12 Jan 2008 —
Question
Q36: The gopis or Hanuman?
Question 36:
“What for you is the ideal devotional attitude? The gopis with Krishna or Hanuman serving Rama?”
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To post your answer, click on ‘Add Comment’.
Question 36:
“What for you is the ideal devotional attitude? The gopis with Krishna or Hanuman serving Rama?”
———————————
To post your answer, click on ‘Add Comment’.
Both….
its according to the master, With krishna, gopis were perfect and with Rama, Hanuman. Hanuman may not be able to love Krishna as he loved Rama and gopis may not be able to have the same devotion to Rama as they loved krishna..
Hanuman and gopis were perfect devotees.. so they must be knowing both Rama and Krishna are same…
to me there is no difference at all. devotion is expressed differently by different ppl and i feel it is a personal experience between the devotee and his/her Lord. just like how Kali, Durga and Lakshmi are different forms of our beloved Mother.
Om Amma. There is no difference when one is the perfect disciple to the Guru. Both Hamuman to Rama/Sita and the Gopis to Bhagavan Krishna where the same tireless, fully, devoted disciples.
May we all serve Our Blessed Amma as such.
For me, the ideal devotional attitude would be the love of the gopis for Krishna. it is the manifestation of our Madhurya Bhava in which the devotee sees his beloved God as his lover. the Gopis could quarrel, tease, love Krishna without any inhibitions. more than respect and awe the devotee feels closest to God in love.
In BHAKTHI [ Devotion ], only HEART is there, HEAD / BRAIN is completely ABSENT. Hanumanji is the GREATEST Bhaktha in his own way and Gopis are also GREATEST Bhakthas in their own way. In Highest Spiritual State that AMMA is leading us in to, do u think Hanumanji & Gopis are different or do u think Rama in Treta Yuga, Krishna in Dwapara yuga or Adi Shankara/ Madhva/Ramanuja/Chaithanya/Ramakrishna/Shirdi Sai/Sathya Sai/MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI in kali yuga are different, NO THEY are one & single , but how to know that u will realise it with their GRACE.
“Ekam SAT , Vipra Bahuda Vadanti”
In Prema, one seeks the ideal of Gopis…
In Seva, one seeks the ideal of Hanuman…
Both are the ultimate in their supreme love and service …
to me, Hanuman stands at the peak pedestal in devotion to his Lord…..
gopis were always selfish in their love to krishna…..Ammachi herself tells us the story of gopis who left all their chores and ran to vrindavan to dance with krishna, ignoring the real krshna, in disguise, with a thorn on his feet,asking for help to remove it….none of them had the patience to help a person in need….in true devotion one sees everything around him as his Love,his Master….hanuman is the embodiment of service and devotion to lord Rama…..thts why he still lives on as Chiranjeevi even today……
It seems to me that a more apt comparison might be between Radha and Hanuman. To hold up all of the gopis, not only Radha, to the supreme devotion of Hanuman, may, as Arya suggested above, reflect unfavorably on the gopis in some situations, which I do not think is fair. But in Radha we see the same degree of selfless devotion to see and serve everything as her Beloved.
At any rate, what may be the ideal devotional attitude for me in this moment could be less than ideal for someone else, or even for me in another moment. Instead I am grateful that we have been given so many beautiful examples of different ways to be fully devoted to God.
Like the evening star (gopis- the first to rise) and the morning star (Hanuman- the last to rest), they are like celestial markers to navigate by, and they lead to the same Star. Perhaps because of the long frame of spiritual seasonal orbital rotation (duality) this question could be asked as comparison based on contrast. But the blazing noonday Sun of Amma’s embodiment of Divine Mother radiates and illuminates the inseparatable unity of love and service as the utlimate devotional suchness of creature to Creator.
You know, I dont really know. All I know is that I love Amma and wish I could do anything for her. I want to always be with Amma always and yes I do envy the swamis who always are there for her getting all of that physical love. I would always want to be Amma’s servant. I love my Amma so much! The Divine Mother of the universe.
both are examples of service and devotion, but my personal ideal attitude would be that of the gopis.
Arya, perhaps the gopis were slightly selfish, but can anyone truely say that they don’t have the slightest selfish love for our dear Amma? Even I can’t say that!!!!
Gopis and Hanuman, there should not be any comparison in their devotion. Though in different time frame the depth of their devotion is from the heart of hearts. Their method of approach is also different. So we can take their devotion as an example, without comparison. Do anyone of us can compare how much love and devotion we each got towards AMMA?
for me dovotion is not an attitude of mind
it is NO — MIND
“Prabhu Kar Pankaj Kapi Ke Seesa.Sumiri So Dasa Magan Gaurisa” (Sundarkand-Ramcharitmanas)
-A total surrender and complete humility for one’s Ishta-“Rama”.
“If “PADA-RAJA” is the only medicine for Sri Krishna, who bothers about
hell or heaven! Let us all be the sinner but please fill the bags with the
sand taken from under our feet and send it for our beloved Krishna and
cure him of the pain!”
-A Spontaneous and complete submission for one’s Beloved-“Krishna”
Where’s the difference? Once the Ganges or Yamuna hugs the ocean-
only ocean results-no Ganga, no Yamuna-only ocean-
Ammas love and untiring devotional service to all of us and the world is the ideal devotional attitude. what could be better seen as purity than our own guru ammas supreme example. i am sure the gopis and hanuman were devoted but i do not really know them or see them. I see amma, never resting, never swerving in her devotion to us. jai ma
Both Hanumanji and Gopis were earning for God. The ultimate feeling was Bhakthi. So both are true and pure in thier own way.
gopis love seems to have trascended from a material level. ie gender based – in a sense gopis were women and krishna a man. this path is not approchable to the all the embodied, even by the gopas at that time.
krishna didnot have rasa dance with the gopas.
servititude attitude like that of hanuman is universal (like motherly love of our amma), is open for all regardless of the gender.
