The Art of Practice

Some people do not practice Roopdhyan during kirtans, some do not clap, and some do not sing along. This is not correct. Roopdhyan is the foremost devotional practice, but you should also keep your senses engaged. God has given you these senses—your aim should be to dedicate all of them to Him.

Shaunakadik Paramhamsa told Suta Ji -
bile batorukramavikramān ye na śṛṇvataḥ karṇapuṭe narasya jihvāsatī dārdurikeva sūta na copagāyatyurugāyagāthāḥ

In other words, God has given you these ears to hear and listen. These ears can either hear worldly things - such as sensual talks or the actions of dacoits, which lead to utter downfall, or they can listen to topics that lead to welfare, such as God's name, qualities, pastimes, and the biographies of His saints. If you do not listen to topics related to God, these ears are as useless as a snake hole.

The tongue that does not sing kirtan or speak of subjects associated with God, but instead talks of worldly matters, is as useless as a frog that keeps croaking all day during the rainy season. Similarly, the hands, feet, head, and other parts of the body that are not engaged in God’s service are all useless.

Listen to worldly talk only briefly and only as much as is necessary. If someone begins talking unnecessarily about worldly matters, walk away by making some excuse. This is because whatever you hear, you start to think about; whatever you think about, you tend to do; and eventually, you become like that.

sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkraturbhavati। yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kurute। yatkarma kurute tadabhisaṃpadyate॥

Everything depends on your thinking. Thoughts can make you attain God, and thoughts can also lead you to hell. Memorize this well. Whatever you repeatedly think, you will start performing actions accordingly. Your associations have a tremendous influence on you. For instance, Ajamil, who could control his senses, and Saubhari Muni, who had developed the power to meditate underwater, both suffered a downfall due to kusang (wrong association).

Therefore, use your feet to walk to the place of sankirtan, use your mouth to sing kirtan, and use your hands to clap while singing. In other words, you must engage all your senses in devotional practice. The human body is transient, so make your spiritual earnings quickly, just as dacoits loot and run. Keep your mind engaged in the divine realm so that you can remember God at the time of death.

At this point, you do not yet have enough practice to perform Roopdhyan continuously and experience bliss. Right now, the image of God forms and disappears repeatedly, and as a result, you start feeling bored or sleepy. It is the mind that must be engaged in any case. However, when you also engage your senses during sadhana, your mind becomes more involved, helping you avoid boredom or drowsiness.

The Vedanta Sutra says, "One must be cautious while doing sadhana" -

1. āsīna saṃbhavāt - Sit attentively. Be alert, sit cross-legged, and keep your back straight.
2. dhyānācca - Do Roopdhyān. Merely sitting without meditation will not help.

This mind is a great enemy - do not trust it. It has led to the downfall of many great yogis and sadhaks. Therefore, be cautious, avoid bad associations, engage your senses along with the mind, and practice Roopdhyan. By doing this, you will make the most of every moment and progress quickly. Otherwise, you will remain in the first grade.

The human body, meeting a genuine Guru, and developing a hunger for sadhana (detachment from the world) - attaining all three is the ultimate grace of God. Now you must do sadhana. So do not be careless. Be alert and perform your sadhana sincerely.

Recommended books by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj related to this topic:

The Importance of Spiritual Knowledge - English

Spirituality in Daily Living (Set of 4) - English