Bhakti to Mukti

Writing a blog on Bhakti is not right, because I feel no awakened being in the world can do justice while writing on Bhakti.

Before I start I just want to say, no path is greater or lesser, every path has its way. The Eternal Lord decides the fate of the individuals and the way through which they will get awakened (as if Awakening can be summoned). Moreover, the path has nothing to do with Awakening because Awakening is the decision of the SELF to realise ITSELF.

Post awakening you will realise that every decision and action was taken by the Eternal Lord Itself. Also, every decision or action that will be taken, it shall be taken by the lord, due to this post-awakening there is no karma. The self-centred individualisation and the burden of actions (Karma) get burned down into Brahman. However, one will have to reap the fruit of his past actions (good or bad) but this time there will be no problem, at least at the existential level. This means post-awakening there will be no fear of Death or of being erased out of Existence. You are neither born nor you die, you are just here for a small time, so play your role (whatever you are assigned to) adequately. Before I go more off-topic, I must start with this blog’s topic:

Bhakti to Non-Duality

ਜਉ ਤਉ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਖੇਲਣ ਕਾ ਚਾਉ ॥

jau tau prem khelan kaa chaau ||

If you desire to play this game of love with Me,

ਸਿਰੁ ਧਰਿ ਤਲੀ ਗਲੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਆਉ ॥

sir dhar talee galee meree aau ||

then step onto My Path with your head in hand.

ਇਤੁ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਪੈਰੁ ਧਰੀਜੈ ॥

eit maarag pair dhareejai ||

When you place your feet on this Path,

ਸਿਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਕਾਣਿ ਨ ਕੀਜੈ ॥੨੦॥

sir dheejai kaan na keejai ||20||

give Me your head, and do not pay any attention to public opinion. ||20||

- Guru Nanak Dev Ji , SGGS Ang 1412

IN OTHER PATHS DEATH IS AT THE END, BUT IN BHAKTI DEATH IS THE PRE-REQUISITE TO ETERNAL FREEDOM

Bhakti is the game of ETERNAL LOVE and the pathless path to Freedom.

Bhakti (Surrender) in my opinion is the shortest path to Awakening, and the beauty of surrender is, that it is effortless, it comes uninvited by the Grace of Eternal Love. The only thing it demands is YOURSELF.

Unlike other paths, where certain effort is necessary. Even if you go with the Direct path, (I AM Awareness, I AM Everything), a certain effort is necessary. It’s easy to say to just be then really being. Just being in the now, is a beneficial practice because in the NOW you are not. In the NOW thoughts are not, only Knowing exists.

By performing practices like Being in the NOW, being aware of being aware for more and more time, we are touching the Eternal Awareness. Any moment the Eternal Awareness can reveal itself, taking over your conditioned Self, whatever beliefs you have about yourself will be crushed by the Awakening of the Eternal Self.

I still remember, before Awakening everything just blacked out for a moment, I was frightened to death and in the next moment I was crying and smiling at the same time. This voice in my head took over, at first I thought it was just some trick by the mind but the voice said, I AM NOT THE MIND, THE MIND IS FROM ME.

For two days I was repeating again and again that I AM EVERYTHING, whatever I was seeing (the SKY, BIRDS, MOSQUITOS, MY MOTHER, MY SISTER, MY GURU — EVERYONE) I WAS LIKE I AM YOU AND YOU ARE ME.

My sister asked what happened, are you on drugs? Because I was behaving like one, laughing at one moment and crying at the other. There was this immense joy like a thirsty person would have after quenching his thirst.

I again went off-topic, the problem is whatever I write is not planned, It’s spontaneous, so it becomes difficult to stick.

Anyway, Surrender cannot be asked nor it can be given, the call will come on its own. There’s nothing you can do about it but I will surely tell you about the practices I did which helped me — it might help you or might not.

Paramatman acts in mysterious ways, for some it happens for some it doesn’t.

The guidance I AM about to share now is for Nirguna — PREMA BHAKTI (Devotion to Existence itself — not to a particular God-figure or idol). However, you can try these steps even with Sagun Bhakti (Devotion to a particular God-Figure or Idol or any-material substance). One point to note is: Over time Sagun Bhakti must evolve into Nirgun Bhakti, otherwise it can become an attachment for the seeker, which will result in limitation.

