True Devotion

True Devotion, Lord Rama
A true devotee cares not for anything other than devotion. A story in the Ramayana depicts true devotion with none other than Lord Rama portraying it.

Lord Rama was engaged in the worship of the Sea God to appease him to rescue His consort Sita who was abducted by Ravana the demon king. Lord Rama had to cross the sea with His monkey army to rescue Sita. He was thus performing a special worship to the Sea God.

The special worship, according to the scriptures involved 100 lotus flowers. Rama could only find 99. As he pondered as to what He would do for last lotus, He suddenly remembered that many sages recognized His eyes as lotus flowers.

Wasting not a moment, Rama plucked one of His eyes and completed the worship. The Sea God who was pleased by the devotion, guided Rama in His mission.

Periyapuranam, a compilation of the devotion of the 64 Saivaite saints, records the devotion of Kannappa Nayanar, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva who plucked his eyes to fix on the eyes of Lord Shiva which was bleeding. It is said that Lord Shiva restored his eyes and blessed him with His vision.

True devotion cares only for devotion and nothing else!