जीवन में भगवान की कृपा प्राप्त करना ही जीवन का सार है, जीवन में बाकी कुछ भी घटित होने वाला सिर्फ मिथ्या ही है।
भक्ति मनुष्य के लिये भगवान की कृपा प्राप्त करने का एक उचित साधन है। समस्त इन्द्रियों के द्वारा भगवान की सेवा करना भक्ति कहलाता है। सभी प्रकार से फल की कामना से रहित होकर निष्काम भाव से ज्ञान तथा कर्म की उपेक्षा करके, सभी इन्द्रियों को संयमित करके, पूर्ण तत्परता के साथ भगवान की सेवा करना ही भक्ति है। जो कार्य और अनुष्ठान भगवान की भक्ति के अनुकूल हैं, जिन कर्मों या अनुष्ठान से भगवान के प्रति अनुराग उत्पन्न होता और बढ़ता है उसे भक्ति कहते हैं। अपने समस्त कर्मों को भगवान को अर्पित करना, भगवान के लिये हृदय में व्याकुलता होना भक्ति कहलाता है।
भगवान के नाम का हृदय से जप-श्रवण-कीर्तन भक्ति कहलाता है। शांति, क्षमा करने की प्रवृति, समय का सदुपयोग, वैराग्य का भाव, मान-सम्मान की कामना से रहित सेवा कार्य, भगवत कार्य की प्रबल इच्छा, भगवत नाम में सर्वदा रूचि, भगवान के प्रति असीम आसक्ति ही भक्ति कहलाती है।
जिस व्यक्ति में भक्ति जागृत हो जाती है वह न तो शोक करता है और ना ही किसी प्रकार की कामना करता है। उसकी समस्त जीवों के लिये सम दृष्टि हो जाती है।
जात-पात और कुल का आभिमान रहते हुए कभी भी भक्ति को प्राप्त नहीं किया जा सकता। समाज की शुष्कता, अंधविश्वास, व्यक्ति पूजा, स्वार्थपरता जैसी संकीर्ण मानसिकता को त्याग कर ही भक्ति की प्राप्ति की जा सकती है। हिंसा, लज्जा, मान, अपमान, भला और बुरा जब तक मनुष्य की बुद्धि में बना रहता है तब तक मनुष्य भक्ति को प्राप्त नहीं कर सकता है।
भक्ति, प्रेम और पवित्रता ही धर्म है। धर्म पालन ही मनुष्य जीवन का उद्देश्य है। मनुष्य भक्ति के द्वारा ही अहिंसा का भाव, सभी जीवों से प्रीत, तृण के सामान लोच तथा वृक्ष के समान सहिष्णुता प्राप्त कर सकता है।
भक्ति से ब्रह्मानंद की प्राप्ति होती है। ब्रह्मानंद से व्यक्ति क्लेश शून्य हो जाता है। ब्रह्मानंद अपार है, असीम है।
सारांश में निष्काम भाव से प्रेमपूर्वक भगवान के प्रति समर्पण, भगवान की सेवा और भगवान का स्मरण ही भक्ति है।
-------------------------- नमः शिवाय!!!