BHAKTI YOGA (i.e. body postures, Pranayama, Japa, Tapa etc ) IS NOT REQUIRED.

ONCE AWAKENING HAPPENS, KUNDALINI RISES ON ITS OWN. POST- AWAKENING SELF WILL TAKE CHARGE and MAKE YOU DO WHATEVER IS REQUIRED, whether YOGA or following a healthy diet, lifestyle changes — In a way Everything.

1. SHIFTING THE LOAD OF LIFE (past, present and future) TO PARMATMAN:

There is a beautiful poem;

WHOEVER BROUGHT ME HERE, WILL HAVE TO TAKE ME HOME by RUMIdo read it. This poem is very good for inquiry, and as the title of the poem suggests: it speaks of shifting the responsibility and all the worries to the ONE who sent you.

Who gave this form, who gave you your family, your loved ones and most importantly who gave you the sense of ‘I AM’.

Can you claim something as yours, what you never have decided?

Just look at Yourself, Observe your body — an Independent Intelligent Mechanism working 24 hours on its own. You are breathing effortlessly, the brain is sending signals to your heart so that it can pump, the food you eat gets digested on its own.

If you observe deeply you will see the actions that we claim, like; ‘I AM’ walking, ‘I AM’ eating, ‘I’ jumped or any other action — the action came first and the sense of ‘I did’ later (don’t go with my word just Observe). If you observe deeply you will see, everything is happening on it’s from breathing to walking to performing complex tasks whether mental or physical, which means you are not in charge here

Recognizing that ‘I AM’ is not in charge, that everything from my body-mind to this sense of ‘I AM’ belongs to the ONE, who put me in this world, in a particular form, with a particular role. Therefore, the responsibility of everything belongs to THAT alone.

If you recognize this, the candle of ego will start melting and soon the call of surrender will come. Once the call has come (it’s not a voice that you will hear, but your want of knowing about Awakening or Enlightenment will be erased), the eternal one will take over the mind and will be your guide.

Beware, of any thoughts like ‘I AM’ the most favourite bhakt (devotee), that I do devotion — all this is the making of Ego, so don’t get fooled by the mind.

To tackle the spiritual ego thoughts, thank the Lord for blessing you with his grace. Always know that it’s only by his grace that you can remember him.

We don’t have to remember Parmatman, we just don’t have to forget it.

- Osho

2. TO GET THROUGH THE STORMS OF THE MIND PRAY FOR HIS HELP:

Of all the problems, troubles caused by our thoughts are the most dangerous ones. Just like iron is eroded by its rust, we get eroded by our thoughts, which in a way are not in our control.

Recognize that, you are not the creator of thoughts, the Eternal Lord is the one who is making these thoughts, therefore pray for his blessing that

“NEVER LET ME FORGET YOU, WHATEVER MAY COME, ALWAYS KEEP ME IN YOUR ETERNAL PRESENCE”.

Just keep one thought — THAT IS OF THE LORD ALONE.

If your TRUST in the Lord is unshakable, even if you are chopped into pieces, then the ETERNAL ONE will always protect you.

3. Don’t just be Loving — BE LOVE itself:

Be loving towards everyone and everything (living or non-living), start with your family and don’t make judgements instead understand why they do what they do. Understanding is a sign of wisdom. See the formless lord in all. Recognize that everyone and everything is a just manifestation of the ETERNAL LORD including your SELF. So judging anyone is not right, If you want to judge, Judge yourself first.

If you are in a relationship, use it as a stepping stone for moving into the INFINITE.

Move from the limited relationship love to ETERNAL BOUNDLESS LOVE.

I searched for the crooked, met not a single one

When searched me, “I” found the crooked one

- Kabirdas Ji

4. Develop GRATITUDE:

When I was in school we used to sing this beautiful prayer song:

Count your blessings;

Name them one by one.

Count your many blessings;

See what God hath done.

Count your blessings, be grateful whatever you have, even if you have less, thank the lord for it. Thank the lord for this human birth, because this human birth makes the possibility of ETERNAL FREEDOM — SALVATION.

Whatever comes your way good or bad, thank the lord, because either it will benefit you or else will teach you a lesson for the future.

With every breath, thank the lord.

GRATITUDE IS THE WAY TO ETERNAL FREEDOM

5. Offering Yourself to Parmatman — by the Grace of Parmatman Alone

I AM NOT, only YOU ARE -

FROM YOU TO I AM

I AM = YOU

is the greatest mantra on the path of bhakti (surrender).

