Guiding Light: WWW – Worship Without Wavering – Part 2

We must realize that our relationship with God/Truth is Absolute. It is not relative or temporary. In the world our relationships are ‘because of’ and they are ephemeral. But the relationship with God is permanent and continues life after life, ‘inspite of’ whatever we are and what we do.
Anecdote: Once someone approached Poojya Gurudev with a postcard and requested for an autograph. The postcard had the picture of sunrise and a bird flying across the sky. At once Poojya Gurudev wrote – “From alone to Alone all alone.”
From alone(egoistic existence) to Alone(Non-Duality) all alone(all of us alone because of our unique vasanas and past karma).

When we realize the above fact deeply, we will not waste time and energy in strengthening temporary relationships, in trying to please people, win them over, expecting their love and appreciation etc. We will give love to them selflessly and be happy in that Giving. Our attention is on strengthening the Permanent Relationship with the Lord.

Like all the Great Devotees and Saints, we must cultivate a definite relationship towards God. Meera had the relationship of a beloved. Hanumanji – a servant. Ramakrishna – A child. Sudama – a friend. Prahlad – Protector etc.
We have to ask – What is my relationship with the Lord?

MPG – My Personal God:
In the Hindu Tradition, this concept is called – “Ishta Devata” The devotee chooses the dearest form of the Lord from the infinite forms of the Lord. Every form can be an altar of worship because all forms have come from Him alone. Any object – a chair, a car, a computer etc. can be an object of worship provided we have that Vision. To inculcate this Vision, certain special forms are suggested. Eg. Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Rama, Govinda, Devi, Durga, Gayatri etc.
In the Geeta Sri Krishna says - “In whichever whichever form the devotee worships me with faith, I bless him with unshakable faith in that form.”

Poojya Gurudev said “Hindus are not idol-worshippers but IDEAL- Worshippers.”
Thus through the form we worship the ideals and lift our minds to a higher vision.

WWW – Worship Without Wavering is to hold on to one form and one name(mantra) of the Lord. One must not keep changing these - One Pantha(path). One Santa(Guru). One Mantra(Holy name) & One Grantha(Scripture). One respects all other paths, gurus, names and scriptures but one has chosen for oneself what appeals to one and gets focused with that alone.

The form is a means to cultivate single-pointedness and purity of the mind. When the mind is pure and concentrated, it can drop the form and contemplate on the formless. If we keep changing the forms, the mind which is fickle and restless will not attain single pointedness.

Having chosen the form, one worships the form.
Sri Krishna says in the Gita – “Whoever offers Me with devotion even a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that I accept, offered by the pure-minded with devotion.”

One begins the worship of the form at the altar with devotion and slowly expands to find the expression of the Lord in the entire creation and channelizes all the emotions, action, thoughts etc. to the Lord. Devotion does not remain restricted to a few actions but it becomes the vision of life which permeates one’s entire being and every action has the hue of devotion.

Earlier one was – “father, friend, employer, husband, son and a devotee also.” Now, one is a devotee first and last. Hence one is a devoted husband, devoted friend, devoted employer, devoted son etc. Every other relationship is because the Lord is present in them. Psychologically, I relate with the Lord in them. Functionally I play the roles as a game. Thus devotion pervades one’s whole life.

This single-pointed worship – WWW – Worship Without Wavering is called in the Gita as – “Ananya Yoga” Devotee mind is absorbed in thinking of the Lord and the Lord alone. Finally the Devotee comes to merge with the Lord as per the promise of the Lord.