Devotion, the process of rendering devotional service to the Supreme Lord, culminates in the complete realisation of God and the attainment of His spiritual abode.
There are diverse conceptions regarding the nature and characteristics of God across various religions and philosophical traditions in the world. Each offers distinct processes for experiencing and realising the Divine.
Amidst these numerous perspectives, the Vedic texts, particularly the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, provide clear and authoritative guidance. These scriptures establish Lord Krishna as the Supreme Lord and offer methods to connect with and realise Him.
Krishna Unveils How to Understand Him
In the Bhagavad-gita (11.54), Krishna reveals that He can only be understood as He is and is directly seen through uninterrupted devotional service.
This process of connecting with God through devotional service is called bhakti-yoga.
Devotional Services – Bhakti- yoga: The Top Most of All Yogas
While other forms of yoga, such as karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and ashtanga-yoga, offer ways to connect with God, they do not, by themselves, lead to a complete understanding of Krishna. These practices provide partial realisations of God and serve as steps on the path culminating in bhakti-yoga.
The yoga practice can be likened to a ladder, with bhakti-yoga representing the highest rung and other yogas representing the lower rungs.
Thus, the process of devotional service is described as the king of all education and the king of all confidential knowledge. Directly pursuing bhakti-yoga is akin to using an elevator to reach the top of a building, while practising other yogas is comparable to using a staircase.
Practicing of Bhakti-yoga
Bhakti-yoga consists of nine different activities related to the Lord: hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshipping, praying, maintaining friendship, and surrendering everything.
Out of these, the first two – hearing and chanting- are most important. The scriptures recommend chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord in the form of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Additionally, one should hear from the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam as spoken by realised souls.
Just as a physician prescribes medicine and diet to cure a patient, the process of chanting and hearing acts as medicine for the soul, while eating Krishna prasadam serves as a diet to cure ignorance about God.
Thus, the journey of devotional service begins with the tongue; by chanting Krishna’s name and honouring Krishna prasadam, the heart becomes purified, leading to the realisation of the Supreme.