered that there are nine principles of Bhakti Yoga. They sound oddly familiar...

Nine Principles of Bhakti Yoga

The 'Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu' (the Hindu sacred texts written by the teacher, poet, and philosopher Rupa Gosvami) provides the following as the nine primary activities of bhakti, with the instruction that by following all or just one of these activities perfectly, the aspiring devotee can achieve pure love of God:

• Sravana. This is the Sanskrit term for listening to poems or stories about God's virtues and mighty deeds. Sravana bhakti cannot be practiced in isolation. The devotee must hear the stories from a wise teacher and seek the companionship of holy people.
• (scripture study)
• Kirtana. This refers to the singing or chanting of God's praises. Ram Dass has said of this form of bhakti, "When you are in love with God, the very sound of the Name brings great joy."
• (hymns)
• Smarana. This is remembrance of God at all times, or keeping God in the forefront of one's consciousness. In Christian terms, smarana is what the French monk Brother Lawrence (1605–1691) meant by "the practice of the presence of God."
• (keeping a prayer in your heart, remembering God at all times, in all things, in all places, etc.)
• Padasevana. This form of bhakti yoga expresses love toward God through service to others, especially the sick.
• (service)
• Archana. This refers to the worship of God through such external images as icons or religious pictures or through internal visualizations. The purpose of archana is to purify the heart through the love of God.
• (Even though we don't worship icons, we thought that keeping pictures of Christ, temples, "The Proclamation to the Family," etc. worked here)
• Vandana. This refers to prayer and prostration (lying face down on the ground with arms outstretched). This form of bhakti yoga is intended to curb self-absorption and self-centeredness.
• (prayer)
• Dasya. In dasya bhakti, the devotee regards him- or herself as God's slave or servant, carrying out God's commandments, meditating on the words of God, caring for the sick and the poor, and helping to clean or repair sacred buildings or places.
• (mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, etc.)
• Sakha-bhava. This form of bhakti yoga is a cultivation of friendship-love toward God—to love God as a member of one's family or dearest friend, and delight in companionship with God.
• (cultivating a relationship with God and trusting Him)
• Atma-nivedana. This is the complete self-offering or self-surrender to God.
• (enduring to the end)

These nine principles of devotional service are described as helping the devotee remain constantly in touch with God. 

                (http://www.thesecretsofyoga.com/Bhakti/Bhakti-nineprinciples.html)

Is this going to help us become better disciples of Christ? Oh yeah. Although none of these things are really "new" practices, we're going to try the nine principles with renewed focus and faith to become true bhaktas.

p.s. Happy Six Months, everyone! We went out for Frostys last night in celebration.

p.s.s. Scottie's really getting into this "studying other cultures" thing. He's looking up Indian food right now. Unfortunately, I don't even think we can get some of the most basic ingredients for anything...they're all spices we've never heard of, and of course (I'm sure) the spices are what makes it Indian. He was like, "Oh, bummer...looks like we're going out!"