PHRASES IN THE GITA - 150

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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 150

भक्त्या तु अनन्यया शक्य ।  (अध्याय ११ - श्लोक ५४)

பக்த்யா து அநந்யயா ஶக்ய ..  (அத்யாயம் 11 - ஶ்லோகம் 54)  

Bhaktyaa Tu Ananyayaa Shakya ..  (Chapter 11 - Shlokam 54)

Meaning :  One can find me only through Ananya Bhakti ..

Anya is other ..  Ananya is "No other" ... "None other" ..  "Only This"  "Only Him" ..

Every one of us has framed a definition of Bhakti or 'devotion' ..  "Applying Religious marks over forehead" ;  "wearing garlands of beads" ;  "regular and elaborate worship" ;  "regular visits to Temples" ;  "Regular visits to sacred rivers and holy centers" ;  "participation in Religious rituals and festivals" ;  "studying Religious texts and listening to discourses on Religion" etc. are various yardsticks for our measurement of Devotion' ..  We define Devotion on the basis of such measures and regard ourselves to be Religious or a devotee ..  Just as we grade even mundane items like a Dosa as 'Ordinary' , 'special' and 'very special' ..  we also grade devotion as 'ordinary' 'higher' and 'super' ..  If someone has a mark on his forehead , he is a devotee ..  If he has marks applied all over his body , he is a 'super devotee' ..  If a person wears a simple garland of small beads , he is a devotee ..  If he has many and of larger beads and also wrist bands, armbands etc . he is a 'super devotee' ..  If he performs worship for a few minutes , he is a devotee ..  The more elaborate his worship , the greater is his devotion ..

Shri Krishna has only one definition for Bhakti or devotion ..  He often repeats it in the Gita ..  Ananya Bhakti ...  Devotion which has 'no other' ..  Devotion to 'none other' ..  We claim to have surrendered to His Will ...  But , struggle to get appointment with politician , fall at his feet , flatter him to get a favour ..  We stand at the Altar of God and pray , 'It is all Your Will ..  May you decide what is best for me" ..  We'll come out of temple and go straight to the astrologer and perform acts and rituals to get what we ourselves want for us ..  "Om Satya Swaroopaaya Namah" .. we chant .. "Oh !  the personification of Truth" on the one hand .. But , never hesitate to resort to untruthful and unethical practices .  We justify the same by saying 'this is inevitable in professional practice' ..  We sing hymns .. "Thou art my protector" but run after Insurance , whole body check-up , Mediclaim etc to protect ourselves ..  "You are my Goal in life" we assure the God , but chase posts , positions and awards ..  Shree Krishna rejects all these types of devotion ..  He says , "Only Ananya Devotion" ..  devotion to none else , other than the Divine ..  Devotion and nothing else ..