I think it is not a correct statement. It means we are in dweta bhav we differentiate between Gopis and Hanuman, all are same this is only told to us to show us the different ways of devotion, bhakti. From this it is learnt that we should also be alert and remember God everytime.
Vijane I do not agree with you. it means you are in dweta bhava, because the inner self is neither man nor woman. All are only one and one. Amma also hugging people never discriminate that the person is girl or a boy she says she hugs her own part.
For me its the Gopis with Krishna… Selfless, loving and craving for the Lord
Hanuman loved & served Rama, Gopis loved & played with Krishna. Both are exempalary for me. I wish to love Amma with all my heart, mind & soul like Radha & the Gopis, and that all my daily thoughts & actions be directed with consciousness of serving Amma like Hanuman, I will truly reach my goal but not without Amma’s blessings and grace.
When we compare Hanuman and the gopis, we are led to understand that the Lord accepts various and all forms of devotion, provided the devotees are firm in their faith and develop love in their hearts.
Hanuman’s steadfast faith and devotion to Lord Rama is an ideal example for sadhaks. They show that even individuals, striving with deep faith and devotion, can achieve the grace and love of the Lord.
The gopis served the Lord’s purpose in showing the world that devotion and faith in a group is also very beneficial for spiritual progress. Besides this, it was also a great example of how the Lord Herself lifts Her devotees along the spiritual path.
Both gopis and Hanuman achieved union with Brahmam through different paths and they are examples of ideal devotion, love and steadfast faith in the Lord.
Live for master…. Follow their words through deeds…. each and every second…. Both stories narrates us same meaning. Both Gopis as well as Hanumanjis attitude towards Krishna and Rama was same.
Absolute Both they complement one another , Karma Bhakti Jnana
all fulfill one another
Both Gopis and Hanuman are supreme examples of devotion although of different ways. Hanuman considers himself as a servant of Lord Rama while Gopis consider Lord Krishna as their Lover. Both experienced supreme bliss in the company of the Lord. So we cannot say that one is better than the other. Each individual following the path of devotion will be comfortable with one type of devotion or a combination of them.
Both are ideal. But I doubt whether one can measure the depth of devotion. Only realized souls like Amma can do that, I presume. Amma Sharanam.
the only difference between the Gopis and Hanuman are the ways their devotion expressed itself. the crucial thing was how one-pointed their focus was on their Beloved. it was the underlying motivation that is the important thing. your way may be different. but as long as it’s sincere, it’s just as great. think of the squirrel Rama praised when building the bridge to Lanka.
being genuinely committed to realizing God or your true nature, however you want to phrase it and by whatever means, is the only real act of devotion. anything else is just preparation or procrastination. after all, Amma wants nothing from us but this, so do whatever it takes. Let us serve Amma by fulfilling this one single thing.
It is for Amma to decide what type of devotion to give whom. Hanumanji is so endearing in his total selfless devotion(even carrying a hill) but Radha seems more human…She is the chosen one and Hanumanji is one of many faithfulls.
Hanumanji serving Ramji and Gopis with Krishna!!!!!!!!!! They are equal in absolute devotion. Hanumaji’s devotion is the attitude of a servant to the Lord, and he also had the knowledge. The Gopis’ devotion is the unconditional love towards God: Innocent Bhakthi. Maybe this is more touching. The Gopis were illiterate and simple innocent village girls. They loved Krishna only for the sake of Love.
So hard to tell ..both had such innocent love and devotion to the Lord of their heart that it is hard to seperate or compare one with the other.. they say wherever the glories of the Lord Shri Ram are sung there Hanumanji listens with sheer joy at the utterance of His Lord’s name.. how beautiful isn’t it.. 🙂 and the gopis madly in love with the Lord of their hearts, Krishna not caring to eat or sleep ..not realising if it was night or day! Amma please please make me your Gopi or your Hanuman ..please give us that bliss of supreme devotion O Love of our hearts.. Jai Jai Ma Kali!!!
Hanuman’s bhakthi was obviously great, because there was not even a time (according to puranas) that he doubted his Lord. His devotion to Lord Rama was complete.
Don’t think that was the case with the Gopis except for Radha
Both Hanuman and the Gopis had pure devotional service to Lord….
Their bhakthi is the result of their eagerness to be with Him or to serve Him anyway…
There are innumerable qualities of the Lord, and one is attracted by one quality while another is attracted by another.
Thats what s the difference in the love of Gopis and Hanuman ji..
all are the same. bhakti yoga has many aspects, it can be feelings of being servant to God (Hanuman), or friendship, or love …..
Compare one with the other is like comparing one anothers mother. The gopis madly in love with the Lord Krishna . Krishna not caring to eat or sleep ,not realising if it was night or day the way Amma does.The qualities Hanuman had, pure devotional service to Lord Rama .His bhakthi is the result of their eagerness to be with Ram only and serve Him alltime.Amma please make me your Gopi or your Hanuman(your choice) give me that bliss of supreme devotion and Love .One should have both attitudes”The gopis with Krishna or Hanuman serving Rama” Amma Sharanam