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Devotion |
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1. Through Devotion, the devotee attains glory. And, imbued with Truth, he merges in the peace of Poise. (Dhanasri M. 3, 4)
2. Without contemplation of the Lord, the life is ever on fire, even though one lives long like a serpent, and even if he has dominions over the nine divisions of the earth. In the end, he leaves the game. (Todi, M. 5)
3. When the boat is full of holes, how can one stop the waters from rushing in? So, contemplate thou the One whose boat it is, and by whom the sinners are also ferried across along with the pious. (Todi, M. 5)
4. O Mother, I am in love with my Lord. This for me is the way of works, this the righteous duty, this the meditation. The Lord’s Name is for me the pure conduct. This for me is the life-breath, the life’s treasure that I see the presence of my Lord all over. On the highway, at the river bank, this alone is my sustenance, that my mind keeps ever the companionship of
my Lord. (Todi M. 5)
5. They who sing Thy Praises, O Creator Lord, they die not ever, nor grieve. (Todi M. 5)
6. Singing the Praise of the eternal, indestructible Lord, the stubborn intoxication of lust and wrath cools off. (Todi, M. 5)
7. Contemplating the Lord, one gathers wisdom, all the treasures, all psychic-powers all peace. (Rag Bairari, M. 4)
8. Without the Lord’s every other love is false, for it forsakes one in a moment. (Bairari M. 4)
9. My Lord is my friend, kinsman, brother and son. Wheresoever I see, I see Him keep my company ever. The Lord’s Name is my caste, my honor, my riches, and my happiness and poise and bliss and peace. The contemplation of the Lord is my coat-of-mail. For, even myriads of weapons can pierce it not. The Lord’s Feet are my refuge and my fortress, which neither the thorn of Death pierceth nor the Yama overwhelms me. (Suhi, M. 5)
10. If the skies out with a thunder-storm, I’ll still go to see my Guru. Even if the stormy sea be in the way, I, his seeker, will cross it to go to his shore. As the man dies without water, so does the seeker without the Guru. As the earth looks beauteous when it rains, so does the seeker bloom on meeting with the Guru. I seek to be the slave of thy slaves, O Guru, and call on thee in the mood of prayer. (Rag Suhi, M. 4, Ashtapadis)
11. As the fish lives not without water, do what one may, so the Lord’s Saint lives not without the Lord. Without the Lord’s Name dies he. (Rag Suhi, M. 4, Ashtapadis)
12. The Lord protects the honor of His Devotees, age after age. A Devotee is he who is turned Godwards, age after age. A Devotee is he who s turned Godwards and through the Word, dispels his ego. Dispels he his ego through the Word and is pleasing to the Lord whose Word is True. He is dedicated truly ever to the Lord. True and pure is the way of the Devotee for he loves the True Name. (Rag Suhi, M. 3)
13. Bathing in the dust of the Lord’s Feet, one contemplates the Lord and comes not again into the world of form. And, dedicated to the Guru’s Feet, dispelled are one’s fears and doubts, and one gathers the fruit of one’s heart desire. (Suhi, M. 5)
14. They who love not, know not the taste of God. For, if one is a guest in an empty house, he shall return as empty as he went in. (Shloka, Var of Rag Suhi M. 3)
15. I’ll serve Thy devotee, O Lord, and wipe his feet with my hair; I’ll surrender my head to him to hear from him Thy glorious Praise.
