Single-Minded Love Gives Rise to Devotion
True devotion can only exist for God. One who has it will be distinguished by a divine attitude to the whole creation, just as a person who regularly goes to a gymnasium can be distinguished by well-formed muscles. If we are interested in scholarship, we should associate with the learned; so, too, if we are interested in devotion and pure, permanent bliss, we must associate with God Who is the object of pure devotion and the repository of sheer bliss.
To see the whole creation as a manifestation of God is the culmination of devotion. This calls for single-minded love of God; indeed, single-minded love is termed devotion. And what is single-mindedness but the conviction that God is the sole support? God has Himself said in the Bhagavadgeeta, that devotion is the only means to attain Him. Just as nama-smarana is impossible if God is forgotten, devotion or single-minded love is impossible if pride of individuality is retained.
Suppose a young man gets married today. He was a celibate yesterday, and becomes a householder today. Despite the change in social status, his other individual functions, such as eating, breathing, etc., continue unaffected. Similarly, even if we change our allegiance over to God, our other activities of life continue unaffected.
Every occurrence in life should be narrated to Him as to a confidant. In order to maintain the feeling that God is present always and everywhere, inform Him of every movement you make, every action you undertake. Such love will enable you to realize Him, and gradually annihilate desire of certain fruit for an action. The 'body-am-I' conviction grew upon us by our sense of identity with the body; in a similar way, the 'I-am-He' conviction will come as we think, keep aware more and more of Him. For this, it is necessary to think of Him as similar to us in general form and attributes, that is, saguna. Just as we have to walk along the road in order to reach our home, we have to go through saguna upasana in order to realize the true, attributeless God. Saguna upasana is, in other words, to attribute all doership to Him; this is true devotion. Say to God, 'I shall be happy to accept whatever it pleases you to give' and when about to do anything, ask yourself,' Will God approve of this?'
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