Introduction:

The modern man with a scientific spirit running in his blood wants a proof before accepting anything. Belief and faith are by definition unscientific for him. True, they are not scientific, not just scientific, but much more than that! Let us explain. Science is primarily an activity at the level of the intellect. Logic, reasoning, proof, are all limited to our intellect. But human life, taken in its full sense, has four dimensions of existence, not just one: physical existence at the level of the body, emotional or psychological existence at the level of the mind, intellectual existence at the level of the intellect and spiritual existence at a level higher than the mind and the intellect. Spirituality is not unscientific, it is super-scientific, it has passed through, transcended and achieved a higher plane of awareness. It is not merely science, it is more than science.

Asking for a scientific proof of a concept at spiritual level is like a primary school kid asking for a proof, within his level of understanding, of a research idea in higher mathematics. If the kid has not yet learnt negative numbers, five minus three will make sense but three minus five will be nonsensical. Asking for a spiritual explanation of science makes sense. Asking for a scientific explanation of spirituality is itself foolish!

To achieve a spiritual level of awareness, you have to become a scientist, understand the world at the level of science, then grow beyond it to higher planes of consciousness. Merely asking questions, merely questioning everything does not constitute science. If you truely have the scientific spirit in you, come with an open unbiased mind, and we assure you, you will go back convinced. A scientist cannot start with a biased mind. Come with an open mind, truely unbiased, rid of all pre-conceived notions and beliefs. Listen, sing, keep repeating these prayers, aloud or in your mind, for some weeks and then ask yourself whether it has had any effect on you. puraMdara-daasa has said, there are non-believers who have fallen but there is no single example of a fallen devotee. What better way can we find to convince you of the power of devotion and faith? There is a very good chance that you will stand to benefit. And you do not stand to lose anything. Why not give it a try? Spend just fifteen minutes everyday for prayer, either in the morning or in the evening as per your convenience. Do not allow anything else in life, however important or urgent it may appear to be, to occupy or disturb your mind. We are all the time worried about dead-lines. Why not instead worry about our very life-line? Come, learn, give it a try.

The human mind is ever restless. If you are at home you feel like going out and when you go out you feel like getting back home. Our minds are always in a state of utter confusion and chaos. That is why we cannot understand the truth even if it is glaring right in front of our eyes. Just as sunlight focussed by a lens has the ability to heat and even kindle paper, a focussed mind is capable of a great deal more than a normal mind. All the methods prescribed for aspirants are therefore meant for reducing the commotion and chaos in our mind and help us to concentrate. The path of bhakti or Devotion is the simplest to practice. No wonder all religions of the world prescribe bhakti in some form or the other. Here in India our great RSi's have identified nine forms of bhakti:

The Nine forms of bhakti:


1. s'ravaNa - listening
2. kiirtana - singling
3. smaraNa - recalling
4. paadaseevana - prostration
5. arcana - (ritualistic) worship
6. vaMdana - salutation
7. daasya - service
8. sakhya - friendship
9. aatma niveedana - total surrender

naarada-bhakti-suutra and s'aaMDilya-bhakti-suutra are two of the most important works on bhakti in the suutra (aphorism) style.

stootra-s, stava-s and s'looka-s (Hymns and Prayers) help us in practicing the various forms of bhakti.