[Advaita-l] Is Bhakthi necessary?

[Shyam]

PranAms,

The following posts on my blog are relevant to this
topic and may perhaps be of some help.


http://poornamadam.blogspot.com/2007/03/does-devotion-or-bhakti-have-role-in.html
http://poornamadam.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-could-adi-sankara-who-preached.html

Hari OM
Shri Gurubhyoh namah

Shyam



--- srikanta at nie.ac.in wrote:

> The term Bhakthi can be interpreted in many ways.One
> is by Upasana with
> the Upasaka(the worshipper) and the Upasya(the
> object worshipped).In
> ancient times man wondered at the creation and the
> phenomena and started
> wondering what was the source of it all.When he
> started thinking that he
> is also part of the creation,that was the starting
> point of his
> enamouring,which we may call Bhakthi.He could see
> the difference between
> him and the rest of the creatures,he came to know
> that he had another
> component to his thinking,which he called
> emotions.He was many times
> overwhelmed by the source which he called the
> creator, the God,,he forgot
> himself,and could discern that in his forgetting of
> his ego,there is
> extreme peace.The modern man can go one step
> further.while listening to
> melodious Thyagaraja keerthanas,the Bhakti pravaha
> of Annamacharya,the
> offering of Meerabhai,Kabir bhajans, he is elevated
> to unknown dimensions
> where there is no ego.This may be called
> Bhakthi.Shankara defines Bhakti
> as "taila dharavath"followed with the same
> interpretation by 
> Ramanuja,that it is like the incessant flowing down
> of oil.These unusual
> moments are worthy to cherish.The tears that flow
> from the eyes washes
> away all sins.In his interpretation of the
> line"sarvam Vasudevamiti sa
> mahatma sudurlabah",and "Ananyascintayanto mam ye
> janah parypasate!
>                  tesam nityabhiyuktanam yogakshemam
> vahamyam!!"
> Shankara has brought the epitome of Bhakthi.The
> moment one is caught
> unawares, that he is doing bhakthi,then the ego
> intervenes,and misery
> envelopes the mind.
> In the Mandukyopanishad karikas,Acharya Gaudapada
> states:
>           "sukham avriyate nityam,dukham vivriyate
> sada!
>            yasyakasyaca dharmasya grahena
> Bhagawanasau"!!(Alatashanti
> prakarana)
>            "The bliss is always veiled,the misery
> always unfolds,when this
> Lord is grasped by this or that notion".
> 
>                                                   
> N.Srikanta.
> 
> 
> 
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