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ARADHANA DARSHAN
(GUIDELINES FOR WORSHIPPERS)
TIME FOR WORSHIP The pleasant early morning is the best time suited for The Bhaktamara Stotra recitation or worship or practice. The brahmamuhurta or the one and half hours before day-break is considered to be the appropriate time for contemplation on paramatman. An aspirant who makes use of this time for his spiritual and religious pursuits definitely flowers into a sadhu by being a good man and a good house-holder. No saint or pontiff or monk or fakir or priest or guru wakes up after sunrise. Every religion speaks of the value of early morning in matters spiritual and religious. Not only religion but science too stresses the importance of early mornings.
Brain becomes nector-fresh during that time and the man who makes best use of it remains vibrant through out the day. This has been established in laboratories too. The increasing number of practitioners of early morning jogging, exercises, yogasanas, brisk-walking in ozonised atmosphere etc., prove this point. The oft repeated couplet of the grand mothers in villages (paraphrased as follows)
"Det early to bed and early to rise be your habit:
And strength, wealth, wisdom in your pocket" also teaches the value of early morning to youngsters. The English quotation,
"Early to bed and early to rise. That is the way to be healthy, wealthy and wise" too is worthy of recollection here. Neglect of early morning is neglect of happiness of life and is equivalent to slow poisoning of one's self.
The importance of early morning is elaborated due to its value in worship. Every spiritual practice is to be done during the three sandhyas -- twilight zones, early morning, midday and evening twilights. But the value of early morning is unquestioned. It is called amrta-vela, ambrotial-time. In the clock of nature early morning is the breathing-time. So everyone must make the best use of it according to one's capacity, physical and mental stamina. Those who want to worship with The Bhaktamara Stotra or recite it regularly they can reap maximum benefit and be happy by choosing to do their worship at the most freshening hour.
Our Guruji and Bhaktamara : In the year 1969 when we were in Kesarvadi, Chennai, Tamilnadu, I had a rare opportunity to know the depth of the devotion of our preceptor. The place was calm and serene. Upadhan was going on. Guruji addressed me and told, "Raja ! other practices can be done according to one's capacity. But the best way of worship is to recite 108 stotras (slokas) to the Lord. The emotion filled stotras of our acaryas slowly fill us too with love and devotion".
And lo ! when his attention thus turned towards stotras as spiritual practice, his sole attention was in The Bhaktamara Stotra only. Afterwards the name of Guru Maharaj and Bhaktamara became synonymous. Years have passed by. But not a single day passed without the recitation of Bhaktamara in early mornings in the life of our Reverend preceptor till his last day. It is said by a grateful devotee, "The holy rays of Bhaktamara, are spread every where". Thus Bhaktamara got a new found status in the Jaina Sangha due to Guruji's attachment and worship. The popularisation of chorus singing by our Guruji created a new awareness for Bhaktamara in the minds of devotees and many people became its votaries. Bhaktamara associations were formed. Many a Jain temple made it a habit to recite it in the early mornings. People may take recourse to Bhaktamara for various reasons but our Reverend preceptor had devotion to Jina alone as the inspiration as propounded by Sri Manatunga (vide verse 7)
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Aradhana Darshan
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