Devotion merely a technique to quieten the Mind?

by | Oct 15, 2024

I visited Mr Radhakrishna Chandramouli, a long-standing friend and successful banker who spent two decades in Africa and is a devout Brahmin. My son Amol accompanied me. Now retired,  Mr Chandramouli lives in his palatial house in upscale Banjara Hills in Hyderabad with his wife; his children are settled, and besides managing his financial assets online, he spends his time in active devotion to God through chanting and puja. His face radiates peace, and when he speaks, there is no attempt to please the listener or promote an idea; words come from his heart, conveying his feelings. I shared with him my unhappy frame of mind and my boundary-line lamentation about how things are rather than what they could have been.

Mr Chandramouli knows me well and has read most of my books. Without mincing his words, he pointed out my over-emphasis on intellectualising ideas and idolising things and people. He said, “The biggest illusion is this sense of ‘I’ that tries to see like a torch beam and analyse the little spot it is illuminating.” He suggested I spend more time quietly, chanting a good mantra and letting things and people go their way. Of course, he also spoke of a ceremony for my ancestors, who he says are always present overseeing what is going on with a helping mindset, even if powerless to interfere directly. He suggested I read the Uddhava Gita. I acted upon his advice, felt good after remembering and venerating my ancestors, and studied the Uddhava Gita.

Among ancient India’s Sanskrit books of wisdom, the Shrimad Bhagavata Purana is unique in its intellectual sophistication, poetic beauty, and compelling organisation. The Uddhava Gita is part of the Eleventh Book of the Shrimad Bhagavata. It is presented as a dialogue between Lord Krishna and his childhood friend and devotee, Uddhava. Shri Krishna imparts spiritual knowledge and guidance to Uddhava before he winds up his incarnation in the human world.

The teachings of the Uddhava Gita cover various topics, including philosophy, devotion, the nature of the self, the importance of righteousness (dharma), and the paths to liberation (moksha). Overall, it emphasises the significance of devotion to God (bhakti) and provides insights into leading a virtuous life while navigating the world’s complexities. This text is often considered an essential philosophical work that reflects the principles of the Vedanta and the Bhakti traditions in Hinduism.

It is time for Shri Krishna to conclude his incarnation in Dwapara Yuga, the third and the third-best of the four world ages preceded by Treta Yuga and followed by Kali Yuga. Uddhava requested Shri Krishna to grant him liberation from the mortal world. But Shri Krishna replied that something remained for Uddhava to do in this world, so he must live for some more time. Shri Krishna then disclosed to Uddhava the most confidential understanding of religious principles, whereby even a blind man can easily follow the path and ultimately attain liberation. After understanding this knowledge, Uddhava must impart it to the twin sages Nara and Narayana Rishis, residing at Shri Badrika Ashram in the Himalayas. The dialogue, or the discourse of Shri Krishna to Uddhava, is the Uddhava Gita.

There is a view that the Uddhava Gita picks up where the Bhagavad Gita and Anugita – Shri Krishna’s two revelational conversations with Arjuna – are embedded in the Mahabharata end. Both books are different, though written by Rishi Veda Vyasa, the author of eighteen major Puranas and considered a generic author of Hindu scriptures. The Uddhava Gita enhances the lessons of the Bhagavad Gita—one could even argue that it serves as a cap on the Gita tradition, with culminating knowledge and esoteric complexity about why a human life with its unique capability to imagine, especially about the afterlife, exists on planet earth. Where lies its uniqueness? What is its purpose?

There are 1100 Shlokas in the Uddhava Gita. However, the entire Uddhava Gita is condensed into six shlokas, from 7 to 12 in the first chapter. ‘Relative’ is the crucial word in Shloka 7. Shri Krishna says that everything we see and think with our eyes and brains is transient (mithya) and already headed towards its dissolution. Therefore, how can we feel safe relying on that which is perishing? How are we supposed to feel satisfied?  The critical term in Shloka 8 is ‘Separation’. Shri Krishna says living in this delusional manner is like being on a different planet in one’s mind.  After that point, we continue to divide people—me, you, mine, yours, rich, poor, etc.  ‘Direction’ is the keyword in Shloka 9. How do we avoid becoming lost in the mind or the labels? Guide the senses to the mind or through the mind, then guide the mind to the Supreme Creator behind the phenomenon.

