Pictures of Balakbhav bestowing the Divine Bliss of Krushnabhakti

Perspective and peculiar aspects !

1. Spiritual Emotion

Every moment of the day we are aware of our very existence; because it has percolated to our subconscious mind. Everything happens and is experienced by us with this very awareness. Having intense awareness of the existence of God or the Guru in any form, performing every act in life with this awareness and living on the backdrop of this awareness is known as ‘having bhav (Spiritual emotion) unto God or the Guru’ or ‘being in communion with them’.

2. Types of Spiritual Emotion

There are various types of bhav unto God; for example, Yashoda’s vatsalyabhav (Spiritual emotion of maternal love), Deity Hanumaan’s dasyabhav (Spiritual emotion of a servitor), Arjun’s sakhyabhav (Spiritual emotion of a friend) etc. Balakbhav (Childlike Spiritual emotion) is also a type of bhav. Similarly, the state of bhav experienced by seekers who progress swiftly in Spirituality also gets expressed through the medium of various art forms. This creation of art is flawless and Anand-bestowing. The finest example of this is the pictures drawn by Mrs Uma Ravichandran, Sanatan Sanstha’s lady-seeker from Chennai (TamilNadu, India) in the state of Balakbhav. In this type of bhav, a seeker has innocence, purity and a bhav that ‘I am a small child of God, He alone is my mother, father, brother, friend and almost everything and only He is my protector’. This balakbhav unto Shrikrushna arose in the mind of Mrs Uma Ravichandran. In this state of bhav she began to think that she was a 3-year-old child and she drew a range of pictures. The readers will be able to understand the nature of balakbhav upon looking at these pictures.

3. Relationship between art and bhav

3 A. Importance of bhav (Maya (The Great Illusion) can be sacrificed quickly)

‘The jiva (Embodied soul) exists in the physical dimension. When the jiva and bhav come together, the jiva starts becoming Sattvik. The jiva is emotional, and since bhav is beyond emotion, if efforts are made for enhancing bhav, the jiva can quickly sacrifice Maya in physical dimension.

3 B. Functioning of bhav (The mind becomes Sattvik)

With the spreading of bhav, the mind starts responding well to the Sattva component. Its thoughts undergo changes and communion with God increases.

3 C. Accumulation of the spiritual treasure of art is accumulation of merits

Through communion with God, the gift of art in a jiva develops with the help of the Chaitanya (Divine consciousness) and then manifests in the form of a beautiful picture, a sculpture, a poem, a description etc. This is called ‘Spiritual treasure of art’. Accumulation of the spiritual treasure of art is accumulation of merits.

3 D. Work of art created from the spiritual treasure of art engrosses everyone in God’s world of bhav

When an artist-jiva gets engrossed in the world of bhav, it becomes worthy of the spiritual treasure of art. Any work of art created from this state effortlessly takes everyone to God’s world of bhav. There is no hindrance in this effort. In other words, during this journey the jiva is engrossed in the work of art effortlessly, without any conflict. The same has happened with regard to this article series. The pictures drawn by the lady-seeker through her innocent bhav unto Shrikrushna has become a storehouse that bestows Anand of devotion unto Shrikrushna.

4. Peculiar Apects of Pictures of Balakbhav bestowing the Divine Bliss of Krushnabhakti

4 A. Spiritual features of the pictures depicting balakbhav

There are many spiritual features of the pictures depicting balakbhav drawn by Mrs Uma; for example, expression of sevabhav (Perspective while serving God), awakening of bhav of gratitude (in the one who sees these pictures) etc. Even from the perspective of art, the pictures are exceptionally beautiful and elegant, and they contain many facets that are required for a picture to be good.

4 B. Importance and mission of pictures that depict closeness with the spiritual world

4 B 1. Taking us to an environment enriched with devotion unto Shrikrushna

Every picture in this article series takes us to an environment enriched with devotion unto Shrikrushna and engrosses our mind and intellect in the world of bhav.

4 B 2. When a jiva is drawn into the picture’s world of bhav, the world around him also starts getting enriched with Chaitanya and becoming sacred

Once the viewer-jiva gets tied with devotion to the pictures, its mind starts vibrating with Divine thoughts. These vibrations start spreading in its body in the form of waves. Thus, when a jiva is drawn into the picture’s world of bhav, the world around him also starts getting enriched with Chaitanya and becoming sacred.

