Guidance from the Guru

(Letter 12)

Swami Tapovan Maharaj

Om Narayana Smriti

Uttarkasi,
22-1-1953

With good wishes.

Your letters make it clear that you are the devotees of Sri Krishna. Devotion to Krishna is indeed great. It can be the result of only great merit. By repeated acts of devotion, strengthen your devotion. Repeat Krishnamantra, listen to Bhagavata, etc., that recount His glory, repeat His names. See the whole world as the manifestation of the Lord – in these ways you can intensify your devotion. Then fondness for worldly matters and attachment to them will vanish. Thereby the mind will become perfectly clean and capable of concentrating itself unintermittently on God Principle.

In the scriptures it is bhakti itself that is indicated by the word upasana. Upasana is performed at a time in relation to one deity. To the devotee at the time of the upasana one deity is more important than all others. That is why the deity is designated as Ishta Devata (Chosen Deity). If Krishna is your chosen deity always meditate upon Him, repeat chiefly Krishna mantra and thus specially devote yourself to the sadhanas directed to Krishna.

There is nothing that cannot be achieved by devotion. It brings liberation that once and for all eliminates birth and death. Of course, the means to liberation is jnana : but that jnana too is obtained by whole-hearted devotion, dadami buddhiyogam tam says Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Krishna blesses His devotees giving him the light of jnana which destroys the darkness of ignorance all together. Thus, with none of the Herculean labours required to attain the Brahmajnana, a devotee secures it through grace of his chosen deity. In this way the devotee becomes a Brahmajnani and jivanmukta. May Lord Krishna bless us, inspiring us with supreme devotion.

Affectionately,

Swami Tapovanam