While ‘effort’ is the subject of these three shlokas, the ‘outcomes’ are covered in the next three. ‘Joyous’ is the keyword in Shloka 10. You will be happy if you become Me, Shri Krishna extols. The depth of this relationship is Devotion. Know this and internalise it. The message in Shloka 11 is ‘Freedom’. Joyful people feel liberated, much like a baby. A baby is spontaneous, carries no burden on its mind, and lives in the present. The message of Shloka 12 is ‘Peace’. Calm people are content with themselves and naturally lend a hand to help others. Of course, these six ideas are expanded with excellent examples and through enchanting poetry in the rest of the book.

Devotion is best described as a hybrid of love and surrender. That makes it undoubtedly useful for quietening the mind. You have the confidence that ‘you are taken care of’ by the ‘Supreme Creator’. But it is often more complex than simply achieving mental tranquillity. It is a robust process of purification. As all invisible microbes die, when an operation theatre is fumigated in the hospital, in the mind of a devotee, all bad impressions of prior deeds, like bad seeds, are burned, never to sprout again. Devotional practices, such as prayer, meditation, or rituals, can help individuals concentrate and cultivate mindfulness. This focused attention can lead to a quieter mind and peace. Devotion often involves deep emotional engagement and connection to a higher power or a greater purpose. Deities, various forms of God, help.

Mine is a four-armed standing Lord carrying a discus (Sudarshan Chakra) in the upper right hand, conch (Panchajanya) in the upper left hand, mace (Kaumodaki) in the lower left hand, and lotus in the lower right hand. This emotional aspect can enhance the experience of devotion, leading to feelings of love, gratitude, and inner calm. Prayer, meditation, rituals, or singing can provide an emotional outlet, allowing individuals to release the tension and anxiety associated with daily life. This emotional catharsis can lead to a feeling of lightness and relief.

Faith in God goes much beyond the mind. In the Cosmic phenomenon of which planet Earth is a tiny part, like a sand particle in a desert, human life is no more than a worm slithering in a pit. Setting aside the ‘madness’ of ‘what I think is appropriate’, how I feel about ‘so and so’, and ‘this and that’, if we try to connect with the Oneness of the entire phenomena, it is only natural that the source energy removes the muck in the consciousness and loosens the knots in the troubled emotional heart. The knot gets created when one tries to have things in a particular way rather than accepting them as they are. Most of our energy is wasted sorting out the complications we create. Those who can’t free up their consciousness from ‘I-ness’ and ‘Mine-ness’ return to the world with a new body – crying like a helpless infant and growing up weaving a new web of relations like a spider.

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13 Comments

  1. Thanks Prof Tiwariji, for providing a capsule of spiritual Knowledge !

    Your description of the depth of devotion and internalization of it is splendid !!

  2. Hari Om Arun Tiwariji

    Thank you sir for anther beautiful article. This time on the Uddhava gita 🙂 The verses you have selected are so beautiful and the flow too is.

    Relativity, separation, direction, effort and outcome, joy, freedom and finally peace ..
    Without peace, how can there be anything- as Krishna says Ashantasya kutah sukham? 🙂

    for folks like me who want to read the Uddhav gita but have never been able to, your article appears as if Kanhaji’ himself is speaking to pass on this message to me. I am sure the message of both the Anu Gita and uddhava gita will come to me through you. Thank you for sharing your words to all of us. Upakrutosmi

  3. Just because the modern-day lifestyle is full of pleasure does not mean we should stop our devotion to Bhakti. Both can go side by side. You can live a spiritual life in the material world. You can continue to cultivate faith although you enjoy modern life. The challenge is not to be a slave of this Samsara or the material world. Enjoying material pleasures is not a sin. I find these four techniques useful.

    Digital Detox: Set boundaries around technology and social media, as these can be significant distractions from spiritual practice.

    Quality Time: Dedicate time to activities that nourish your spirit, such as nature walks, art, or music, rather than solely seeking pleasure.

    Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness in everyday activities, dedicating even mundane tasks as offerings to the divine. This practice can empower you to take control of your daily life and transform how you perceive it.

    Gratitude: Regularly reflect on what you are grateful for, recognising the divine presence in your life.