4 C. Importance of the spread of Chaitanya through this article series due to the seeker-artist’s bhav in drawing the pictures and its effect

4 C 1. Liveliness in the picture (Continuous communion of the seeker-artist)

The pictures in this article series are very lively; we feel as if they are saying something and they have really become lively. When we feel this, we should understand that the seeker-jiva has created the work of art through continuous communion with Shrikrushṇa and by pouring its heart into it.

4 C 2. With the touch of Chaitanya, the picture loses its grossness and becomes sacred

When every line, dot, figure, part of ornaments, type of clothing, bhav on the face and Tej in the eyes are touched by Chaitanya, the grossness of the figures in the picture is lost, and due to the touch of Chaitanya, the picture becomes sacred.

4 C 3. Picture becoming radiant and becoming lively since its attachment with the materialistic world (Maya) gets broken, and aspects depicting liveliness of the picture

A. Effect of the association with Tejtattva (Absolute Fire Principle) (Movement of the eyes in the pictures)

Due to the association with Tejtattva, the pictures become lively and hence, we perceive as if the eyes are moving, looking at us and speaking softly with us.

B. Increase in the movement in the pictures due to the Chaitanya of Vayutattva (Absolute Air Principle)

When the proportion of Chaitanya of Vayutattva increases, we perceive as if the lips are conversing and the hands and legs are moving. We feel as if God is coming out of the picture towards us. Thus, the devotion and bhav in the picture gives everyone the spiritual experience of God’s universe and merges us with Him.

4 D. Nature of the spiritual effect of this article series

4 D 1. Everyone will be attracted to God’s universe

The lady-seeker has poured liveliness in these pictures through her devotion and bhav. Everyone will be attracted to God’s universe through these pictures, not a single jiva will be spared, and this is the effect of this article series.

4 D 2. Everyone will be drenched with devotion unto Shrikrushna

The noble objective of this article series is that everyone gets drenched with devotion unto Shrikrushna and be inspired to surrender at His Holy feet.

4 D 3. Article series of Shriguru that obsesses us with devotion unto God

Devotion unto Shrikrushna is not complete unless we are obsessed with it. The lady-seeker’s pictures that engross us in the world of Shrikrushnatattva are dear to everyone – the young and the elderly, rationalists, atheists and artists and hence, this article series is prepared with the samashti (Society) objective that everyone be inspired to perform sadhana (Spiritual practice). Without doubt, this article series will obsess us with devotion unto God.’ – ‘A Scholar’ from the subtle-world (Through the medium of H.H. (Mrs) Anjali Gadgil, 15.8.2013, 10.51 a.m.)

A humble prayer unto the Holy Feet of Shrikrushna,

कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने । प्रणतक्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ।।
Meaning : I offer my obeisance unto Shrikrushna, the son of Vasudev; the Paramatma who eliminates all unhappiness; Govind who eliminates sufferings of His devotees.
वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् । देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ।।
Meaning : I bow to Shrikrushna, the son of Vasudev; One who killed wicked Kansa and Chanura; One who gives immense Anand to mother Devaki; I offer my obeisance to Shrikrushna, who is the Guru of the universe.
वन्दे वृन्दावनचरं वल्लवीजनवल्लभम् । जयन्तीसम्भवं धाम वैजयन्तीविभूषणम्
Meaning : I offer my obeisance unto Bhagawan Shrikrushna, the one who walks in Vrundavan, the one who provides Anand to gopis, the one who was born during Jayanti Yoga (At midnight on Shravan Krushna Ashtami during Rohini nakshatra), the one who is the sanctuary of devotees and is adorned with Vaijayanti garland. Pictures of Balakbhav epitomize the spiritual sweetness and the purity like that of a child. They will be liked by our readers. Readers will also be able to view the divine world of Krushnabhakti. We humbly pray at the Holy Feet of Lord Shrikrishna that may the readers yearn for Krushnabhakti after reading this article series.

Reference : Sanatan’s Holy Text ‘Pictures depicting Balakbhav (Part 1) (Pictures that bestow Anand of devotion unto Shrikrushna))’