Viraja
Jaya Jagannatha!
ISKCON literature and videos are quite useful. I have been watching their videos on evolution of bhakti.
As I have always been curious to know about how and how much bhakti can evolve in one lifetime, I was searching for literature on this matter.
Bhakti is said to grow in stages. From so-called Vaidhi stage to Raganuga stage and then Ragathmika stage. If interested, you can google these terms.
Y'day I watched a video from an ISKCON monk on how bhakti grows from early-on neophyte stages to various modes or rather 'moods'..... known as dasya, mithra, Vathsalya and finally Mathurya bhavas. These stages each denote a particular mood and involves the practitioner's involvement with his deity in that particular mood.
As it turns out, a profound sadhaka experiences these 'stages'...... which means, all depends on practice of bhakti every day.
I have good amount of bhakti to Krishna but I am not so evolved to get goosebumps when uttered his holy name or to produce tears when praying............ but I do feel the love.
That said, I wonder if anyone really felt their bhakti evolve.... over a period of time. As in starting as someone merely curious about their deity, and now a full-fledged devotee who can and does shed tears upon worship. I wonder how long it took to grow into a pure devotee from that of a neophyte.
If anyone here had their bhakti evolve, kindly share your experience in this thread. Thanks.
As I have always been curious to know about how and how much bhakti can evolve in one lifetime, I was searching for literature on this matter.
Bhakti is said to grow in stages. From so-called Vaidhi stage to Raganuga stage and then Ragathmika stage. If interested, you can google these terms.
Y'day I watched a video from an ISKCON monk on how bhakti grows from early-on neophyte stages to various modes or rather 'moods'..... known as dasya, mithra, Vathsalya and finally Mathurya bhavas. These stages each denote a particular mood and involves the practitioner's involvement with his deity in that particular mood.
As it turns out, a profound sadhaka experiences these 'stages'...... which means, all depends on practice of bhakti every day.
I have good amount of bhakti to Krishna but I am not so evolved to get goosebumps when uttered his holy name or to produce tears when praying............ but I do feel the love.
That said, I wonder if anyone really felt their bhakti evolve.... over a period of time. As in starting as someone merely curious about their deity, and now a full-fledged devotee who can and does shed tears upon worship. I wonder how long it took to grow into a pure devotee from that of a neophyte.
If anyone here had their bhakti evolve, kindly share your experience in this thread. Thanks.