Atyrant must put on theappearance of uncommon devotion toreligion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from aruler they consider god-fearing andpious.
I neverwrite when I’m drunk. Why should one need aids? TheMuse is a high-spirited girl who doesn’t like to be brutally or coarsely wooed. And she doesn’t like slavish devotion — then she lies.
True devotion must not get dispirited; nor elated or satisfied with lesser gains; it must fight against failure, loss, calumny, calamity, ridicule and againstegoism andpride,impatience andcowardice.
Devotion may be compared to a chain with two extremities one of these is in the hand of the devotee and the other is in the hand of God. When the devotee draws the chain, God leaves Heaven and descends to the earth; when God draws the chain, the devotee enters into the kingdom of God even with his ego.
Paramahansa Maharshi Nagendranath Bhaduri, Extracts from precepts of Maharshi Nagendranath, The Levitating Saint [ His Life & Advices] - Translated by Prof. Tripurasankar Sen Shastri , Nagendra Mission, 2B Rammohan Roy Road, Kolkata -700 009,W.B, India, p. 32
Theart ofmotherhood involves much silent, unobtrusive self-denial, an hourly devotion which finds no detail too minute.
They convey a certainreverence for the higher, a respect for the contemplativelife, understood ascontemplation ofGod and the peak of devotion, and a cleaving toeternal beings that mitigatesabsorption in the merely pressing or current.
Devotion (bhakti) effectively spans and reconciles the seemingly disparate aims of obtaining aid in solvingworldly problems and locating one’ssoul in relation todivinity. The term bhakti is derived from a root that literally means “having a share”; devotion unites without totally merging the identities ofworshipers anddeities.
To my thinking, a woman'sreligion ought not to lessen her devotion to her earthly lord. She should have enough to purify and etherealise hersoul, but not enough to refine away herheart, and raise her above all human sympathies.
I have been told by aneminent bookseller, that in no branch of hisbusiness, after tracts ofpopular devotion, were so manybooks as those on thelaw exported to thePlantations.
But take this with thee: if I was not form'd To prize alove like thine, amind like thine, Nor dote even on thybeauty — as I've doted On lessercharms, for no cause save that such Devotion was aduty, and Ihated All that look'd like a chain for me or others (This evenrebellion must avouch); yet hear These words, perhaps among my last — that none E'er valued more thyvirtues, though he knew not To profit by them...
...a caring that gains only when losing; an obsesseddesire to be bound, forlove, injail; acapitulation to the one you'veconquered yourself; a devotion to your ownassassin every single day.
...there is a gulf ofdifference between the lower-love (Sneha) and the higher-love (Prema). The highestlove is when youseek,discover andexperience, our essential oneness with the very substance oftruth, the Lord. It is called devotion (Prema-Bhakthi).
Devotion toSri Narayana also is the means to cultivate love within. To “hear” of his glories, to “sing” about His beauties, to “reflect” upon His love, to “meditate” upon His Presence within us, are the ways by which a devotee grows in his love for Him.
He took his time strapping on his customized armor and loading his weapon magazines, rifle, pistol, and assorted knives. For him, preparing for battle was a divine ritual, a blessing and sacrifice to the Holy Ones. He intended to show his devotion by expunging as many of the enemy as he could..
Yes, Virginia, there is aSanta Claus. He exists as certainly aslove,generosity and devotion exist. And you know that they abound and give to yourlife its highestbeauty andjoy.
...throughout theworld, except in theabodes of theguilty, goes out to theBritish airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constantchallenge and mortaldanger, are turning the tide ofworld war by theirprowess and their devotion.
Charles Darwin: It is nearly impossible to give an adequate idea of the higher feelings which are excited;wonder astonishment, andsublime devotion fill and elevate themind.
It is nearly impossible to give an adequateidea of the higher feelings which are excited;wonder astonishment, andsublime devotion fill and elevate themind.
Thus with most careful devotion Thus with preciseattention To detail, interfering preparation Of that which is already prepared Men lighten the knot ofconfusion Into perfect misunderstanding, Reflecting a pocket-torch ofobservation...
