M any of us think that Bhakti is discovering our Ista Devata-chosen deity and getting involved with ritualistic worship, visiting the places of pilgrimage and observing vigils and fasts. And we are not really very far from truth. While Bhakti does recommend these activities for its practice, they are not its only activities, but something more, much more. The core of Bhakti is Love-feeling of oneness. Though it does start with the Ista Devata, the feeling of oneness does not stop there, but keeps expanding till one starts feeling one with this whole Existence.
Life of Sant Jnaneswar, also known as Sant Jnanadev and his three saintly siblings Nivrttinath, Sopandev and Muktabai of the late thirteenth century forms a perfect background to understand and practice this wonderful path of Love. Though born in the community of Brahmins, they were ostracised from the society and persecuted. For their tender age, they exhibited indomitable grit not only to bear the tribulation willingly but to transform the negative feelings cascaded by the society into divine emotions of compassion and unbound love.
This book tries to present the story of such transformation through the events and encounters they had with their persecutors, masses and contemporary seekers and saints. It tries to narrate the art of regaining the simplicity, faith, forgiveness, compassion and love that live in every heart.
Raghunandan Trikannad Born in Sirsi, North Karnataka in 1949, Raghunandan Trikannad completed his B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from Regional Engineering College Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. He was introduced to Paramahansa Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda in his teens. During his professional studies, he came in contact with Swami Ranganathananda, the President of Ramakrishna Math at Secunderabad (and later the thirteenth President of Ramakrishna Order, Belur West Bengal), who inspired him to take to spiritual life. He joined Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari in 1976, and shouldered the responsibilities as its Zonal Organiser, Organising Secretary and Joint General Secretary. Since 1989, he is Secretary of Ramarpan Educational Society.
After a long and bitter winter the horizon blushed, ushering in the onset of spring. It had been nearly three months after which the sun could be seen. The very sight brought about a mood of celebration all around. Under the rays of the sun, the snow started melting and the buds of crocuses raised their yellow heads out of the moist soil. The insects and songbirds broke their silence to fill the atmosphere with music. The change of beauty in Nature continues as before but many, if not most of us, are blind and deaf to notice it. Perhaps presently, humanity is passing through troubled times like never before, ruled by ambition and cut-throat competition; governed by mental involvement and sense indulgence; and afflicted with covert or overt violence. Whether the cause is God-made or man-made is really a hypothetical question. Having lost ease of living, we are being enveloped by disease ('dis-ease'). Our state of mind is stressed and body is full of strain. While most of us brush it aside as a passing state, some of us are worried about the future of generations to come. A question keeps repeating, like the pain of a thorn in the foot: Is it time to take corrective steps? If we are responsible for our problems, then we alone can and will find their solutions.
+ experimented but reached the destination of self-realisation through all of them. With his experiential understanding, he declared, 'jato mat tato path' (as many religions, so many paths). Out of all the paths, he used to strongly recommend the path of bhakti as the best for contemporary times of Kali. Many of us think that bhakti is discovering our Ista Devata the chosen deity and getting involved with ritualistic worship, visiting places of pilgrimage and observing vigils and fasts. And we are not really very far from the truth. While bhakti does recommend these activities for its practice, they are not its only activities, but something more, much more. As any spiritual practice has a central core without which the practice becomes mechanical, the core of bhakti is love feeling of oneness. Though bhakti starts with the Ista Devata, the feeling of oneness does not stop there; it keeps on expanding till one feels as if one has become one with this whole Existence. If we carefully read the biographies of the bhaktas, we find this great truth exhibited throughout their lives. Life of Sant Jnaneswar, also known as Sant Jnanadev, and his three saintly siblings Nivṛttināth, Sopandev and Muktabai-known as the holy Quartet of the late 13th century, provides a perfect background to understand and practice this wonderful path of love. Though born in the community of Brahmins, they were ostracised from the society and persecuted. At a tender age, they exhibited indomitable grit, not only to bear the tribulations willingly, but to transform the negative feelings cascaded upon them by the society into divine emotions of compassion and unbound love. We all are blessed with intelligence and enterprise, but what we now need is something more basic we need to learn the art of regaining the simplicity, faith, forgiveness, compassion and love that live in every heart. This book is an attempt to present the story of such transformation through the events Paramahansa sri Ramakrishna was a unique saint to tread diverse paths to enlightenment.
Vedas (1184)
Upanishads (497)
Puranas (627)
Ramayana (742)
Mahabharata (357)
Dharmasastras (164)
Goddess (499)
Bhakti (243)
Saints (1510)
Gods (1289)
Shiva (372)
Journal (184)
Fiction (60)
Vedanta (360)
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Visual Search
Manage Wishlist