||Om Nama: Shivaya||

 

Chapter –84  – Rudra Samhitha/Sati Khanda – 23 – Bhakti Prabhava Varnnanam

 

Shravanam Keerthanam Chaiva Smaranam Sevanam Thadha| Dhasyam Thadharchanam Devi Vandhanam Mama Sarvadha||

 

Lord Bhrama speaks “Oh! Mune, thus the divine couple Lord Shiva and Devi Sati spend blissful married life for a long time, eventually, she has become less interested in passionate sports. One day, Devi Sati reverentially prostrated before supreme Lord Mahadeva and requested with folded hands “Oh! Devadeva, Oh! Mahadeva, Oh! Karunasagara, Oh! Prabho, Oh! Dheenodhdhara, Oh! Mahayogin, kindly shower your compassionate grace on me. Oh! Paramapurusha, Oh! Swami, you are beyond Rajas, Thamas and Sathvika/Triguna, you have Saguna and Nirgunaswaroopa as well, Oh! Mahaprabhu, you are Sarvasakshin/reside as a soul in the Jeeva, all-pervasive, and pure. I am fortunate to become your consort and take part in various passionate sports. Oh! Bhagavan, Oh! Bhakthavathsala, you have most benevolent, showered your grace by accepting me as your consort. Oh! Natha, you have pleased me with various amorous sports, Oh! Maheshana, I am contented in my marital life, Oh! Devadevesha, I would like to learn the supreme Thaththva, Oh! Hara, so that the Jeeva could cross the unfathomable ocean of worldly existence, which is nothing but miseries and sorrows, that leads to vicious cycles of rebirths.”

 

Lord Bhrama speaks “Oh! Mune, Devi Sati earnestly appealed to Lord Shankara, to describe the highly confidential philosophy which could protect the Jeeva from the cycles of rebirths and provides eternal bliss/Moksha/a state which is free from miseries and sorrows. Bhagavan who was immersed in the Yogic practices affectionately spoke to Devi Sati. “Oh! Devi, Oh! Dhakshayani, Oh! Maheshwari, listen to me carefully; I shall explain those highly confidential supreme philosophies which could liberate the Jeeva from the miseries and sorrows of the worldly existence. Oh! Parameshwari, the knowledge of the all-pervasive supreme Bhramam is the superior knowledge, Oh! Priye, the Jeeva rarely gets to know that knowledge of ‘Athman’ resides as a soul in them, I am the sincere servant of that supreme Bhramam. The devotion to that supreme Bhramam provides eternal bliss and liberation from the vicious cycles of rebirth. The devotion and the knowledge of that Bhramam can be achieved only with the grace of me. The supreme wisdom and devotion have no difference, the Jeeva who have pure devotion achieves the knowledge as well as perpetual happiness, and hence Bhakti is the supreme tool to achieve the bliss. Oh! Devi, I am always compassionate to my devotees, I am not impartial to my devotees, and I easily get pleased with the devotion. Oh! Devi, there are two types of devotion, Anyabhakthi, and Anannyabhakthi/unconditional/natural devotion, further, it is divided into six, hence the division of Bhakti continues. Oh! Ume, Oh! Priye, Oh! Dhakshaje, I shall describe the nine folds of Bhakti, listen to them carefully. The nine types of Bhakti are 1) Shravanam/listening to the scriptures, glorious legends of supreme Lord 2) Keerthanam/sing in praise of Lord 3) Smaranam/contemplation upon that all-pervasive supreme Bhramam which is free from attributes 4) Sevanam/worship of the supreme Lord and serve the devotees of Lord 5) Dhasyam/service to Lord and devotees of the Lord as a sincere servant, complete surrender with perfect self-control, 6) Archana/worship of the deity and performance of Shodashaupachara to that supreme Lord 7) Vandhanam/meditation upon that supreme Lord Mahadeva with particular gestures, and recitation of Manthra touching the limbs. 8) Sakhyam is another kind of devotion, considering the supreme Lord as a constant companion, 9) Athmasamarppanam is another way of pleasing the deity. Oh! Devi, these nine types of devotion would provide eternal bliss, fearlessness, serenity, and liberation from the cycles of birth and death. Oh! Devi, these nine types of Bhakti/Navadhabhakthi would bestow devotion, and knowledge of that supreme Bhramam to Jeeva, they enjoy worldly pleasures without getting attached to it and attain salvation. Oh! Priye, offering the bale leaves in the veneration would highly please me, the devotion would keep the Jeeva from the interest in worldly matters and get detached to it, and I dearly love the devotee who has immense devotion and faith in me. Oh! Deveshi, there is no superior method to achieve that Paramathma Parambhramam/me, other than Bhakti, therefore the pure devotion is considered as significant in the four Yugas. In the Kali era, the Bhakti/pure devotion provides all that yearned/Athmagnana and salvation to the Jeeva. Oh! Devi, the Gnana/wisdom and Vairagya/renunciation would grow old in the Kali era; the Jeeva could achieve that wisdom/Paramathma Parambhramam and detachment only with the practice of pure devotion. Oh! Devi, in the Kali era, the practice of devotion would provide all the desired by the Jeeva, I am subservient to my devotees, I will not leave my devotees in distress and troubles, I will not leave my devotees undergo miseries and sorrows of worldly existence, protect them from enemies or create obstructions to them. Oh! Devi, it was Kamadeva who created an obstruction to my Tapasya got burned down to ashes, I have destroyed the ‘Kala’ who chased after my sincere devotee. Oh! Devi, I have fought with that Lord Surya for my devotee, I have abandoned Ravana for the sake of my devotee Rama, and I have protected the Kashi and the Vedic Bhramins from the threat. Oh! Deveshi, I am always subservient to my devotees.”

 

Lord Bhrama speaks “Oh! Mune, Devi Sati felt immensely delighted listening to Lord Mahadeva about the description of the significance of Bhakti, she reverentially prostrated before him. Devi Sati requested Lord Shiva to explain the legends from the scriptures, Manthras, Yantra, and Shastras. The Mahayogin the supreme Lord Shiva described all that Devi Sati wanted to know from him, thus Bhagavan beautifully narrated various legends from the Purana to Jagadamba Parameshwari, Jagathjanani. Lord Mahadeva explained the Varna/Bhraman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and the  Ashrama Dharma/Bhramacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sanyasa, also explained the duties involved in the four Ashram and Varnna and the duties of the King, children, wives, etc. Bhagavan Parameshwara explained the benefits of observance of Varnna and Ashramadharma, and details of Samudhrikalakshmanam, and many more. In this way, the divine couples spend beautiful hours discussing the various Shastras, Puranas, and subjects of various topics/64 art forms, etc. and happily sported in the hills of Kailash and Himalaya.”