As far as Bhakti is concerned, as per Srimad Bhagwat Gita, there are two
types of Bhakti. First is Para Bhakti and other is Apara Bhakti & each one
is directed towards a different aspect of God. Apara-Bhakti is for beginners in Yoga. The beginner
decorates an image with flowers and garlands, rings the bell, offers Naivedya
(food-offerings), wave lights; he observes rituals and ceremonies. The Bhakta
here regards the Lord as a Supreme Person, who is immanent in that image and
who can be propitiated through that form only. Gradually, from Apara-Bhakti,
the devotee goes to Para-Bhakti, the highest form of Bhakti. He sees the Lord
and Lord alone everywhere and feels His Power manifest as the entire universe.
"Thou art all-pervading; on what Simhasana shall I seat Thee? Thou art the
Supreme Light, in your borrowed light the sun, the moon, the stars and the fire
shine; shall I wave this little Deepa or light before You?" - Thus the
devotee recognizes the transcendental nature of God. Para-Bhakti and Gyana are
one. Before you take your food, offer it to God mentally; and the food will be
purified. When you pass through a garden of flowers, mentally offer all the
flowers to the Lord in Archana (offering flowers in worship). When you pass
through the bazaar and see a sweetmeat shop, offer all the sweetmeats as
Naivedya to the Lord. Such practices will lead to Para-Bhakti. . While most of
people follow the, Apara Bhakti which is the easier path to salvation. It is in
fact the starting point of Bhakti & on that account it is also called the
premature stage of Bhakti.
As per the Bhagwat Gita, devotion is the easiest method
to develop "Bhaav" and get close to the God. God himself declares
about the glory of devotion in Bhagwat Gita:
Ye tu dharmamritam idam yathoktam paryupasate,
Sraddadhana mat-parama bhaktas te ’tiva me priyah.
"Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: O Arjuna, Those who
follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage
themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to
Me."
Mayy eva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim nivesaya,
Nivasisyasi mayy eva ata urdhvam na samsayah.
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, Just fix your mind upon
Me and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always,
without a doubt."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru,
Mam evaishyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ’si me.
"Sri Krishna says to Arjuna: Always think of Me,
become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come
to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear
friend."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja,
Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayisyami ma suchah.
"Sri Krishna says to Arjuna: Abandon all varieties
of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful
reactions. Do not fear."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So let's have devotion in God. Let's remember God for
some time in our daily life so that we too can generate some "Bhaav"
or "Spiritual Emotion" towards the God. Once that is developed, we
shall always find God near us & our life shall be filled with joy, love
& ecstasy.
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