T Ram Sewak

NAVADHA BHAKTI

The story of Shri Ram has been and continues to be told by innumerable saints and poets in many languages and mediums. However, Shri Ramcharitmanas remains the most famous narration, and devotees of Shri Ram find in it a continuous oozing of the bhakti rasa.

Shri Ramcharitmanas repeatedly underscores bhakti as the simplest and easiest path - the one dearest to HIM. It contains some matchless personification of bhakti in the form of Lord Shiva, Bharat, Lakshman, Hanuman, Kewat, Jatayu, Sharbhang and many more. However, Sabari is one bhakt that stands out and receives immense recognition and grace from Shri Ram himself.

Shri Ram proclaims in his delightful conversation with Sabari (Shri Ramcharitmanas 3.35);

"kaha raghupati sunu bhamini bata, manahun ek bhagati kara natanavadha bhagati kahaun tohi pahin"

"Listen, O good lady, I recognise no other kinship except that of devotion.Now I tell you the nine forms of devotion..."

Shri Krishna makes a similar declaration in Gita 9.29 when HE says that while he is the same to all beings, those who worship him with bhakti are in him, and he is also in them.

Sabari was a simple, old, forest-dwelling woman. No person with excellent knowledge, beauty, wealth, or power, yet Shri Ram expounds to her the treasure of Navadha Bhakti. While guiding us on that path, his sermon pays tribute to her resolute and steadfast bhakti, recognising her immense greatness as a bhakt. HE emphasises that irrespective of caste, lineage, dharma, wealth, accomplishments, etc., he considers a person lacking in bhakti worth no more than a cloud without water.

Shri Ramcharitmanas frequently asserts the paramountcy of bhakti, especially in Kaliyuga. In 7.86, Shri Ram tells Kakbhushundiji (a sage in the form of a crow) that although he loves everyone and everything because all is his creation, nonetheless, his bhakt is the one dearest to him.

Shri Ram's revelation of Navadha Bhakti follows. / DAILY WORLD /

Namami Ramam Musings-22

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com