upAsana / Chanting Japa
BhAvam (emotion) plays a vital role in ensuring success in any form of upAsana.
Emotion or deep connection with one’s upAsana devata (chosen deity) is the fundamental aspect of one's spiritual pursuit without which the whole goal of upAsana fails.
बहुजापात्तथा होमात् कायक्लेशादि विस्तरैः ||
न भावेन विना चैव यन्त्रमन्त्राः फलप्रदाः |
One may indulge in extensive mantra japAs, or indulge in elaborate homas and other spiritual feats, but if one doesn't have the bhAvam (the emotional bond) towards his upAsana mUrtI, all of it will be futile. There will be no perfection attained in upAsana. The mantra or the yantram will not yield any benefits to him.
किं वीरसाधनैर्लक्षैः किम्वाऽकृष्टकुलाकुलैः ||
किं पीठपूजनेनैव किं कन्याभोजनादिभिः |
स्वकुले प्रीतिदानेन किं परेषान्तथैव च ||
किं जितेन्द्रियभावेन किं कुलाचारकर्मणा |
यदि भावविशुद्धात्मा न स्यात् कुलपरायणः ||
What is the use of all the sAdhanAs, kula pUjAs, elaborate kanya bhojanas, sAdhanAs / worship done in pIthas, observance of kulAcArAs, charities offered for the appeasement of the goddess if one lacks bhAvam?
What is the use of controlling the senses and indulging in kula sAdhanAs when one does not indulge in all of these with the required bhAvam towards his upAsana mUrtI?
All of them never fructifies nor appease the upAsana mUrtI!!
भावेन लभते मुक्तिं भावेन कुलवर्धनम् |
भावेन गोत्रवृद्धिः स्याद् भावेन कायशोधनम् ||
When one worships with bhAvam he is blessed with mukti and his family flourishes.
When one does his worship with proper bhAva, his lineage is blessed, and he attains purity of body and mind.
किं न्यासविस्तरेणैव किं भूतशुद्धिविस्तरैः |
किं वृथा पूजनेनैव यदि भावो न जायते ||
केन वा पूज्यते विद्या न वा केन प्रजायते |
फलाभावश्च नियतं भावाभावात् प्रजायते ||
Without the appropriate bhavam, what is the use of elaborate nyAsas, bhUtashuddhi or pUjAs?
If one performs all of these mechanically for the sake of doing it or racing to clock a certain amount of japa count, or due to spiritual greed to accumulate more punyAs or phalAs without any bhAva, all of these are rendered useless.
The intelligent ones should always perform his upAsana with deep attention and feelings towards his upAsana mUrti to achieve the grace of the goddess.
-- shared from forwarded message.
