Agathiyar's revelation to the Jeeva Nadi Guru through the Jeeva Nadi, as usual, is posted by Velayudham Karthikeyan every Thursday. On 13 February 2014, he carried another post where Agathiyar says Bhakti or devotion does not come easy to everyone.
Not everybody can sit to conduct prayers, says Agathiyar. For those for whom it is not possible, Agathiyar says there is a simple option where taking a dip in the Holy waters will remove one's sins and past deeds or karma.
In NARADA BHAKTI SUTRAS authored by Sage Narada and translated by Swami Tyagisananda for Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, it is written thus:
"Supreme Divine Love, together with the steps leading to it, is called Bhakti."
The Publisher in the Preface to the book explains that there are two stages to Bhakti: Apara Bhakti or the pre-mature stage and Para Bhakti or mature stage.
Apara Bhakti is further divided into Gauna Bhakti, a preparatory stage of discipline and Mukya Bhakti or Ekanta Bhakti, an advance stage resulting from the practice of the preparatory stage of discipline. Apara Bhakti involves effort and the result is gradually achieved. It is a process. As one upholds and fulfills the duties with discipline expected of one and advances in the Gauna Bhakti stage, he steps into the Mukya Bhakti stage where Divine Grace naturally flows into the devotees' heart. The publisher writes, "This stage prepares the mind of the devotee fully and perfectly for the final realization, and God then blesses him with divine illumination instantaneously."
Mukya Bhakti then transforms into Para Bhakti - "experience of unsurpassed bliss and illumination as in Self Realization or God-Realization (Liberation in Life or Perfect Gnosis)."
It is then that one becomes a Gnani.
This realization is then "expressed through one's moods, thoughts, words, and deeds."
In THE CONCEPT OF BHAKTI, Professor L Venkatarathnam Endowment Lectures published by P.Thirugnanasambandhan for the University of Madras, it is said that it requires ardent faith and love, Sraddha or belief and Bhakti for one to find God. The author says Bhakti begins in wonder, a sense of awe at seeing and witnessing all of God's creations that gradually develops into admiration for the creator, and moving up to gratitude and finally reverence of him. He cites the Alwars and Nayanmars as exemplary models, "soaked in the love of the personality of God and his superhuman deeds."
Wonder, awe, love and faith drive them to a state of total surrender, "seeking God for its own sake."
Bhakti is that state of supple mind derived from many hours of sadhana attuned to God.
"Men who have acquired merits in their previous birth come to feel dissatisfied and helpless in finding themselves tossed about a midst such unending alteration of pleasure and pain. Then there arises in him sraddha or belief that there is a Moral Governor of the world who regulates the destinies of souls according to the immutable laws of karma. Gradually he ceases to perform prohibited acts and begins to perform more and more acts prescribed. Even the act that he performs he learns to do without attachment to the fruit which they may produce but in a spirit of dedication. This is karma yoga that ends in purification of the mind"
The devotee then moves on to performing sadhanas or means of accomplishment, including sadhu seva or worship of pious men and eventually gaining companionship of these sadhus which elevates him further creating a transformation in the way he sees the world. "Contemplation alternated with worship" creates enjoyment that leads to attachment and deeper contemplation. The devotee needs to lose himself to the wider existence of the Lord.