Types of Devotion (Sadhana)
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 1 (1953 - 60)
Topic - Excerpt from Divine Discourse
2
Total Surrender
I remember telling a questioner in Maharashtra, while in the previous Body, that there are three types of devotion:
- The bird method (Vihanga) where, like a bird swooping down upon the ripe fruit on the tree, the devotee is too impatient and, by that very impatience, loses the fruit, which falls from his hold.
- The monkey method (Markata) where, like a monkey that pulls toward it one fruit after another and by sheer unsteadiness is not able to decide which fruit it wants, the devotee hesitates and changes his aim much too often and thus loses all chances of success.
- The ant method (Pipeelika), where like the ant that slowly but steadily proceeds toward the sweetness, the devotee moves direct, with undivided attention, toward the Lord and wins His Grace!