bhakthi according to dakshiNaamuurti upanishhad.h

[Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian]

Hello,

I read the dakshiNaamuurti upanishhad.h and a translation by Alladi Mahadeva
Sastri about a month back, and it has a very nice description of bhakti. So I
have been typing some excerpts from it (at the rate of about a sentence a day
:-)) and it is finally complete.

There may be some mistakes in my transliteration. Sorry about that.

Ramakrishnan.

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so.ahamiti yaavadaasthitiH saa nishhThaa bhavati |
tadabhedena manvaamreDanam.h GYaanasaadhanam.h |
chitte tadekataanataa parikaraH |
aMgacheshhTaarpaNam baliH |
triiNi dhaamaani kaalaH |
dvaadashaantapadam.h sthaanamiti |

Devotion consists in firmly dwelling in the constant thought that "I am He".
Repetition of the mantra as inseparate from Him constitutes the means to that
knowledge. To be concentrated in thought upon Him exclusively proves an
effective aid to it. The dedicating of all bodily activity (to Him) forms the
offering. The three states of consciousness are the proper time for it. The
proper place is the twelve pointed seat.

te ha puhaH shraddadhaanaastam.h pratyuuchuH|
katham.h vaa.a syodayaH |
ko vaa.asyopaasakaH |
iti|

Then they again asked him as follows, full of faith. How comes His
manifestation? What is His form? And who is His worshiper?

sa hovaacha |
vairaagyatailasampuurNe bhaktivartisamanvite |
prabodhapuurNa paatre tu GYaptidiipam.h vilokayet.h |
mohaandhakaaranissaare udeti svayameva hi |
vairaagyamaraNim.h kR^itvaa GYaanam.h kR^itvottaraaraNim.h |
gaaDhataamrisraMsashaantyai guuDhamartham.h nivedayet.h |
mohabhaanujasaMkraantam.h vivekaakhyam.h mR^ikunDujam.h |
tatvaavichaarapaashena baddham.h dvaitabhayaaturam.h |
ujjiivayannijaanande svasvaruupeNa saMsthitaH |
shemushhii dakshiNaa proktaa saa yasyaabhiikshaNe mukam.h |
dakshiNaabhimukhaH proktaH shive.asau brahmavaadibhiH |
sargaadikaale bhagavan.h viriJNchi rupaasyainam.h sargasaamarthyamaapya |
tutoshha chitte vaaJNchitaarthaashcha labdhvaa dhanyaH so.asyopaasako bhavati
dhaata |

He said:

In the mighty lamp of wisdom, overflowing with the oil of vairagya and
furnished with the wick of bhakti, one should kindle the light of knowledge and
see. Then the darkness of disillusion being dispelled, (Siva) Himself becomes
manifested. With a view to dispel the utter darkness, the devotee should
produce fire, making vairagya the lower arani and knowledge the upper one; and
then Siva will exhibit to his view the hidden reality. Dwelling in the devotee
as his own, very Self with His inherent bliss, He revives viveka hitherto
overpowered with delusion and oppressed by duality for want of proper enquiry
into truth. Thus Siva, showing Himself in all his bliss, restores to life the
son of Mrikandu, hitherto oppressed with the fear of Yama, the latter dragging
him with the bands of rope ties around his body.

The word dakshina means Buddhi. Because buddhi is the eye by which Siva can be
directly seen, He is called Dakshinamurthy by the Brahma-vadins.

At the beginning of creation, Brahma the Lord, having worshiped Siva, attained
power to create and was delighted at heart. The devotee in this path, steady in
his effort, attains all objects of desire and becomes quite happy.

--
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant (May faulty logic
undermine your entire philosophy)           -- strong Vulcan curse