At last I have published a page on my blog to describe the philosophy of the "seed of devotion." Below is the new text.
***
The morning that I was born I was given the name Bhakti lata bij which, in the ancient Sanskrit language, translates as "the seed of the vine of devotion."
This bhakti lata bij is very special and rarely given. It is described in ancient scriptures that the living entity has been wandering the universe for millions of years, so very, very lost, so heartsick in his search for love. But somehow, by the grace of the Lord and a loving spiritual master, the living entity receives within his heart the bhakti lata bij, the seed of devotion.
This seed of devotion must be tended to with great care. One must water the seed by serving the Lord and His devotees.
One must receive proper sunlight through the chanting of the holy name.
One must dig out all of the unwanted weeds within the heart - pride, lust, envy, and so many others.
I find it very curious and very profound that the plant in this metaphor of devotion is not a stately banyan tree or a divine lotus. It is a vine. And what is the most important feature of a vine?
It must always rest upon something else to grow.
In this metaphor, that "something else" is the Vaishnavas, the devotees of the Lord.
Then with proper cultivation, love, and grace, resting upon the strength of the devotees, this vine of devotion may wind up and up and up to at last reach the feet of the Lord Himself.
***
brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru krsna prasade pay bhakti lata bija
"According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service." (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 19.51)
***
The morning that I was born I was given the name Bhakti lata bij which, in the ancient Sanskrit language, translates as "the seed of the vine of devotion."
This bhakti lata bij is very special and rarely given. It is described in ancient scriptures that the living entity has been wandering the universe for millions of years, so very, very lost, so heartsick in his search for love. But somehow, by the grace of the Lord and a loving spiritual master, the living entity receives within his heart the bhakti lata bij, the seed of devotion.
This seed of devotion must be tended to with great care. One must water the seed by serving the Lord and His devotees.
One must receive proper sunlight through the chanting of the holy name.
One must dig out all of the unwanted weeds within the heart - pride, lust, envy, and so many others.
I find it very curious and very profound that the plant in this metaphor of devotion is not a stately banyan tree or a divine lotus. It is a vine. And what is the most important feature of a vine?
It must always rest upon something else to grow.
In this metaphor, that "something else" is the Vaishnavas, the devotees of the Lord.
Then with proper cultivation, love, and grace, resting upon the strength of the devotees, this vine of devotion may wind up and up and up to at last reach the feet of the Lord Himself.
***
brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru krsna prasade pay bhakti lata bija
"According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service." (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 19.51)
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