Bhakti is not idol worshipping or performing rituals,

TRUE BHAKTI IS TRUSTING THE ETERNAL LORD FOREVER

AND ACCEPTING HIS WILL WHATEVER MAY COME.

The story of Bhakt Prahlad is of a devotee completely surrendered, who choose the LORD against all the problems. Since Prahlad was born in the family of demons, he was also in the form of a demon, even then he got Salvation — this is the power of devotion and surrender.

The fire of devotion and Love compelled the Lord to take the form of Narsingh to save Prahlad.

When one surrenders completely and abides by the Cosmic order of the Supreme Consciousness, his past Karmas get eliminated and there are no more future Karmas for such a being. Even a great sinner can get Salvation if he completely leaves thoughts of guilt and focuses on just the thought of the ONE LORD — the SELF.

Even if one be a great sinner, one should not worry and weep ‘O! I am a sinner, how can I be saved?’ One should completely renounce the thought ‘I am a sinner’ and concentrate keenly on meditation on the Self; then, one would surely succeed.

- Maharishi Raman

Start by shedding identities (my name is this, I belong to this family, nation, caste, religion, creed, race, place, culture, my skin colour is this — we are different from them, all of this, all kinds of mental conditionings just leave them and stand alone as an individual not related to any ideology, culture, nation, race, religion etc). Recognize that nothing belongs to you, even the sense of ‘I’ (ego) doesn’t belong to you.

If ‘I’ belong to anyone then it is the

ONE NAMELESS INEFFABLE OMNIPRESENT ETERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS alone.

I AM THAT

I & THE LORD ARE ONE

ALL ARE ONE — OTHER THAN THE ONE THERE IS NONE

6. Be Aware of Your actions — always keep righteous intentions at heart:

Perform actions by neither getting attached to the fruits of actions nor developing any sense of doership, always recognise that the ETERNAL LORD ALONE IS THE DOER.

Understand:

If Grace is the sailor’s wind, devotion is the push from the Ocean towards the goal, the mind is the ship, through which you will cross the Ocean of this Life then Righteous and Truthful Karmas are nuts and bolts of the ship — which keeps it in perfect shape.

If a person performs righteous and Truthful karmas (actions) without the sense of doership, then the mind of such a person becomes the tool for his Salvation. Otherwise, it creates its hell due to the high Karmic load. Which keeps that person in the cycle of birth and death. If the karmic load is very high due to bad karmas — then even getting a birth is very difficult.

Arjun killed hundreds of thousands but had no karmic effects because there was no sense of doership in him. If you even kill an ant with the sense of doership you will have to reap the fruits. Actions performed with the sense of doership whether good or bad will bear fruit. The only way to move beyond this is to witness (just observe).

Whatever you are doing — cooking, bathing, killing or anything just witness, let the body move in its way — you just remain as the witness of the actions.

This practice of witnessing will limit the sense of doership. By observing the actions you will just be a witness, not a doer.

The karmic effects only take place if there is a sense of Doership

- that ‘I AM’ the one who did this.

Another practice is to put all the sense of doership on the Lord

- recognize that there is no ‘I’ only Lord alone is there. The lord itself is the performer of all actions, the source of all thoughts, the mover of everything and Everything ITSELF.

Both of these practices (mentioned above) will not allow the sense of doership to develop which will not make you liable for the karmic effects.

THE INEFFABLE LORD IS ITSELF THE PERFORMER OF ACTIONS, THE REAPER OF ITS FRUITS AS WELL AS THE CAUSE & EFFECT.

ALL THAT IS, IS JUST THE ETERNAL INEFFABLE CONSCIOUSNESS

Selfless actions without the sense of Doership + Complete Devotion/Surrender = Salvation

7. OBSERVE your body, observe your actions, observe your thoughts -

“The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence”

– Jiddu Krishnamurti

Observe yourself every moment; whether performing an action or sitting still just observe don’t evaluate. DON’T THINK JUST BE

Similarly, observe the thoughts — let them come and go, you just be the witness. Do it the same with the feelings let them come and go you just be the witness.

Only the feeling of LOVE should and the thought of the INEFFABLE FORMLESS ETERNAL LORD should remain — if you are following the path of BHAKTI.

