Sadhana Panchakam, Instruction 10

Translation and Commentary by Jayaram V

2.2. Strengthen your devotion to God

Devotion is of many types, the devotion of the worldly type, the devotion of the desire-ridden, the devotion of the asura, the devotion of gods, the pure devotion of a pure devotee, and the devotion of a brahma-yogi or an enlightened seer. The Bhagavadgita (7:16) identifies the devotion of four types of devotees, “the unhappy and distressed people, the curious and inquisitive ones, the seekers of material wealth and the knowers of the Self.” Of them the last one, the devotee who is self-absorbed with single-minded devotion is considered the best and dearest to God. One reaches that stage only after numerous births and deaths and cultivates purity through good karma in the past lives.

Thus, devotion is the culmination of a long process. You cannot force yourself into it or cultivate true and selfless devotion, when your mind still craves for worldly pleasures and your mind is not free from desires and attachments. A person with a strong ego cannot cultivate true devotion. He remains devoted to himself and his pursuits. The asuras exemplify their egoistic devotion. They try to use devotion and God to achieve their ends.

You may experience devotion, but it will be an expression of your nature as determined by the predominance of gunas in you. In the impure states of consciousness, you will look at God as another object which you want to possess just as you want to possess and own numerous other worldly things. Your devotion will be just another desire-ridden action which you perform to seek things or fulfill your desire or satisfy your ego. Therefore, if you want to practice true devotion, you have to focus upon purifying your mind and body and free yourself from the impurities of egoism, attachments, ignorance, delusion, etc.

How can you strengthen devotion to God? All the previous instructions will help, including the practice of satsang. When you spend time in the company of holy people, you are bound to be influenced by them and begin to reflect their sattvic nature, which will lead to devotion. Devotion does arise in a vacuum. It needs a fertile mind nourished by knowledge, virtue and sattva.

The Bhagavagata Purana lists nine forms of devotional practices namely sravana (listening), kirtana (singing), smarana (rememberint), padasevana (serving at the feet), archana (worshipping), vandana (prostrating), dasya (acting as a servant), sakhya (serving as a friend) and atmanivedana (surrendering). They are every effective in keeping the mind filled with devotion and engaged in the thoughts of God.

According to Shankara, devotion can be cultivated by practicing dispassion (vairagya), austerities and penances and by performing one's duties without desires. The Bhagavadgita provides guidance in the following words, "With your mind absorbed in my thoughts, be devoted to me; make sacrifices to me; and bow down to me with folded hands. Being absorbed thus in the self, you will certainly come to me who is your supreme goal.”

If liberation is the aim, you have to strive for the purest form of devotion, in which you seek nothing but oneness with the self. You will strive to cultivate divine virtues and the predominance of sattva to be like him, so that there will not be any barriers that prevent you from seeing God within yourself or experience self-absorption. God does not illuminate everyone, nor does he grants liberation to everyone. He reciprocates your love and devotion in the manner you worship him and liberates only those who purify themselves, absorbing their minds in him.

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