Why Doesn’t My Devotion Grow?

Question 
I have been practicing devotion regularly and put in my best effort towards doing roopdhyan. Still, why is there no noticeable improvement in my devotion?

Answer
The word sadhana means to make a conscious, disciplined effort and practice to achieve a goal. The practice of devotion is called Sadhana bhakti. The sole purpose of Sadhana bhakti is to detach our mind from worldly matters and attach it fully and only to God. In scriptural terms it is called purification of mind. This world is insentient. It doesn’t have any bliss or sorrow so it can give neither bliss nor sorrow. However, being unaware of the true nature of the world due to one’s own fulfilled and unfulfilled expectations from the world one becomes miserable [1]. The fulfillment of desires leads to greed, while unfulfilled desires lead to anger, both of which ultimately make us miserable. God on the other hand is the unfathomable ocean of bliss. Hence attaching your mind to God, fills you (the soul called jeev) with unlimited bliss. 

In other words, we need to practice devotion (sadhana) to detach our mind from the sansaar-The World and attach it to God. God and bliss are synonymous words. Jeev is sentient but a non-doer. Mind on the other hand is insentient, yet, by the power it gets from the jeev, it rules the senses[2][3]. So, our scriptures consider the insentient mind to be the doer. Since our mind is material, it has a natural affinity towards the material world. Therefore, it is essential to perform a two-fold practice

1. The practice of bhakti to increase our love for God [4][5], 
2. Abstaining from those things that attract the mind towards material objects. ​

This is no different from what we do in our everyday lives to heal. For example, while prescribing medicines and exercise regimen to a diabetes patient, the doctor also instructs them to exercise restraint in eating oily foods, sweets, and simple carbohydrates. Similarly, while practicing bhakti, our scriptures also prescribe being wary of things that draw us towards the material world.

So, what are those things that one needs to abstain from?

Those are called anarth (Devanagari: अनर्थ ISO15919: anartha). These anarth are of four types and all of them pose a significant hindrance in sadhana. 

Jeev has been under the clutches of Maya for innumerable lifetimes. Therefore, out of ignorance jeev has been committing these offenses continually. Moreover, these offenses are very harmful. 

How does one stop doing these and help oneself? How do I improve my lot? 

This is a great question. Our Vedic scriptures do not merely tell the problems that plague us. They also prescribe the method to solve the problem and attain out goal.. Continue reading to know the how to stop making these offences and .

Elimination of anarth

As discussed earlier, the continuous practice of Sadhana bhakti while being mindful to abstain from aforementioned anarth, is the only remedy. Being mindful of these anarth is the first step.

Bhakti would gradually reduce all anarth. Other than performing sadhana diligently and regularly, no extra effort needs to be exerted. Just as the consumption of food automatically gives energy and satisfaction, the practice of devotion brings cognizance and detachment. 

As the bhakti increases the tendency to engage in these anartha gradually dissipates [6]. This dissipation is called anarth-nivṛtti. This process of eradication of anarth starts from the one start performing sadhana bhakti under the guidance of a bona fide saint []. And upon perfecting the bhakti all these anartha also are eradicated once and for all.

In a nutshell, bhakti alone is the remedy to attain eternal servitude of Shri Krishna [15] and become free from the miseries of the world.

So, the invariably precise medicine (amogh dava) [16] to alleviate all the pain and suffering is bhakti []. 
​

When you eat, with every morsel you feel fuller, satiated and gain strength. Similarly, when you do Sadhana bhakti all the attachment to worldly objects reduces [17], pain and suffering diminishes [18], and happiness increases [19]. When by the grace of Guru you reach Siddha bhakti all pain and suffering is gone forever and ever. This is called ātyantika anartha-nivṛtti (आत्यन्तिक अनर्थ निवृत्ति). There is absence of pain and in addition, you have attained God, the source of unsurpassable happiness. 

To increase your devotion, do Sadhana bhakti and abstain from committing the anarth mentioned above. And one simple ‘do’ and one ‘don’t’ that makes all this happen is  

• Always remember God
• Never forget God

Shri Maharaj Ji says, even while doing such a trivial action like scratching a mosquito bite, visualize that He is looking at you and smiling. While doing tamasi action (like sleeping), think He will come in your dream tonight that is why you are going to sleep. In this manner, force your mind into thinking about Him all the time. And by doing such a simple thing, you can attain the greatest bliss of all, and it will stay with you forever. Also, it will be ever new and will grow forever so you can never get bored of it.

LEARN MORE

[1] Gaining Control on Anger​
[2] Karmendriyan​
[3] Gyanendriyan
[4] Practice to realize God's presence​
[5] The Right Religion​
[8] Deadliest Poison - Praise​​​
[9] Upper Planets
[20] Aim of Life​
[21] Search for Happiness​
[22] The happiness that we really seek ​
[23] Primary Benefit of Doing Bhakti​
[24] Symptoms of Surrendered Mind​
[25] Human Form: Boon or Bane?​
[26] Who Builds Our Destiny?​
[27] Destiny versus Actions

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