The Essence of Sadhana Bhakti
Some people do not practice Roopdhyan during kirtans. Others do not clap, while some do not sing along. This is not the proper way to practice sadhana.
Although Roopdhyan is the foremost devotional practice, you should also engage your senses in God's service. God has given you these senses for this very purpose - to engage them in His service. The goal is to dedicate every sense to Him.
The sages, headed by Shaunaka, told Suta Ji:
"bile batorukramavikramān ye na śṛṇvataḥ karṇapuṭe narasya।
jihvāsatī dārdurikeva sūta na copagāyatyurugāyagāthāḥ॥"
God has given you these ears to hear. The ears can be used in two ways. They can hear worldly gossip, discussions about sense objects, or even the conversations of wicked people, all of which lead to spiritual downfall. Or they can hear God's names, qualities, pastimes, and the lives and teachings of His saints, which lead to one's ultimate welfare.
If a person does not use their ears to hear topics related to God, those ears are as useless as a snake's hole. Similarly, a tongue that does not sing kirtan or speak about God, but is instead occupied with worldly talk, is as useless as a frog that croaks meaninglessly throughout the rainy season. In the same way, hands, feet, the head, and every other limb are useless if they are not engaged in God's service.
Listen to worldly matters only as much as necessary. If someone begins unnecessary worldly discussions, politely excuse yourself and leave. Whatever you repeatedly hear occupies your mind. Those thoughts gradually influence your actions, and eventually your entire character.
sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkraturbhavati। yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kurute। yatkarma kurute tadabhisaṃpadyate॥
In other words, everything depends upon your thoughts. Thoughts can lead you to God, or they can lead you toward hell. Remember this well. Whatever you think about repeatedly shapes your actions, and those actions ultimately determine your destination.
This is why association has such a powerful influence. Even great personalities like Ajamil, who had control over his senses, and Saubhari Muni, who meditated while submerged in water, eventually suffered spiritual downfall due to kusang (bad association).
The senses greatly influence the mind and the thoughts it produces. Therefore, they should all be engaged in God's service. Use your feet to walk to the place of sankirtan. Use your tongue to sing the kirtan. Use your hands to clap. In this way, engage all your senses in your devotional practice.
This human body is temporary. Therefore, accumulate spiritual wealth quickly, just as dacoits loot whatever they can and immediately flee. Keep your mind absorbed in the divine realm so that you can remember God at the time of death.
At present, you have not yet developed enough practice to remain continuously absorbed in Roopdhyan and experience its bliss. The form of God appears in your mind for a moment and then disappears. As a result, you become bored or sleepy.
The mind must always be engaged in sadhana. However, when the senses are also actively engaged - by singing, clapping, and listening - the mind remains more focused, making it easier to avoid distraction, boredom, and sleep.
The Vedanta Sutras advise that one should be especially careful while doing sadhana:
- āsīna saṃbhavāt - Sit attentively. Be alert. Sit cross-legged with your back straight.
- dhyānācca - Practice Roopdhyan. Merely sitting down for sadhana is not enough.
Never trust the mind. It is a great enemy and has brought about the downfall of many great yogis and sadhaks. Therefore, remain vigilant. Avoid bad association, engage both your senses and your mind in God's service, and practice Roopdhyan with alertness.
If you practice in this way, you will make the best use of every moment and progress rapidly on the spiritual path. Otherwise, your spiritual progress will remain stagnant, and you will continue to stay in the first grade.
Receiving a human birth, meeting a genuine Guru, and developing a sincere longing for sadhana through detachment from the world - these three are the highest expressions of God's grace.
Now it is your responsibility to practice. Do not become careless. Remain alert and engage wholeheartedly in your sadhana.
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