Devotional

श्री प्रह्लाद चरित्र श्री प्रह्लाद जी का चरित्र भगवान के प्रति अटूट प्रेम का प्रतीक है। भगवान के इस अतिप्रिय भक्त का जीवन बताता है कि भगवान से निश्चल प्रेम और ईश्वर दर्शन की तीव्र इच्छा जरूर उन्हें भक्तों के पास पहुँचा देती है। स्वामी अभेदानन्दजी ने इन प्रवचनों में प्रह्लाद जी के विशिष्ट लक्षण – शील, सत्यसंधता, जितेन्द्रिय, ब्राह्मण निष्ठा, निःस्वार्थता, गुरु में ईश्वर बुद्धि और भगवान में अपनेपन के भाव को बहुत ही सुंदर शब्दों में वर्णित किया है। इन प्रवचनों को सुनकर हमारा मन भी भगवान का आदर्श भक्त बनने के लिए प्रेरित होता है।

Worship of the Lord is not merely a mechanical activity; it is the melting of our heart for the Lord, and internal re-assertion of our total identification with God alone! Our journey towards God takes place in two steps: first through Prayer and second through Surrender. Every individual has a hidden personality within, which is of an intense, pure and selfless lover! Our worship should be done with such intense love that one day it should fructify by pulling the Lord Himself to manifest and accept our offering.
Delving into this divine episode from “Aranya Kand” of Shri Ramcharitmanas, Swami Abhedananda brings outs the subtlety of relationship between the Lord and His devotee. He shows how we can increase our sense of surrender to invoke the power of devotion within us, to make the inexpressive God expressive and active in our lives. Uncover the hidden lover within you and ornate your pure faith with implicit surrender! Thus make Lord walk towards you.

Among the 3 main paths to salvation (Gyaan, Karma & Bhakti) as described in Srimad Bhagavad Geeta by Lord Krishna, “Bhakti Yoga” is the essence of Chapter 12 which deals with the path of reaching God through surrender and devotion. In these talks, Swami Abhedananda beautifully unravels the secret of devotion as expounded in Geeta. Swamiji has elaborated on essential topics like – who is a real devotee? Which type of devotee does the Lord love the most? How can we please God through devotion? Why and how should we surrender to the Lord’s will? These and many other inspiring questions get answered in these discourses on Bhakti yoga.

The 10th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is the heart of Lord Krishna. Among the many Leelas of Lord Krishna’s divine lifespan, His childhood leelas are most adorable because they are an epitome of love, innocence, playfulness, mischief and also His powerfully divine Godliness. The same Lord who is seeking attention of His Mother Yashoda and crying for a handful of butter, is also the one who effortlessly destroys the demoness Pootna and dances on the hundred hooded Kalia, just for the sake of protecting His friends. How to love such an enchanting Lord and how to train our mind to see Lord’s love for us?
Swami Abhedananda here through the Bal Gopal Leela of Lord Krishna from Srimad Bhagavatam answers these questions and much more. Swamiji with his voice dipped in the nectar of devotion, takes the listeners to Vrindavan. Hearing about the Lord’s Leelas, the mind automatically gets absorbed, eagerly waiting to drown in the bliss of His divine LOVE.