Devotion

Devotion defined:

1. profound dedication; consecration.

2. earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.

3. an assignment or appropriation to any purpose, cause, etc

Posts on Devotion from all religions/paths in this thread. Discussions in the Forum

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Hinduism

[1]
one whose intelligence is constantly disturbed by his falsely identifying
himself with the temporary material world can achieve real freedom from fear
only by worshiping the lotus feet of the infallible Supreme Lord. In such
devotional service, all fear ceases entirely - (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.2.33)

[2]
Even ignorant living entities can very easily come to know the Supreme Lord if
they adopt those means prescribed by the Supreme Lord Himself. The process
recommended by the Lord is to be known as bhāgavata-dharma, or devotional
service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead - (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.2.34)

[3]
one who accepts this process of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead will never blunder on his path in this world. Even while running with
eyes closed, he will never trip or fall - (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.2.35)

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in
devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is
properly situated in his determination Bhagavad Gita 9.30

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

He who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being—he certainly comes to Me Bhagavad Gita 11.55

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

“Devotion” should be done without conflict to the happiness of the soul, according to sage Sandilya.
( Narada Bhakti Sutras)

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

This “devotion” is far greater than the path of action (karma), the
path of knowledge (gyana), and the path of disciplined contemplation
(yoga).
( Narada Bhakti Sutras)

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

Some believe that knowledge alone is the path of attainment. Some others believe that Knowledge and devotion are interdependent on each other. The son of Brahma (sage Narada) believes that “devotion” is its own result.  ( Narada Bhakti Sutras)

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

Among the contributory factors of liberation, devotion stands supreme, and it is the search for one's own true nature that is meant by devotion.  - Vivek Chudamani Verse 31

Others say that devotion is inquiry into the reality of one's own nature. He who possesses the above qualities and would know the truth about his own nature should take refuge with a wise guru who can free him from his bonds.  - Vivek Chudamani Verse 32

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

Pure love of God manifests as the most subtle consciousness, devoid ofmaterial qualities and material desires, increasing at every moment,and never interrupted. - Nārada Bhakti Sūtra 54

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

My dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them; neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such opulences. Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor and Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of their possessions at any time.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.25.38

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

ananya-mamatā viṣṇau mamatā prema-sańgatā
bhaktir ity ucyate bhīṣma- prahlādoddhava-nāradaiḥ

When one is firmly convinced that Viṣṇu is the only object of love and worship and that there is no one else — not even a demigod — worthy of receiving devotional service, one feels intimacy in his love relationship with God, and this is approved by such personalities as Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, Uddhava and Nārada

Nārada-pañcarātra

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

Saa tasmin Parama prema roopa
(Devotion to God is personification of intense(highest) love towards Him.)
Narada Bhakti Sutras

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

Tal lakshanathi vachyanthe nana madha bedanath.
The differing definitions of Bhakthi (:devotion”) as viewed by many are listed.

Poojadhishwa anuraga ithi Parasara rya.

Intense desire to Worship Him with loving affection , is “devotion” according to Sage Parasara.

Kadhadhi shweethi Garga

Intense desire to hear his stories is “devotion” according to Sage Garga.

Athma rathya virodhe nethi Sandilya“Devotion” should be done without conflict to the happiness of the soul, according to sage Sandilya.


Naradasthu thadarpithagi, lacharatha that, vismarane parama vyakulathethi.
But according to sage Narada, “devotion” is doing all duties on behalf of Him, and become extremely sad even if you happen to forget Him for a second.

Asthy evam evamThis “devotion” is like each of the above views.
Narada Bhakti Sutras

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

śruto 'nupaṭhito dhyāta ādṛto vānumoditaḥ
sadyaḥ punāti sad-dharmo deva-viśva-druho 'pi hi

Pure devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord is spiritually so potent that simply by hearing about such transcendental service, by chanting its glories in response, by meditating on it, by respectfully and faithfully accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of others, even persons who hate the demigods and all other living beings can be immediately purified.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.2.12

Re: Devotion

Hinduism
[1]
My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the best path for self-realization. If someone gives up that path and engages in the cultivation of speculative knowledge, he will simply undergo a troublesome process and will not achieve his desired result. As a person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain, one who simply speculates cannot achieve self-realization. His only gain is trouble.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.14.4

[2]
Nondevotees, however, cannot realize You in Your full personal feature. Nevertheless, it may be possible for them to realize Your expansion as the impersonal Supreme by cultivating direct perception of the Self within the heart. But they can do this only by purifying their mind and senses of all conceptions of material distinctions and all attachment to material sense objects. Only in this way will Your impersonal feature manifest itself to them.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.14.6

Re: Devotion

Islam

Heaven and earth contain me not, but the heart of my faithful servant contains me.

 Hadith of Suhrawardi

Re: Devotion

Christianity

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment thus wasted? For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor.” And they reproached her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
  Mark 14

Re: Devotion

Sufism

I hear the murmur
Of the brook
In my empty heart,
Yet I glide in the water
As the fish.
I am the river bed
The ocean
Where the river ends.
I fly with the wind as the clouds,
Yet I am the cloudless sky.
I orbit the glorious one
As the earth around the sun
Yet behold,
For the sun and the stars,
Their light I bestow upon them
All glory to my bounteousness
Vast and open as the space,
The endless silence
Of the universe.
So remember me,
And bow with the cosmos
That prostrates itself
At my feet.
Beg with me,
Me, the dust under His foot,
For a glance from Him,
The Truth sublime,
The king of all that is,
In his shining Endlessness.

Rumi

Source

Re: Devotion

Hinduism

“Atha tho Bakthim vyakyasyama. Saa tasmin Parama prema roopa. Amrutha swaroopa cha. Yallabhathva puman siddho bhavathi, amrutho bhavathi, truptho bhavathi. Yath prapya kinchid vanchadhi , na sochathi, na dweshati, na ramathe na uthsahi bhavathi. Yat gnathwa matho bhavathi, sthabhdho bhavathi, athmaramo bhavathi.”

Now I will explain in detail what is meant by devotion to God(Bhakthi). Devotion to God is personification of intense(highest) love towards Him. It also is deathless or as sweet as nectar (or it also confers deathlessness to one). One who gets it becomes perfect, immortal and contended. One who gets it desires not, worries not, hates not , enjoys not, and does not get excited. One who attains it becomes intoxicated (be in stupor), still and drunk with self(soul).

Narad Bhakti Sutras 1-6