TALK 32 by Prabhuji (APR 18, 12.21)
Let us further contemplate on Bhakti or Devotion. One aspect of bhakti called Bhava. Bhava means ‘feeling’. In devotion there is a devotee and deity. Bhakta and Bhagavan. The feeling of bhakta to Bhagavan is called Bhava. So you can take different Bhavas in Devotion. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa when he meditated on Sri Rama he took the bhava of Hanuman, as Hanuman had devotion to Rama he took the bhava of Hanuman, Dasya Bahva. He started living on a tree eating fruit like a monkey and had devotion to Rama. In devotion you can take one Bhava.
Different Bhavas are there. Like Dasya Bhava, I am the servant of the lord, the best example is Hanuman, any work you do you do it as a servant of lord. In Dasya Bhava any work you convert into the service of lord. Any action you do as service or offering to the lord exemplified by Hanuman or Rama. So you can take whichever bhava you want, ultimately it will manifest in you. So the effect of Dasya bhava is whatever you do in life you become successful in life. Because all life the work is done as god as the Master, you will become very successful in life, and all your actions will become Karma yoga.
Then Vatsalya bhava is there, taking lord as a child, Bhagavan as the child. The example of Vatsalya bhava is Yashodha who took care of Krishna as a mother. So motherly love for a child is called Vatsalya bhava.
Then there is a Sakhya bhava for which the example is Krishna and Arjuna. Arjuna is Sakhya or friend, in friends you don’t have any secrets, and you don’t hide anything. You share with each other, there is openness, and you feel you are connected to God as friend and because of that divine will help you more as friend.
Then there is a Prema Bhava exemplified by Radha and Krishna, Shiva- Parvati. Here the person takes Bhagavan as husband or spouse. The Bhakti of Meera Bai and Akkamahadevi was of this nature. In this kind of Bhakti there is lot of intimacy lot of closeness. There is a deep understanding of the lord in this nature.
Then there is Guru-Shishya bhava. In this bhava, you take Bhagavan as Guru or Guru as Bhagavan. When you take the form of Shishya the devotion is to the Guru as the Supreme Lord. The main phala of this bhava is that, a deeper understanding of the subject happens and over a time the Shishya merges with the form of guru. Later he will start teachings others, he will have the realisation what his Guru had. These are the different bhavas. While doing Bhakti you should choose that bhava which suits you, which is appropriate for you.
Transcription by Atmajyothi Satyavathi
Light of The Self Foundation 