Samanya Bhakti: the ordinary devotion
Samanya Bhakti has nine forms: Shravanam (listening to the glories of God); Kirtanam (Chanting the praise of God); Vishnu Smaranam (ever remembering the name of the Lord); Pada Sevanam (Worshipping the Lord’s feet); Vandanam (Prostration); Archanam (Worshipping the figure of the Lord); Dasyam (Service); Sneham (friendship); Atma nivedanam (Self-surrender).
Although the nine forms of devotion described above have been grouped under ‘Samanya Bhakti‘ (ordinary form of devotion), they are indeed not so. They embrace every aspect of devotion. They envisage all forms of the Divine. Every devotee who achieved God-realisation has pursued one or other of these forms of devotion. (SSS Vol.22), 12-9-1989.
Of these nine forms of devotional worship, Parikshit ‘exemplifies’ the first one Shravanam. Destined to live for only one week on account of a sage’s curse, the emperor Parikshit attained salvation by Listening to the glories of the Lord as related by Sage Suka. The devotee should not be content with merely listening: He should ‘reflect’ on what he has heard and put into practice the teachings. These are called ‘Manana’ and ‘Nididhyasana’. The process of listening, reflection and practising leads to God realisation.
Narada is the ‘supreme example’ to the world of one who realised the Divine by continuously ‘singing the glories of God’ in all circumstances and at all times. Narada, who was born out of the mind of Brahma, demonstrated to the world the supreme spiritual efficacy of ‘singing the Lord’s glories’. Prahlada demonstrated the power of ‘remembrance’ of the name of the Lord, whatever the ordeals one had to face. He chanted the names of Vishnu without fear or anguish when the demons thrust javelins at him at the bidding of Hiranyakashipu (Prahlada’s father). Prahlada was an unflinching devotee of Vishnu, whom his father hated as an enemy.
The Goddess Lakshmi is the supreme example of one who earned unique distinction by devoted service to ‘the feet of the lord’. Though she was the Goddess of wealth and presided over all prosperity, she showed to the world that serving the ‘Lord’s Feet’ was greater than all the treasures on earth. Today’s devotees worship Siri (Wealth) more than Hari (the Lord). They do not realise that by worshipping the Lord’s Feet, even wealth can be got. What foolishness is it to go after money, forgetting the Lotus Feet of the Lord, which are the fountain - source of all prosperity!
Worshipping the Lord by constant ‘Prostration’ was the form of devotion ‘exemplified by Akrura a devotee of Krishna. Namaskar (the art of worshipping the Lord with folded palms) signifies the tota1 offering of the body and the senses to the Divine as a mark of ‘complete surrender’ to the Divine. It signifies the elimination of the ego and seeking merger in the Lord whole-heartedly.
Archanam was the method adopted by the Emperor Prithu to worship the Lord. By offering sixteen kinds of service to the image of the Lord every day with deep devotion he earned the grace of the Lord. In this form of worship, Prithu demonstrated the unique significance of Anga-Archanam, using every sense organ in worshipping the Lord. Hanuman is the supreme example of the devotee who practised Service as the form of worship to realise God. His great acts in the service of Rama show how he was completely free from ego and how deep was his devotion to Rama at all times.
Arjuna exemplifies how devotion can be developed by cultivating the Friendship of the Lord through complete faith and loyalty. Friendship implies also love. Arjuna’s love was totally concentrated on Krishna. He acquired all powers by the grace of Krishna.
Emperor Bali is the example of Atma Nivedanam - complete surrender in the devotion of the Lord ‘I offer to you, Oh Lord! All my wealth and possession as well as my entire self I take refuge in you, protect me, Oh Lord!’ This was the sense of negation with which Bali offered himself to Lord Vamana. (D3, pp. 77-79)