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(8) Friendliness (Maitri) : There is a bond of love or friendship between a devotee and the Deity. This feeling is well-reflected in the songs :
१. ऋषभ-जिणंदशुं प्रीतडी किम कीजे हो चतुर विचार । २. बालपणे आपण ससनेही रमता नव नव वेशे ।
Such songs express friendly feeling. We know that Krishan and Sudama were fast friends. This close friendship removed the poverty of Sudama. Shri Krishan and Arjun were close friends which resulted into the victory for the Pandavas over the Kauravas in the battle-field.
Maitri-bhav is a bond of friendship in which, a devotee experiences closeness in spirit with Master. Sense of being separate from Him vanishes. To feel closeness to Him-Maltri Bhav is the eighth step.
(9) Dedication of self (Nivedana) : Nivedana is in practicing dedication of self. It is a spirit of sacrificing pleasures of all the five senses, home, family and wealth. To do good to others becomes our pleasure. There remains no attachment in mind for the things of the world.
The sense that this is mine and that one is thine disappears.
Hemachandracharya, Samprati, Arayaraxitsuri, Chandanbala and Mrigavati, Vastupal and Tejpal are all shining examples of identifying one's self to an ideal. They were averse to serving personal interests of their own and considered everything else of no importance before God.
Thus subordinating one's self or giving up desire for personal gains is the ninth step which completes the path of worship to : fim.
All the nine steps in essence manifest evolving spirit of love which is the true indication of worship is also known as "Prem-Laxna-Bhakti".
Such a spirit is expressed in religious songs : (1)"Viharam Bhagwan suno muj vinti". (2) "Ham Mazan Bhaye Prabhu". (3) "Ratnakar Pachchisi,". SEVEN KINDS OF PURITY TO BE OBSERVED
WHILE WORSHIPPING GOD : We experience pleasure when there is purity of mind, word and body. Hence, purity should be observed while worshipping God. Shri
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