True Devotion Is Recognition Of The God Within
Thursday, September 17th, 2020
How deeply and truly ‘i am’ committed to my Master Supreme?!? It is time for each one of us to introspect in this line, asking within, reminding oneself of The Absolute Surrender To The Supreme Absolute as executed by Mother Radharani during the Krishna time and Emperor Mahabali of yore.
Most people today have no real idea of what is devotion and what is spiritual discipline. Different forms of worship, pilgrimages, meditation and the like are equated with devotion. These are not the indices of Bhakti (devotion). They are all actions which can confer some mental satisfaction. To realise your inner nature, your efforts must be directed internally. As long as you think God is somewhere outside you, you cannot qualify for Divine grace. The true mark of devotion is to recognise that God is within you and around you, everywhere. You must develop the faith that you are a manifestation of God. The scriptures call upon everyone to find out, “Who are you?”
There is no other path than the path of dedication to God and complete surrender to the Will of the Divine. Emperor Bali was an exemplar of this doctrine of Saranagati (complete surrender) to God. Despite the protestations of his preceptor Sukracharya, Bali felt that it was his duty to offer everything to the Lord and, acting against the advice of his guru, he made a gift of all he had to the Lord who had come in the form of Vamana. In making an offering to God there is no need to abide by the instructions of the preceptor. The Lord is the Supreme Preceptor manifest in every Divine form.
Emperor Bali adhered to two resolutions. First: to give to anyone whatever he sought. Second: never to go back on the plighted word. Bali held that there was no greater sin than going back on one’s word. He firmly declared that whatever might happen to him, even if it cost him his life, he would not go back on his promise. Thereby, Bali became a glorious upholder of truth.
Who is a real Emperor? Not the one who has conquered many countries and ruled over a vast empire. Once, Adi Sankara summoned his disciples and put them the question: “Who is a real conqueror?” The disciples gave various answers. Sankara told them that the real conqueror is the one who has subdued his mind. Of what use is it to accomplish many things without mastering the mind? This was precisely the question which Prahlada put to his father, Hiranyakasipu, who had acquired control over even the elements but had not acquired mastery over his senses. (Divine discourse on 24-8-1991)
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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