Hari Om
From the Bhagavad-Gita, it can be understood that although God is equal to all and shows no particular preference or favor to anyone, He responds to the love of his true devotees who fills their minds exclusively with him, remain ever absorbed in him and worship him with supreme devotion. They are the most revered yogis who are fit for liberation (Moksha). Just as He is dearer to them, they are also dearer to him. For them he grants liberation.
In the 12th chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, we can find the following qualitative descriptions of a true devotee who is dearer to God and whose liberation is certain. The scripture promises that God truly loves such a devotee and gives him a unique place in the highest heaven.
1. The one who is without any hatred, possessiveness, self-conceit or egoism.
2. One who is friendly, kind compassionate and equal to all pairs of opposites.
3. One who remains contended, self-controlled, strong-willed with his mind fully absorbed in God and his intelligence dedicated to Him.
4. One who does not disturb anyone, nor is disturbed by others.
5. One who is free from joy, jealousy, fear and excitement.
6. One who is pure without expectations, free, dexterous, impartial, undisturbed and renounces all efforts in their undertakings.
7. One who neither likes nor dislikes, neither bemoans nor desires and gives up both the auspicious and inauspicious.
8. One who is neutral and equal to friends and foes, honor and dishonor, heat and cold, pleasure and pain, criticism and praise, and absolutely free from all attachments.
9. One who is silent and contended with whatever he / she has, without a fixed abode, stable consciousness and engaged in supreme devotion.
10. One who adheres to Dharma as ordained, with faith in God and holds him as the Supreme.
Therefore, supreme devotion is not that easy to practice. It requires a lot of discipline, self-control, inner purity, detachment, equanimity, equal-vision, knowledge and renunciation. Devotion for worldliness is not true devotion. Devotion to demigods and lower gods is not the same as devotion to the highest God or Truth (Satyam). One may go to temples, practice ritual worship, perform sacrificial ceremonies or yagyas, engage in the study of scriptures or give charity (Dhan), but these should be considered preparatory or primary, not an end in themselves. The aim should be to prepare the mind and body for the true practice of devotion and covert them as Temple of God.
Wherever there is selflessness, one can achieve anything and everything, There is no power higher than selflessness. Unselfishness is God. Selfless Love or Divine Love is that selflessness. When we are prompted by selfishness, it is only attachment and not love. Wherever there is pure love, there is God. wherever there is God there is success. Let us practice Prema or selfless love (unselfishness) and attain God in this life itself.
GF’ Blessings.
