Navda Bhakti (Nine forms of devotion)

In context to my previous post difference between religion and devotion here I am explaining the forms of devotion.

Shri Rama himself narrated nine forms of devotion to Mata Shabri during his exile.

Lord Rama and his younger brother Laxmana were searching for Mata Sita and visited Mata Shabri, an old woman, a pure devotee, who had absorbed herself fully in the lord’s name lifelong. When she saw Lord Rama and Laxmana, She was so overwhelmed with love, she bowed her head at their lotus feet, took some water and reverently laved their feet and then offered them a seat. 

She brought and offered to Sri Rama the most delicious bulbs, roots and fruits. The Lord had each of them with love. Then she joined her hands asked him how one fallen soul can extol you. Then Lord himself instructed her the nine forms of Devotion.

Sharavan, Kirtan, Samran, Vandan, Paad sevan, Dasya, Pujan, Sakhijan and Atma nivedan are the nine forms of devotion .

One must attentively follow and cherish them in his mind.

1. Lord told that the first one is to find a spiritual master and associate with the saints and listen to the glories of the lordship.

2. One must chant Lords name with love and devotion and glorify the lordship with beautiful songs with full faith.

3. One must read the scriptures and always be immensed in lords name and practice in mind.

4. While fourth type of Devotion consists the prayers unto lotus feets for the benediction of the lord’s pure bhakti .

5. Humble service of the lotus feet of ones preceptor is the fifth form of Devotion.

6. The sixth variety consists in the practice of self-control and virtue, desisting from manifold activities and ever pursuing the course of conduct prescribed for saints considering oneself a mere servant of the lordship.

7. He who practices the seventh type sees the world full of Me without distinction and the saints as even greater than Myself and worship them.

8. He who cultivates the eighth type of Devotion remains contented with whatever he gets and never thinks of detecting others’ faults. 

9. The ninth form of Devotion demands that one should be guileless and straight in one’s dealings with everybody, and should in his heart cherish implicit faith in Me without either exultation or depression and fully surrender oneself to me.

Whoever possesses any one of these nine forms of Devotion, whether a man or woman or any other creature, sentient or insentient is most dear to Me, O good lady. As for yourself, you are blessed with unflinching devotion of all these types. You gain the honor which is hardly achived by the Yogis with your love and faith today .

@Maya