Continue observing — body, mind, everything until you recognize that Everything is happening on its own even the sense ‘I’ did comes on its own.

If you observe deeply you will see THAT YOU ARE NOT EVEN THE OBSERVER;

You are nothing/ the ineffable silent presence, which is ever-present.

In short, you are THAT; You are God itself.

8. Don’t read any books about spirituality, Rather Do whatever makes you feel the presence of THE ETERNAL SELF or remembrance of the Lord

JUST BE — be like a child that you don’t know, Only Parmatman knows

Only two kinds of people can attain self-knowledge: those who are not encumbered at all with learning, that is to say, whose minds are not over-crowded with thoughts borrowed from others; and those who, after studying all the scriptures and sciences, have come to realise that they know nothing.

- Ramakrishna Paramhansa

Reading books, gathering others’ thoughts on spiritual topics or about God or hell or heaven only veil’s the direct experience of THE EVER-PRESENT ETERNAL SELF and only fuels the spiritual ego. If you have read books and thinks you know about the eternal truth — then YOU ARE ON THE WRONG TRACK.

The scriptures and spiritual books are just pointings or signboards towards the Truth.

You may gain worldly knowledge by reading and listening but the only way to ETERNAL WISDOM is death — of thoughts, the sense of doership, the sense of ‘I’.

JUST BE — this is the way, let the lord do whatever it wishes, it’s his play.

There is no me, only the Lord IS.

DO WHAT MAKES YOU NOT FORGET THE ETERNAL LORD — Dance if you like, Sing, Paint, Create or Just be.

Use the creative energy for higher purposes.

9. Most Important: don’t desire for Enlightenment or Awakening:

DESIRE (LONG) ONLY FOR PARMATMAN’s PURAN SHARAN (Complete refuge of the Lord), THE NAMELESS WORDLESS FORMLESS IMMEASURABLE UNFATHOMABLE ETERNAL ONE.

LONGING FOR TRUTH or PARMATMAN is the most important factor — which will decide whether you will be Awakened in this lifetime or not. The role of a teacher is this only: to create LONGING for the ETERNAL ONE.

A true Master is one who not just answer your questions but, uproot you from YOURSELF so that there is no YOU anymore.

There is no teaching rather there is unteaching of everything you have learned over the ages.

10. If you have the guidance of a physical enlightened master ask for his grace:

The master of masters is SELF ALONE, which may function through physical beings.

PURE CONSCIOUSNESS IS INFINITE LIKE EMPTY SPACE and we are born in a finite environment with a limited body-mind. Since finite cannot know infinite and vice versa. The infinite must manifest as finite to help the finite.

So to make you aware of YOURSELF, Consciousness manifests itself as the Master who is also in a finite body like you but of INFINITE NATURE.

An enlightened being is an Awakened God in physical form, due to this killing an enlightened being (BRAHAMHATYA) is the highest Crime in Existence

- which results in countless births and deaths (if you get a birth first).

So if you have the blessing of the company of an Enlightened being, surrender and request him for his grace. Remember, even though he is in a body, he has the nature of the Infinite.

In reality, The infinite itself is finite, which means the MASTER and the STUDENT ARE ONE — the moment you realise this — You are free forever.

THE DEAD-END

Try every path (direct path, Advaita-Vedanta, Yoga, Zen, Shamanism, Sufi — anything), but remember, there must be unquestionable longing for TRUTH or GOD.

If nothing works just go for PARMATMAN (UNIVERSE) — the eternal ONE, pray for his guidance, completely bow down before existence. Abide by his will do not desire for awakening or enlightenment, DESIRE FOR COMPLETE UNION WITH THE ETERNAL ONE ALONE.

Surrender doesn’t mean bowing before priests or following rituals, doing Japa Nama, tapa all of this is unnecessary.

If LOVE FOR EXISTENCE IS THERE, LONGING FOR CHAITANYA (Consciousness) IS THERE, IT WILL HAPPEN.

SURRENDER DOESN’T MAKE YOU WEAK AND TIMID, SURRENDER IS THE PATH OF LIONS, Even FEAR fears from the ONE who has completely surrendered and is in UNION WITH THE LORD.

Bhakti is like Eternal fire whoever comes near it will get the light of wisdom and the heat of ETERNAL LOVE.

MAY THE ETERNAL LORD BLESS YOU WITH YOURSELF!