What they do not see is that theirreverence foreconomic activity andindustry and what is calledbusiness is alsofetishworship, and that in their devotion to that idol they torture themselves as needlessly and indulge in the same meaningless
St. Orberosia is forgotten by thePenguins, her devotion abandoned, and hersanctuary deserted. On her shrine, bereft of itsgold andprecious stones, thespider silently weaves her web.
Instead of man to love, we have a man-god toworship. From being the example of devotion, he is its object; thereligion ofChrist ended with hislife, and left us instead but theChristian religion.
The devotion of such titans of spirit asLenin to anIdeal must bear fruit. The nobility of his selflessness will be an example through centuries to come, and his Ideal will reachperfection.
But they for whom I am the supreme goal, who do all work renouncingself for me andmeditate on me with single-hearted devotion, these I will swiftly rescue fromdeath's vast sea, for theirconsciousness has entered into me.
But you mustlove with asublime,genuine,profoundsympathy, with devotion, withintelligence, and you must try all the time to understand Him more, better and yet more. That will lead toGod, that will lead to an unshakeablefaith.
Do you know the kind ofskill it demands, and the years ofpassionate,merciless, excruciating devotion that go to acquire that skill? That was what I would not place at the disposal of men whose sole qualification to rule me was theircapacity to spout the fraudulent generalities that got them elected to theprivilege of enforcing their wishes at the point of a gun. .
If I was told tosacrifice something to prove my devotion toGod, if I was told to do what allmonotheists are told to do andadmire the man who said 'Yes I'll gut my kid to show mylove of God.
And in these four things, opinion ofghosts,ignorance of second causes, devotion towards what menfear, and taking of things casual forprognostics, consisteth thenaturalseed ofreligion; which byreason of the different fancies,judgments andpassions of several men, has grown up into ceremonies so different, that those which are used by one man, are for the most part ridiculous to another.
All forms ofdedication, devotion,loyalty and self-surrender are inessence a desperate clinging to something which might giveworth and meaning to our futile, spoiledlives.
When his devotion to the unfortunate, thehungry, and the needy became known toTolstoy, it had a profoundinfluence upon histhought and eventually worked an entiretransformation in his manner of living.
In a word, the almightydollar, that great object of universal devotion throughout ourland, seems to have nogenuine devotees in these peculiar villages.
Julian (emperor):*To myself grant for the fruit of my devotion to thee —Truth in belief concerning thegods, the attainment ofperfection inreligiousrites, and in all the undertakings which we attempt as regards warlike or military measures....
To myself grant for the fruit of my devotion to thee —Truth in belief concerning thegods, the attainment ofperfection inreligiousrites, and in all the undertakings which we attempt as regards warlike or military measures....
Abraham Lincoln:It is rather for us here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honoreddead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.
The territorial state is such an ancient form ofsociety - here inEurope it dates back thousands of years - that it is now protected by thesanctity of age and the glory oftradition. A strongreligious feeling mingles with the respect and the devotion to thefatherland.
It is rather for us here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honoreddead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.
Sun Myung Moon:There are, certainly, differing degrees of devotion among Moon's followers; the fact that theybow at the right moment or shout "Mansei! ...
The number, theindustry, and themorality of thepriesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of thechurch from the state.
Devotion to yourgoal makes you live a clean and orderlylife, given to search fortruthand to helping people, and realization makes noblevirtue easy and spontaneous, by removing for good theobstacles in the shape ofdesires andfears andwrongideas.
The true test of our devotion tofreedom is just beginning. I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way.
The more importantPuranas or ancienttales...were written somewhere between 300 AD and 1200 AD and rank next to theepics in theirinfluence on the masses as they seek to evokereligious devotion throughmyths,stories, andlegends.
Pontus, instituted among all people, as an addition or corollary of devotion towardsGod, thatfestival days and assemblies should be celebrated to them who had contended for thefaith (that is, to liemartyrs).
Nursing is anart: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as anypainter's orsculptor's work; for what is the having to do with deadcanvas or deadmarble, compared with having to do with the living body..., the temple ofGod'sspirit? It is one of theFine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.
By 'patriotism' I mean devotion to a particular place and a particular way oflife, which one believes to be the best in theworld but has no wish to force on other people.
