9.34 man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (Original)

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 9

<< Chapter 9 verse 33

Simple

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

‘Fix thy heart on Me, be My beloved, be My worshipper, and bend thyself to Me. Mind thus devoted, and giving thyself up to Me, thou shalt gain Myself.’

Man-manāh=My-minded or thy heart set on Me. This means, let thy heart ceaselessly, like the continuous stream of poured oil, be fixed on Me; —Me, the Lord of all; —Me, the Sole Asylum of all excellences, exempt from fault; —Me, the Omniscient; —Me, of Indomitable Will; —Me, the sole Cause of the Universe; —Me, the Parabrahma the Purushottama; —Me of the lotus-like clear and large eyes, and of uniform blue cloud-hue; —Me of a resplendence as if a thousand suns had simultaneously shone; —Me, the Nectar-Ocean of loveliness, of arms four, broad and stout, and of effulgent orange-hued raiment,[1. Along with other texts, read
‘yuvā-suvāsāh parivītā āgāt’ Yajus, brāhmaṇa: VI-1-3, with reference to the personality of God.] —Me, ornate in immaculate diadem, fish-shaped ear-rings, garlands, bracelets, wristlets etc., —Me, again, the Ocean of infinite Mercy, Compassion, Beauty, Sweetness, Dignity, Bounty, Affection etc., —Me, the Asylum of all the globes, regardless of differences; —Me, the Sovereign Paramount.

Further, such a heart should be permeated with absorbing love for Me. He is Mad-bhaktah or My beloved. Again let him be madyāji=’My worshipper: worship resulting from the delights of enjoying Me in love. Yajna=worship, means the fullness of service that a loving leige renders to his beloved master. Service is of three kinds:—

(1). Aupachārika (=externals of worship such as waving lighted camphor, fanning etc.,) (2) sāmsparśika, (tactual service, as garlanding, smearing sandal-paste, perfumes etc.,) and (3) ābhyavahārika (=offerings, food, fruit, milk etc.). Yāga is thus rendering all kinds of pleasing services. The meaning is: let thy mind be tutored as to be ever bent on doing such loving service’.

And further bend thyself, or prostrate to Me. This means: let thy mind, —not satisfied with services rendered out of infinite love created by thy communal bliss with Me —be bent in homage and humility to Me, thy Inner Soul.

Mat-parāyaṇah or one who has given himself up, is he to whom I am the Supreme Seat (or State or Rest), or he who, independently of Me, would not exist, and therefore relies on Me.

Thus disciplining thy mind to be one-pointed towards Me, render it strong enough to be able to revel in the delights of communing with Me. Possessed of such a mind and heart (manas) thou shalt attain to Myself. The term ātmā (in the verse) stands for manas or mind.

The import of the verse is: that if with such a prepared manas, thou shouldst meditate on Me, thou shouldst enjoy Me, thou shouldst serve Me, thou shouldst prostrate to Me, and shouldst trust to Me Solely, thou shouldst gain Myself.

Thus, then, in conclusion, thou shalt carry on all thy worldly duties required for thy bodily subsistence, and scriptural duties, —viz: daily, casual etc., rites— as if all was done to please Me, as done by one who is essentially My leige, and done, being actuated to do so, by Myself. Thou shalt ever in love be engaged in singing My praises, in My services, in bowings etc. Thou shalt contemplate that the Universe is under My rule and guidance, and subsists as essentially My appendage. Thou shalt ponder and reflect over the multitude of My loveable Attributes.

Occupying thyself daily, thus, in devotion of the aforesaid description, thou shalt reach Myself.

OM TAT SAT

Thus closes The Ninth Discourse,

named Rāja-vidyā-Rāja-guhya-Yoga,

Or The Book of Kingly Wisdom, Kingly Mystery,

with Śri Rāmānuja’s commentary thereon,

in the colloquy between Śri Kṛishṇa and Arjuna,

In the Science of Yoga,

In the Divine knowledge of the Upanishads,

Śrī Bhagavān,

The Bhagavad Gītā.

>> Chapter 10

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