(Bilawal, M. 5)
16. As one dips a stone in water, but the water enters not its core, so is the man without Devotion. (Bilawal, M. 9)
17. O God, there is naught else but Thee. So my mind loves Thee as the Chakori loves the moon, as the fish loves the water, and the bumblebee the lotus. As the Chakvi bird craves for the sun, so I do crave for Thy Vision. As the young bride has her life in her spouse, as the greedy person loves naught but his riches, as the water and the milk are to each other attached, and the hungry one loves nothing better than food, as the mother cherishes her son, so I do contemplate Thee ever, O God ! (Bilawal, M. 5)
18. The Lord is near to his Devotees; the Devotee is near to His God and enshrines Him in his heart. ays Nanak: "The Lord is our Father and Mother and sustains us He like His hildren." (Ramkali, M. 4)
19. They who are rooted in God are ever in Bliss, but they who are attached to the ranches waste their lives in vain. (Maru, M. 3)
20. He, who, like a bumble-bee, is Detached and sees the God of the earth within All, his (mind-diamond is pierced through with the Diamond of the Name), and his throat spontaneously sings the Lord’s Praise. (Shloka M. 1, Var of Maru M. 3)
21. I’ve spread out my couch for Thee, O my Spouse, and decked myself to receive Thee. Now, I can suffer not even the distance of a garland between Thee and me.
(Shloka M. 5, Var of Maru M. 3)
22. Wherever one utters or hears the Name of my love, thither let me repair and blossom forth, Seeing His Presence. (Shloka, Var of Maru M. 3)
23. If the earth be covered with the blue sheet of water, and the winds be fresh and cool, and my couch be of gold, studded with rubies and diamonds, and I be decked in the bridal trousseau, without my spouse, all would be searingly hot for me. (Shloka M. 5)
24. He, who repairs to Thy Feet, attains gladness; for, even an iota of our devotion is rewarded by Thee. He, who sings Thy praise, O Treasure of virtues, all-too-spontaneously,
is imbued with the great essence of Thy Love. (Kedara, Chhant M. 5)
25. In the cage of love, the parrot-mind utters the words of love, and it pecks at Truth and sucks Nectar. And, lo, when it flies out, it comes not back again. (Maru, M. 1)
26. My mind can be not without the Lord even for a moment, and so is ever imbued with the Lord’s Name, as the child sucks the mother’s breasts in utter joy and becomes miserable when these are withdrawn from his mouth. (Basant M. 1)
27. There is but one Devotion and one love (of God), and without being tinged with His
Fear, love is an illusion. (Basant M. 1)
28. The wood comes out of water, so the water drowns it not. So does the Lord embellish
His Devotees and thus fulfils His (own) innate nature. (Kanra M. 4)
29. The brimful tank of Devotion overflows into a mighty torrent, if one believes in the True Guru but this happens only if one be blest with great, good fortune.
(Var of Kanra, Shloka M. 4)
30. In the mind of the Saint is God, and without seeing Him, he can be not, as the fish, which loves water, is choked to death instantaneously if it finds not its being in its love. (Kalyan, M. 4)
31. O crow, you who search my skeleton, eat you all my flesh, but touch not the two eyes, for I yet long to me my Love. (Shloka of Farid)
32. O Saints, priceless is the Devotion to the Lord: one can say not its whole praise. (Ramkali M. 3)
33. If one is Imbued not with the Lord’s Love, nor tastes His Essence, and knows not the Guru’s Word then, he is consumed by his (inner) fire.
(Ramkali M. 1, Siddha Goshti)
34. He who cherishes Thee, O God, he is ever in Bliss. He who cherishes Thee suffers not at the hands of the Yama. He who cherishes Thee, he sorrows not, yea, he whose friend art Thou. He is wholly fulfilled. He who cherishes Thee, O Lord is approved by Thee. He who cherishes Thee gathers Thy Infinite riches. (Var of Ramkali, M. 5)
35. He who is imbued with the love of God, like the Lalla flower is with its red, his worth one can evaluate not. O, rare is the one who Realizes His glory. (Var of Ramkali, M. 5 Shloka)
36. A myriad bonds of Maya bind the man, but, contemplating God, one is wholly released, as was the Raja, the elephant, of the clutches of the crocodile, uttering the Lord’s Name with the tongue. (Nat M. 5)
37. I’m in love with my God as the lotus loves the sun, or as dances the peacock when the clouds cluster round the peaks of the mountain. (Nat M. 4)