In English
Devotion - Its Characteristics
In devotion, you must not only cultivate love, but must perform some acts of love as well. There are some important characteristics of devotion. Praise and scorn, cold and heat, profit and loss, happiness and sorrow, honour and insult – all these must be borne with a sense of equanimity. Neither should we get elated by praise nor depressed by scorn. Neither should we feel happy when profits accrue nor should we be depressed in times of loss. Similarly, cold and heat must be borne with the same equanimity. In cold season, woollen coats protect us a lot. In summer, light cotton shirts are comfortable. Both are helpful to us. In one season, coolness gives us happiness, while in another, heat gives us happiness. Everything depends upon the way we use them. All are God’s creation. However, we have to use them depending upon the circumstances and the level at which we are placed. If we give a gold cup to a child or a knife to a mad person, it will be dangerous. The gold cup is a very valuable possession; hence, it must be given to one who can keep it in a safe place. Similarly, a knife must be given to one, who has knowledge about its proper use. It is only a person who knows the impact of who can use it properly. Love never causes harm to anybody, never perpetrates violence on anybody and never hates anybody.