PRAYER IBADAT are synonyms of Bhakti. In every faith much emphasis has been laid down for Bhakti/Prayer/Ibadat etc. Even in deep anguish or in deep trouble one without thinking instantaneously proclaims the name of God/Bhagwan/Allah etc. That shows Bhakti PRAYER IBADAT etc has the edge over every thing else. Thereafter comes the modalities. There a man involves his mind and acts accordingly. This is a subject man to man approach will differ. I would love to add here that I had the occassion to read the book of General Patton of U.S.A. The book refers to his experiences of second world war. The letters he has written to his wife friends and others from the battle ground have been quoted there. He has quoted GOD and saluted for his blessings no less tha 1000 times. The book runs roughly in 500 pages. So I am the firm beliver of the ALmighty and do follow prayers for the blessings. Live and let live, Goodluck and praise to Gopal for his dedication. Bhola Nath Shukla
जवाब देंहटाएंभक्ति एक गहन विषय है। सनातन धर्म में तो यह विशेष रूप से व्याख्यायित है। नारद एवं शाँण्डिल्य भक्तिसूत्रों में विशेषतया। इबादत का समानार्थी शब्द है पूजा। भक्ति आभ्यांतरिक है, पूजा या इबादत उपचारात्मक वाह्य कर्म। कष्ट, संकट या निरुपाय होनें पर परम सत्ता की याद करना व्यापार है, भक्ति, लाभ-हानि का विचार किये बिना किया जानें वाला समर्पण। सर्व धर्मान्य परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।
जवाब देंहटाएंMany accolades to Gopal Bhaiji for such an intense write-up evoking in the readers a need and an urge for introspection in this fast paced world. The precise and simple explanation of Bhola Bhaiji elucidates the wideness and different nuances of Bhakti and devotion.His words truely reflect the vivid and pristine forms of Devotion. I would love to read more views of him on this and related faculties. Even Mataji(Badi Bhabhi) with her uncomplexed and straight line of thinking can provide valuable inputs on this topic. Her reading of 'Kalyan' can come handy in this.
जवाब देंहटाएंThis is a heavyweight topic and with my limited knowledge, I, have tried to juggle the mind to illustrate my understanding of the same. Plz provide suggestions.
Bhakti is the devotional way of achieving Salvation, open to all irrespective of sex, caste, creed, religion. It is the selfless remembrance of 'GOD', accompanied by the feeling of affinity and a desire to increase longing. Such Bhakti purifies the heart of the devotee and qualifies it to receive the Grace of the Almighty.
I, remember, reading it some where that bhakti or devotion signifies 'Self-Surrender'. Self surrender is the key to God-realisation. It is an attitude of mind which elevates the 'I' of the devotee. It is not any specific form of action, Neither is the feeling 'I am His', a matter of practice. It is a bhava.
All virtues are manifested in the devotee who has surrendered himself to the lord, without effort, and all his vices vanish. Absolute dependance on God`s grace is the most unfailing sheet anchor of the bhakt.
Devotion to the Infinite is the best and most potent weapon to end all the impurities of the mind. Self purification is an essential prerequisite for Self-realisation. Good conduct flows from a purified mind.
Prophets, saints, sages of all lands,ages, religion offered their testimony that, evevtually man must inevitably realise the True, The Beautiful, The Good- The Almighty. True integration of a man's personality is possible through coonecting with GOD. Love and Happines cannot blossom in a disintegrated personality and only such a person can do good to the society.
So lets connect to the Almighty or the supreme power to sanctify ourselves and make this world a peaceful and better place to live in.. Regards..Kailash Shukla
God is one, the paths are many....The Bhagavad-Gita has elaborately explained the ways, or paths to reach the Almighty God. And, I personally believe in the path of action, which is "Karma Yoga". In the most basic sense karma simply means "action/work", and yoga translates to "peace of mind". Thus Karma yoga literally translates to the path to/of peace through action. So to speak, karma yoga is the process by which the action we perform can take us to the peace of mind. Many of us refer to karma basically meaning the past activity that one has done and its effect. When we have a great pleasure and all the happiness, then we do not say that it is karmic. Then we easily say, “I’ve strived hard! I made a great effort in that work”. When it comes to a suffering, when something unpleasant occurs, then we call it as karmic.
जवाब देंहटाएंI feel that, one does not need to do any spiritual practices to acquire any yogic powers, it is all that you do is to do your household activities diligently and meticulously in accordance with one's duty without consideration of personal self-centered desires, likes or dislikes but as a duty one has to perform in the service of God.. This is your meditation. If we do the normal day to day activities with a special attitude, then the work itself is no inferior to any spiritual practices. It is only the attitude with which one can transforms his activities into spiritual practices….We cannot change the work much because it is in the hands of the world outside! But the attitude behind any work can be changed, since it belongs to us. A certain attitude makes our work miserable and other makes it pleasant. Change the attitude, and you will become spiritual....Anupma Shukla