Where there is none other is called exclusive. On one side is the world and on the other side is God. Between God and the world is the ‘Jeevātmā’ (embodied soul). When one has no inclination for the world and only inclination for God, then it is called ‘ananya bhakti’ (exclusive devotion). When one has interest in world and in God as well, then it is simply other type of devotion, not exclusive devotion. If one desires for world, as well as, God, then in this dilemma, both are gone, one neither gets the world, nor God. ‘Duvidha mein dono gaye na Maya mili na Ram’; because the world will not last, in other words, it will not remain steady (unchanged), and on the other hand, one doesn’t take (become inclined to) God – this is our position! The thing that we take, does not stay with us, and the thing which stays, that we do not take – This is our state! Hence, only take that which stays (the ever-existent) and don’t ask for that which does not stay – this is exclusive devotion.
The goal of human birth is to attain the ultimate bliss (anand) and to be entirely free from all kinds of sufferings. Where not even an iota of suffering can reach and there is no greater bliss, peace, happiness, and joy. The 22nd verse in chapter 6 in Gītā is very useful for this. It talks about two things – Being thus established, one is not shaken even by the greatest affliction. Even in times of great suffering, great pain, huge adversities, he is not shaken. Even if his body is broken into pieces, yet he is not shaken and firmly believes in God. To attain such a state is the aim of human birth and this human form is acquired to attain this ‘tattva’ (divinity).
All beings experience joy and sorrow in this world. Even dogs and donkeys experience it; trees experience it, which means everyone experiences joy and sorrow. If human beings spend their entire lifetime in these experiences of joy and sorrow, then this human birth will not be fruitful. One gains, one loses; one meets, one splits; today one is very happy, today one is very sad; today one gained, today one loses – these blows are faced by everybody. Look at the demi-gods, the beings in hell, and eighty-four lac forms of life, whosoever you see. If humans also face these, then it is not a fruitful birth, because this thing (joy and sorrow etc.) can be experienced in any form of birth. Whether it is a dog or donkey, pig or camel, tree or grass, this is experienced by all forms of births – meaning this is not rare in any birth and it is easily available. Rare is that happiness, that pure joy, in which there is not even a single strand of sorrow and there is no shortage of bliss. To achieve this state is the goal of human birth. Hence, every human should make a firm resolve that I have come here to achieve That Divinity (God) and that is the only work I have. I will not take that which is incomplete or can be destroyed.
If I earn money, then this will be deficient, as it will not always stay with me. If I gain respect and appreciation, then that too will remain incomplete and will not stay with me. Knowledge, capabilities, entitlements, position etc. whatever I get, it will all be imperfect and deficient and will not stay with me. I don’t want such things which are deficient, and which will not stay with me forever. When one makes this firm resolve and wants to attain only That Divinity (God), then it is called exclusive or undivided devotion (ananyata).
First one must develop exclusivity in the ego (I-ness) that I want only that Divinity (God). When one develops such a resolve in his ego, then only exclusive (undivided) devotion can take place. Man thinks that by doing work, he will become a doer, by devotion he becomes a devotee, by wisdom he becomes wise. This is correct; but though being correct it has one flaw. The flaw is ‘I will become a spiritual aspirant by spiritual practices’; then I will attain perfection, then this notion will result in delay. It means that by changing one’s actions, one’s ego changes but that takes time. But, ‘I am an aspirant and I must attain only God, even if the whole world turns topsy-turvy, I am not concerned with anything. My quest is only to know God’ – this thought when it enters the ego, means when such a firm resolve takes place, then all his actions will automatically change accordingly. Thereafter, he will never get distracted from his goal, his purpose. Even if he gets lots of money, gets lots of respect, gets appreciated, gets a powerful position, becomes a king, then too he will not be distracted, as he knows that acquiring these things is not his aim.
If you do these actions then you will get heaven, or get Brahmalok, get all the joys of this world – such allurement also cannot distract him; because this is not what he wants.
Like if one eats pure food in today’s world, and someone tells him that ‘this breed of fish is very tasty’, then he will say – Why are you causing a commotion? However tasty and fresh this breed of fish may be, I don’t want it at all’.
Similarly, if you tell an aspirant who has a firm resolve that ‘Look! These worldly pleasures are very pleasurable, they will offer great luxury, rest and relaxation, then he will say ‘Look! I don’t want luxury and comfort. I am not here to indulge in pleasures and comforts.’
‘If you will do this work, then you can earn great profit and you can accumulate and collect lots of money’.
‘But I don’t want to accumulate and hoard’
‘We will give you lots of money, gold-silver, diamonds, big position, make you minister’.
‘Have mercy friend! I don’t need these useless things!’.
All this means that irrespective of whether it is good or bad we don’t want it. We only want that One transcendental and ever-existent God. That which is called liberation, supreme well-being, salvation, attainment of love, we want that only. After attaining that element, there remains nothing un-attained, and sorrows never reach there, I need that element. I don’t need anything else.
‘How can everybody be like this?’ Everybody can be like this, because every human being is entitled to attain God. Whatever caste he belongs to, whatever hermitage, whatever sect, whatever country, whatever state he belongs to, he is still entitled for attaining God. Whereas one does not fully own this world, neither one fully owns the money, nor reputation and respect. Yes, you can get a little portion of it, but you cannot get the entire thing whereas all can attain that ‘tattva’ (Divinity, God) entirely, it cannot be fragmented. No other life form has this capability. Only in human beings, God has given this capability that everyone can attain God. Worldly position, power etc. is not given equally to even two; but earlier saints like Sukhdevji, Sankadi, Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, liberated souls, many great intelligent men have attained it, that element can now be attained by every man, all humans can achieve it. The only requirement is to dislike worldly pleasures and hoarding and believe that there is no need for worldly pleasures and accumulation. What if we come across worldly pleasures and hoard things? Like what you do if accidently your feet get into dirt, stops there, gets filled with it? You take a bath to clean it. Similarly, if one by chance gets worldly pleasures, gets money, wealth, diamonds, precious stones etc., then think that the feet are stuck in the dirt. We don’t want it. We only want God. Except God we don’t want to take anything – this is exclusive and ultimate devotion.