  4. Thank you, Tau Ji, for emphasising devotion in life. The nine types of bhakti are: (1) Sravana – the hearing of God’s glory and stories wherein the devotee’s mind merges in the thought of divinity. (2) Kirtana is the singing of the Lord’s glories. The devotee is ever engaged in Japa or recitation of the Lord’s Name. (3) Smarana- This is a remembrance of the Lord’s name and presence. (4) Padasevana– This is serving the service of the sick and needy because God is present in all of us. (5) Archana–purify the heart by surrendering the ego. (6) Vandana – Living in humility and with simplicity. (7) Dasya by living as a servant of God. (8) Sakhya –devotion as a friend with the Lord. Finally, (9) Atma Nivedana, the complete surrender of the self to the Lord. The devotee offers everything to God, including his body, mind and soul

  5. Dear Sir, devotion is the foundation for success in life. Everyone is devoted to something to varying degrees depending on their level of consciousness and the nature of their thinking. Devotion entails putting our minds on something, concentrating our energies on something specific, and pursuing this goal with zeal. Anything we are passionate about deserves our full attention. We should only pursue that devotion when it serves our life’s purpose and goals. If it is the drive for achievement, how do we assess success in life? It fluctuates greatly depending on our consciousness.

    Most people define success as acquiring wealth, fame, relationships, and other worldly goals. However, when we examine this success, we can see that commitment and pursuit of things result in increased bondage. There is nothing wrong with owning material possessions, but we must consider whether they have provided us with genuine and long-term enjoyment. Has it improved the world’s living conditions? Has our community benefited from this? Yes, we exist in this world, and we cannot think solely about ourselves. For us to be happy and tranquil, the entire planet must be at peace.
    Thank you for posting an interesting article.

  6. Your blog indeed resonates with peace and spirituality. Your insightful comment highlights the profound impact of devotion on personal growth.

    Key points from your comment:

    – Devotion fosters emotional and spiritual growth
    – Quiets the mind, leading to inner peace
    – Extends into personal transformation
    – Cultivates a sense of belonging

    Devotion’s transformative power:

    – Develops self-awareness and introspection
    – Encourages empathy, compassion, and love
    – Helps overcome challenges and adversity
    – Nurtures gratitude and humility

    Sense of belonging:

    – Connects us to something greater than ourselves
    – Fosters community and unity
    – Provides support and strength
    – Enhances our sense of purpose

    Your personal experience is a testament to the transformative power of devotion.

    Thankyou Dr. Saab.

  7. Such a peaceful blog. I feel devotion can also foster emotional and spiritual growth. It has done that for me atleast. So even though devotion quiets the mind, its deeper purpose often extends into personal transformation and a sense of belonging.

  8. To live a life of genuine devotion, we must seek God in our minds. Once our minds are filled with God’s image, whichever we choose, they are no longer a breeding ground for improper thoughts, and we do not indulge in wrong actions. In my personal experience, Atma Nivedana is the highest form of devotion.

    In it, one has to give up one’s identity and shed one’s ego, which is very difficult as naturally everyone loves their own Atma ‘I’ more than any other thing in their lives. So dissolving it and integrating it with supreme absolute, ineffable eternal bhagavan means all the affection and admiration for Bhagavan in the heart of a bhakt has turned into supreme love, which they used to have on themselves.

  9. Sir,
    Devotion to God is not about the procedure but a matter of feeling, as this famous Shloka says.

    आकाशात् पतितं तोयं यथा गच्छति सागरम् ।
    सर्वदेहनमस्कारः केशवं प्रतिगच्छति ॥

    Like the water falling from the sky as rain ultimately reaches the ocean in whatever form, similarly, any form of worship reaches God.

  10. Arunji, Very enriching feeling reading this article on Udhava Gita! Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece of writing.

  11. A very nice compilation.
    Beautifully summed up “TATVA MASI”
    The earlier the one realises this fact, the more serene would life be,
    Soon, we will have Deepavali… My prayers and good wishes to all.
    OM TAT SAT

  12. Arun enjoyed and enlightened reading your piece on UDHAVA GEETA. I have a copy of that but have yet to read it correctly with concentration and an analytical mind. Thanks. Best wishes.

  13. Dear Prof

    Thank you for sharing this great piece!

    It reminded me of the Serenity Prayer, which asks for peace, strength, and wisdom. All of us must become intentional about our inner peace.

    The prayer goes, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

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