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Ahetuki bhakti[4] – the main thing is to acquire zealous love and devotion for God
“If you have loving devotion – zealous love and devotion – God cannot remain unmoved.
“How great is God’s fondness for devotion! It can be likened to a cow’s fondness for fodder mixed with oil cake. She just gobbles it down.
“Fervent love[5] and selfless devotion to God, pure love for its own sake – that’s what Prahlada had.
“You may visit a rich man just because you like to see him. When you’re asked if you’d like a favour, you reply, ‘Sir, I want nothing at all. I come just to see you.’ This is called ahetuki bhakti. You ask God for nothing – only to love Him.
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Metanoia is a Greek word meaning "a transformative change of heart" or a profound spiritual conversion. It has been used in different contexts, including philosophy, psychology, and religion.
Etymology and Meaning:
- In Greek, "meta-" means "beyond" or "after," and "noia" comes from "nous," meaning "mind" or "perception."
- Thus, metanoia refers to a shift in one’s way of thinking or perceiving the world, going beyond old perspectives to embrace new insights or values.
Religious Context:
- In Christianity, particularly in the New Testament, metanoia is often translated as "repentance." It refers not just to feeling remorse for wrongdoing but to a complete turning away from sin and turning toward God.
- In a broader spiritual sense, metanoia involves a deep change in consciousness, a shift toward spiritual awareness, and an alignment with higher values.
Philosophical and Psychological Context:
- In existential philosophy and depth psychology, metanoia is associated with personal growth and transformation. It’s seen as a pivotal moment of change when a person radically redefines themselves, often triggered by a crisis or a period of intense reflection.
Atman
Atman is a Sanskrit term meaning the inner self or soul in Hindu philosophy. It is a core concept in the spiritual traditions of India, particularly within Hinduism, Vedanta, and other related systems of thought.
Atman in Hinduism:
- Atman refers to the true essence of an individual beyond the physical body and ego. It is the eternal, indestructible core that exists within every living being.
- In Advaita Vedanta (a non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy), atman is considered identical to Brahman, the ultimate, universal reality. The realization that one’s atman is the same as Brahman is the key to achieving moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth).
Atman and Reincarnation:
- According to Hindu beliefs, the atman transmigrates through various lives, taking on different bodies in each incarnation based on the law of karma (the moral law of cause and effect).
- Liberation (moksha) is achieved when the atman realizes its unity with Brahman, transcending the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara).
Atman in Other Indian Philosophies:
- In Jainism, atman is seen as an individual soul that is inherently pure, though it can become tainted by karma. Liberation is attained by purifying the soul from karma.
- In Buddhism, however, the concept of atman is rejected in favor of anatta (non-self), where the belief in a permanent self is seen as a source of suffering.
In essence, metanoia involves a transformation of the mind or spirit, while atman refers to the eternal soul in Indian philosophy, with both ideas pointing to deeper self-realization and spiritual awakening.
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