Make Room in Your Heart For Bhagwan's Presence

If we accept the concept of Bhagwan, then we have to accept the concept of 'bhaga' also. If we use the word dhanawan, but exclude the word 'dhana', wealth, then the word dhanawan becomes meaningless. He who possesses dhana is dhanawan.

Similarly, He who possesses bhaga is Bhagwan. Bhaga means majesty or potency. The fact that Bhagwan possesses all beauty implies that He is beautiful; therefore, He must possess form.

However, in saying so we should not confine Him within the limits of length, breadth and height. The internal potency, the chit-shakti of Bhagwan, has as its reflection the material energy, which is subject to change and destruction.

Even though Bhagwan is omnipotent, there are three predominating shaktis known as internal potency or chit-shakti, external potency or maya shakti and poised in between these two, His manifested living beings known as tattastha or jiva shakti.

The shakti that takes us to the heart of Bhagwan is known as Antaranga shakti or internal potency. That which overwhelms and enchants us with His external features, taking us away from Bhagwan, is known as bahiranga shakti or external potency.

Internal potency takes us towards, and the external potency takes us away from Bhagwan. Internal potency performs the unalloyed service of Bhagwan and is referred to as 'bhakta' or devotee.

Bhakta and Bhagwan are one non-dual composed of two moods or aspects: the predominating and the predominated, the enjoyer and the enjoyed, the served and the servitor, the object of worship and the worshipper.

Since Bhagwan is beyond our limited intellect, we cannot know Him by virtue of our merit alone. The only way of knowing Bhagwan is by the desire of Bhagwan Himself.

To act according to the desire of Bhagwan is to have 'priti' — affection or bhakti. Bhagwan wants the devotee to be happy. If one loves the devotee, then that person captures Bhagwan.

That is why those who love and serve Bhagwan's devotee can easily win the blessings of Bhagwan's grace. It is not difficult to love Bhagwan. Knowledge, wealth, beauty, power, etc are not required in this love.

Srimad Bhagavatam says: "Those who are intoxicated with their birth (social status), wealth, learning and beauty are incapable of uttering the name of Krishna, which can be taken by those who are bereft of all material assets".

If all the pride in the world should occupy all the space in my heart, then how can Sree Bhagwan find a place in my heart? Although a welcome sign hangs at the gate, the inside is cluttered up with so much rubbish that the invited guest has to turn away, unable to find a place to sit.

It is no use to externally extend a welcome to Bhagwan if the inside is clogged with filth

No comments:

Post a Comment