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Where Does Devotion Culminate Into?
In my opinion, no yoga, whatever be its name, can have a successful
culmination in the abhyasi's spiritual adventure unless the yoga culminates
in bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga here does not mean what it
normally means in religious circles, i.e., bhajan, sankeertan,
emotional dances and what not, but the real love in the heart of the
abhyasi which very often is not apparent to anyone else except the Master
himself. This love for the Divine Master is something which has no outward
emotional content in it, which does not have to be expressed in tears
of anguish on separation or tears of joy on reunion; but wherever the
Master be, it continues to quietly simmer in the heart of the abhyasi
who is now the lover longing for union with the beloved.
I remember Master once explaining to me what this devotion really means.
He told me of an abhyasi of Samarth Guru Shri Ram Chandraji Maharaj
known among us as Lalaji Saheb. This abhyasi was so devoted to the Grand
Master that often he used to prepare coffee in his home and take it
to the court and Lalaji Saheb would tell him that he had been longing
for coffee at that time. This abhyasi also used to wake up by himself
in the night and be ready with a bath towel and water anticipating Lalaji's
visit to the bathroom. This is the degree of devotion that we should
try to create in ourselves. There can be no question of real progress
in spirituality unless we love our Master so much and so deeply that
we evoke in Him a Divine love for us. This then is the culmination of
sadhana where, having done all we can, by giving our total love to the
Master, He is in a sense compelled to take us up from there to complete
our journey to the goal.
Dedication means so many things, but to me it means doing His work
in His consciousness, for His sake. This is dedication. I hope you
would all do your work, even on yourself, in that spirit. When we do
it thinking, "I am going to become a Yogi, I am going to become
a Master", you know we are destined to destroy ourselves. Even
what I become, it is for His sake. Often I think of a bride, you see,
who dresses herself up superbly for his sake, not for her sake! Isn't
it? Suppose a bride dresses up and sits in front of a mirror and looks
at herself, you know, she is a narcissist! The husband will say, "Come."
She says, "No, no; I am admiring my beauty." "It is for
me to admire your beauty, that you have dressed up so much! What is
your beauty for? It is for me!
So, let us remember, that even our spiritual growth, even to the highest
level, is for His sake, not for our sake. Because we are not here to
become Rishis or Munis or Masters or Gods. Forget all
this nonsense. Master says so many things to encourage us: "I make
Masters." Yes, but for whose sake? He did not say, it is for His
sake; so that His work may be furthered, His work may be strengthened,
His plan may be fulfilled. We build a house not for the sake of the
house. It is for us that we build it. Isn't it? Suppose the house says,
"Yes, you have built me, now get out." Or suppose your son
says [which many fathers have to face unfortunately]: "Yes dad,
you have done enough for me, now let us say goodbye." Increasingly
we find these things, you see. How hurt we feel: how much our heart
is broken! The son thinks that we did it for him: but we did not do
it for anybody - it was the natural thing. I did my duty to him out
of love for him; and it is not for him to betray me. It is for him to
also recognise that there is a reciprocal flow from him to me! If that
is dammed, the connection is cut.
So, in that sense Master's work on us is for His work. He makes us,
so that we may serve Him, and in serving Him, serve the purpose of the
Almighty or Nature, whatever you wish to call it. So please remember,
we are here, not for our personal aggrandisement. Our growth is for
His sake, our ennoblement is for His sake, our spiritual elevation is
for His sake; and if at all we are ever going to be Divinised, that
too is for His sake.
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