How to achieve the grace of God?

[dattaswami]

How to achieve the grace of God?

Ans.) The grace of God can be achieved only through the practical service.  The service is possible through devotion. The devotion is possible through knowledge.  The God’s grace is like salary. Service is like your monthly work done in the job. Devotion is like the appointment order.  Knowledge is like the eligible degree for the job.  Degree gives appointment order and the appointment order gives you salary through the job work.  Only this job work or service (karma) is directly linked to the salary. The degree and the appointment order are responsible for the job work but they have no direct link with the salary.  Knowledge is like water and devotion is like fertilizer.  Service is like the tree.  The fruit appears on the tree only.

[Raveness]

Love is what they try to accomplish but they have forgotten how to do it, it's not what you do but what you mean.

[dattaswami]

Love is what they try to accomplish but they have forgotten how to do it, it's not what you do but what you mean.

The relationship of the devotee with the Lord is called devotion. Devotion is love for he Lord. Love is proved by service or seva. Claims of love without service are fraudulent. Praying, meditation, intellectual discussions, words, feelings or singing hymns does not substantiate devotion. If a husband loves his wife then he must serve her when she is ill. If he just sits by her side with his eyes closed or meditates upon her or chants her name aloud, while refusing to practically serve her by giving her medicines, food and drink, then he is only making a show of love; he does not really love her. The one who really loves her will serve her.

The Lord is pleased only with total devotion. The Gita says “eka bhakti? visi?yate”. He wants the devotee to love Him alone; not anyone or anything else. Nobody or nothing should be equal to Him. He will make the devotee reach this stage of devotion. This is the essence of all the datta parik?a or the tests of the Lord. The devotee will be tested severely till he breaks all bonds with everyone and everything in the world, till only the bond with the Lord remains. The Lord does not compromise in this aspect. He will not tolerate even a drop of the devotee's attachment to anything or anyone in the world.