Changes

Continuing from verse 7.21 quoted above, Shri Krishna further states that when a devotee worships the deity of his or her choice with the divine shraddha provided by Him, their desires are fulfilled by Shri Krishna himself.<ref name=":4" /> <blockquote>स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते । लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् ॥७.२२॥<ref name=":19" /></blockquote><blockquote>''sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhate । labhate ca tataḥ kāmānmayaiva vihitānhi tān ॥7.22॥''</blockquote>Therefore, shraddha is not only something that brings one to Shri Krishna but also continues to bring the blessings of Shri Krishna to the devotees, whoever and however they worship. Thus, shraddha is a gift of the Supreme, a divine grace.<ref name=":4" />

Continuing from verse 7.21 quoted above, Shri Krishna further states that when a devotee worships the deity of his or her choice with the divine shraddha provided by Him, their desires are fulfilled by Shri Krishna himself.<ref name=":4" /> <blockquote>स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते । लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् ॥७.२२॥<ref name=":19" /></blockquote><blockquote>''sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhate । labhate ca tataḥ kāmānmayaiva vihitānhi tān ॥7.22॥''</blockquote>Therefore, shraddha is not only something that brings one to Shri Krishna but also continues to bring the blessings of Shri Krishna to the devotees, whoever and however they worship. Thus, shraddha is a gift of the Supreme, a divine grace.<ref name=":4" />

== आप्तेषु श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha in a Person or Shastra ==

== आप्तेषु श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha in a Person or Shastra ==

In Vivekachudamani, Shri Shankaracharya says,<blockquote>शास्त्रस्य गुरवाक्यस्य सत्यबुद्ध्यवधारणम् । सा श्रद्धा कथिता सद्भिर्यया वस्तूपलभ्यते ॥ २५ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>''śāstrasya guravākyasya satyabuddhyavadhāraṇam । sā śraddhā kathitā sadbhiryayā vastūpalabhyate ॥ 25 ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Acceptance by firm judgment of the mind as true of what the scriptures and the Guru instruct, is called by the sages as Sraddha, by means of which the Reality is perceived.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1921), [https://estudantedavedanta.net/VivekaChudamani-of-Sri-Shankaracharya.pdf Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya], Mayavati: The Advaita Ashrama.</ref>

In Vivekachudamani, Shri Shankaracharya says,<blockquote>शास्त्रस्य गुरवाक्यस्य सत्यबुद्ध्यवधारणम् । सा श्रद्धा कथिता सद्भिर्यया वस्तूपलभ्यते ॥ २५ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>''śāstrasya guravākyasya satyabuddhyavadhāraṇam । sā śraddhā kathitā sadbhiryayā vastūpalabhyate ॥ 25 ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Acceptance by firm judgment of the mind as true of what the scriptures and the Guru instruct, is called by the sages as Shraddha, by means of which the Reality is perceived.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1921), [https://estudantedavedanta.net/VivekaChudamani-of-Sri-Shankaracharya.pdf Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya], Mayavati: The Advaita Ashrama.</ref>

This emphasizes on the importance of cultivating shraddha for a person (Guru) or Shastra.<ref name=":4" />

This emphasizes on the importance of cultivating shraddha for a person (Guru) or Shastra.<ref name=":4" />

== साधनाङ्गः ॥ Integral Part of Sadhana ==

== साधनाङ्गः ॥ Integral Part of Sadhana ==

shraddha: Always bears fruits

It is said that in a spiritual journey, one has to be eagerly engaged in the practice one has selected and the effort must lead to control of the senses. And Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that this is possible only for a person who is endowed with Shraddha.<ref name=":4" />  <blockquote>श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः । ४.३९ ।<ref name=":6" /> ''śraddhāvām̐llabhate jñānaṁ tatparaḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ । 4.39 ।''</blockquote>Commenting on this verse Adi Shankaracharya says that practices like prostrations, etc. are external in nature and invariably, not fruitful as they can be performed even by fraudulent or deceitful people. However, it is not so in the case of those endowed with Shraddha.<ref name=":4" /> <blockquote>प्रणिपातादिस्तु बाह्योऽनैकान्तिकोऽपि भवति मायावित्वादिसंभवात् न तु तत् श्रद्धावत्त्वादौ...<ref>Bhagavad Gita, Adhyaya 4, [https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/srimad?language=dv&field_chapter_value=4&field_nsutra_value=39&htshg=1&scsh=1&etsiva=1&etpurohit=1&etgb=1&setgb=1&etssa=1&etadi=1 Verse 39 with Shankara Bhashya and translation] </ref></blockquote><blockquote>''praṇipātādistu bāhyo'naikāntiko'pi bhavati māyāvitvādisaṁbhavāt na tu tat śraddhāvattvādau...''</blockquote>This indicates that shraddha is an internal quality and a necessary condition for spiritual practices. For, without shraddha, all the efforts and control of senses go in vain. Thus, the verse clearly lays out the importance of shraddha in the practice of spirituality.<ref name=":4" />

This verse is in effect similar to verse 2.40, where Krsna proclaims that effort invested in the practice of karmayoga (a spiritual practice in which action is emphasised without attachment to rewards also called nishkama karma), one of the practices of spirituality, neither suffers a loss, nor is there an adverse effect; and even a little bit of practice helps a person to get over his or her biggest of fears. Thus, '''shraddha is integral to the procedure that makes efforts bear fruit in the practice of spirituality.'''

This verse is in effect similar to verse 2.40, where Krsna proclaims that effort invested in the practice of karmayoga (a spiritual practice in which action is emphasised without attachment to rewards also called nishkama karma), one of the practices of spirituality, neither suffers a loss, nor is there an adverse effect; and even a little bit of practice helps a person to get over his or her biggest of fears. Thus, '''shraddha is integral to the procedure that makes efforts bear fruit in the practice of spirituality.'''

In verse 9.23, Krsna tells Arjuna that those devotees who worship other devas (Śiva, Indra, Rudra and so forth) with shraddha are still worshipping Krsna, albeit not following proper procedure. This verse elaborates on the ideas presented in verses 7.21 and 7.22, and states that even if shraddha is placed in other deities, and not Krsna, such ‘misplaced’ shraddha is still placed in him. Thus, shraddha never gets misplaced and always bears fruit.

In verse 9.23, Krsna tells Arjuna that those devotees who worship other devas (Śiva, Indra, Rudra and so forth) with shraddha are still worshipping Krsna, albeit not following proper procedure. This verse elaborates on the ideas presented in verses 7.21 and 7.22, and states that even if shraddha is placed in other deities, and not Krsna, such ‘misplaced’ shraddha is still placed in him. Thus, shraddha never gets misplaced and always bears fruit.

=== संहृतिः ॥ Synopsis ===

=== संहृतिः ॥ Synopsis ===