Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Awakening Divinity in Man (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 01)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jan_Feb/v1.AwakeningDivinity)

Let us begin with the Gayatri Mantra:

"Om bhur bhuvah swah tatsaviturvarenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yonah prachodayat"

You all must have heard of the grace of God. His special incarnations entrusted with specific cosmic tasks are called "devata" (deity) in the Vedas; devata means "one who gives". Many of us pray to and worship the deities because we either want something or we need help in adverse moments. Let us discuss about deities.

There is no doubt that deities do bless us enormously; otherwise they would not have been named as "deities" because by definition deities always give something. There is nothing wrong or unnatural if one requests something from someone who always wants to give. But what do deities give? They give only what they themselves possess. Naturally, one can give only what one has. Deities have only one thing - divinity (devtva). Divinity is the most refined and virtuous form of ones nature, conduct, qualities and deeds. Deities gladly bestow divinity upon the devotees, saying that, "we have given you the best we could; now it is up to you to accept and make use of it in the way you find it suitable and succeed accordingly."