After acquiring human birth, if one earns money, gets all the enjoyments, gets respect and admiration, then this human birth is wasted. If one gets caught up with money or worldly things then he is not human. What is human in this? Getting a human birth is very rare – “durlabh manusho deho”. In our religious texts it is mentioned that, getting a human birth is very difficult even for demi-gods –
“Bade Bhag Maanush Tan Pava,
Sur Durlabh Sadagranthani Gava”.
After acquiring a human birth, one only thinks of attaining enjoyment, wealth. How much can one accumulate? At the end all the efforts will go waste, nothing will be of any use. But men are remaining pleased thinking we will take this, and that. What will you take, are these things worth taking? The things which will not stay with you forever and neither can you stay with them, what purpose will it serve to you after you acquire them? You have been cheated. You have been betrayed and nothing more, and furthermore, you have done this purposely. You have drawn the axe on your own feet. Hence, ‘Sarem tato grahampasya phalgu’ abandon all and strive for that true element only, after which you will never strive for anything else. After acquiring that one is not born during the great creation (Mahasarg) and neither gets distressed during great dissolution (maha pralaye) – Always happy, always in bliss –
‘sarge’pi nopajayante pralaye na vyathanti ca’
(Gītā 14/2).
One can easily acquire that ‘tattva’ (element) in the least amount of time, while this body still exists. One doesn’t need any knowledge to acquire that, nor any special capabilities. One only needs firm desire to attain that. That desire should be such that whatever worldly pleasures come his way, he will not stop until he has attained that ‘Tattva’ (Divinity,God). I only want God and nothing else. When he will have such an intense longing, such a firm resolve, he will automatically get the required things, the essential religious books, the guru or teacher, everything he will get. When God himself is present, then what else can remain? But despite all this, humans think let me complete this task as well, let me complete that task as well. Brother, you will die in doing these petty things and get nothing in return.
I have heard a story. There was once a family comprising of four members – Brahmin, his wife, son and daughter-in-law. The son suddenly died while still very young. His dead body was lying in the courtyard and everybody was gathering there. Suddenly that brahmin rose and started leaving. Everybody asked – ‘Where are you going?’ Brahmin said – ‘I will become a saint and only do bhajan’ (worship, devotion and prayer) from now onwards. People said – ‘Oh! Don’t you have any mercy? Your young son has died, leaving behind two women. Who will be responsible and provide for them? Brahmin said – ‘The young boy left, leaving everyone behind, without worrying about who will provide for the parents. Why should an old man like me worry?’ People again said – ‘Maharaj! At least take him to burial site.’ He said – ‘What is the difference between this house and the burial site? My home is same as the burial site. Keep him wherever you want, either here or there, I am leaving.’ Saying so, he went off immediately.
This incident is very old. Perhaps 1975 Vikram Samvat or earlier. At that time, there was a magazine called ‘Vedant-kesari’. It mentioned one incident in which a man in Mumbai while roaming near the seashore, went and sat on a wall. During that time, a young man came with a mug and towel to the seashore to bath. He kept the mug and towel on the beach and went in the ocean, but never returned. He drowned, he never managed to come back. People searched and found his dead body. Now the man who was sitting on the wall, watched everything. Seeing all this, he took off, without a single word to his friends and family. He firmly resolved that if dying takes such a less time, then how can this body be trusted? I will do ‘bhajan’. I want to attain that ‘tattva’ (Divinity, God).
Recently around 5-6 years back, there was an article in the newspaper. In Nagpur, four young men were talking to each other on how to become a saint. Then one said – ‘Just like that, you can become one.’ The three others said – ‘Then you go ahead and become a saint.’ He said – ‘Yes, I will also become a saint and do bhajan (prayers, worship, devotion, remembrance of God).’ The rest of them once again said – ‘Can you be like Gopichand, who called his wife, Mother and got alms? Can you call your wife as mother and get alms?’ He said – ‘Yes, I will go and get alms.’ He did accordingly and went home and asked his wife – ‘Mother! Give alms.’ How does this happen? It happens like this. Now that the thought has arisen, it is once and for all. Now there is no dilly-dallying. nothing can go haywire. Does one check the auspicious date before dying? In the same way make a firm resolve, that even if world sees us as good or bad, whether we get happiness or sorrow, whether we acquire money or lose it, whatever happens, we undoubtedly want to attain that Divinity (God, Truth). This is what is called exclusive (undivided) devotion or supreme devotion.
kya maangu kichh thir na rahai, dekhat naine chalya jag jayi.
Ek lakh poot sava lakh naati, ta ravan dhari na diya na bati.
Lanka se kot, samundra si khayi, ta ravani ki khabari na payi.
Aavat sangi na jaat sangati, kaha bhayo dari bhadhe haathi.
Kahe kabir ant ki baari, haath jhaari jaise chale juari.
From book ‘For Spiritual Aspirants’ in English by Shradhey Swamiji Shri Ramsukhdasji Maharaj
www.swamiramsukhdasji.net
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