Paul Pathickal, in "Christ and the Hindu Diaspora", P.78
Bhakthi movement became prominent in laterHinduism. In the Bhakti Marga (Way of Devotion), devotion togod is a specificreligiousattitude andsentiment, the essential features of which arefaith,love, andtrust in god...Quite often, native Christiansongs,hymns, andlyrics express these very same emotions of faith, love, and trust inJesus Christ. Hindus identify with theseemotions, with the difference that the object of their devotion would beRama,Krishna and some other god.
Paul Pathickal, in "Christ and the Hindu Diaspora", P.78
The impurity of ignorance is in none so manifest as in the devout; for theyact on their ignorance, and fill themselves and others with miserable scruples and hard thoughts of God, and are as apt to call good evil as other men are to call evil good.
Coventry Patmore,The Rod, the Root, and the Flower (London: George Bell and Sons, 1895), Knowledge and Science XVI, p. 70
IfGod is watching us, as somebelievers suggest, as though we were atelevision show and God had a lot of free time, thedeity would surely be bemused by how dumbed-down devotion has sometimes become in this so-calledmodern era. How might anomnipotent being with the long view ofhistory respond to those who visit the travelingexhibit of a grilled-cheesesandwich, sold on eBay, that is said to bear the image of theVirgin Mary? It certainly argues againstintelligentdesign, or at least intelligent design inhumans.
Franklin D. Roosevelt:But thechallenge is always the same — whether each generation facing its own circumstances cansummon the practical devotion to attain and retain that greatest good for the greatest number which this government of the people was created to ensure.
But thechallenge is always the same — whether each generation facing its own circumstances cansummon the practical devotion to attain and retain that greatest good for the greatest number which this government of the people was created to ensure.
...unity and inwardness; and makes theheart grow and bring forth the leaves of inwardlove, the flowers of ardent devotion, and the fruits ofthanksgiving andpraise, and makes these fruits to endureeternally, in humble grief, because of our shortcomings.
He shuddered as hethought of it, for if this should be the case, they had spent their centuries of devotion to but littlepurpose, pursuing awill-o'-the-wisp.
...aknowledge not gained by words but bytouch,sight,sound,victories,failures, sleeplessness, devotion, love—the human experiences and emotions of thisearth and of oneself and of other men; and perhaps, too....reverence for things you can not see.
Thetime you spend alone withGod will transform yourcharacter and increase your devotion. Then yourintegrity and godly behavior in an unbelievingworld will make others long to know the Lord.
Mother Teresa:There is always thedanger that we may just do the work for the sake of thework. This is where therespect and thelove and the devotion come in - that we do it toGod, toChrist, and that's why we try to do it asbeautifully as possible.
There is always thedanger that we may just do the work for the sake of thework. This is where therespect and thelove and the devotion come in - that we do it toGod, toChrist, and that's why we try to do it asbeautifully as possible.
Swami Vivekananda:This idea of devotion andworship to some higher being who canreflect back thelove to man isuniversal. In various religions this love and devotion is manifested in various degrees, at different stages.
If my love is withoutsacrifice, it isselfish. Such alove isbarter, for there is exchange of love and devotion in return for something. It is conditional love.
The idea of a PersonalGod has obtained in almost everyreligion, except a very few. With the exception of theBuddhist and theJain, perhaps all thereligions of theworld have the idea of a Personal God, and with it comes the idea of devotion andworship.
This idea of devotion andworship to some higher being who canreflect back thelove to man isuniversal. In various religions this love and devotion is manifested in various degrees, at different stages.
Swami Vivekananda, in "The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 2/Bhakti or Devotion".
So we find that in almost every religion these are the three primary things which we have in the worship of God —forms orsymbols, names,God-men. All religions have these, but you find that they want to fight with each other...These are the external forms of devotion, through which man has to pass; but if he issincere, if he really wants to reach thetruth, he goes higher than these, to a plane where forms are as nothing.
Swami Vivekananda, in "The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 2/Bhakti or Devotion".
These are the seasons ofemotion And like thewinds, they rise and fall This is thewonder of devotion I seek the torch, we all must hold This is themystery of the quotient upon us all, upon us all, a littlerain must fall.
I know that Zerthimon's devotion to thePeople was such that he was willing to protect them from themselves. He knew the “illithids” had come not to “know” themselves in theirobsession withcontrol anddomination. So he chose to stopGith before she carried the People to theirdeaths. There must be balance in all things, or else theself will not hold.
