TheValue of Devotion. 117
love,howshallwenot love all formsin which
theBelovedisenshrined? Achildinhisplay
maydrawoverhislaughingfaceahideousmask,
butthemotherknowsherdarlingisunderneath;
andwhenm theworld-lila the Lord ishidden
underformrepulsive,Hisloversarenotrepelled,
butseeonlyHim. Thereisnocreature,moving
orunmovmg,that exists bereftof Him,andin
theheart-chamberofthevilestsinnertheHoliest
abides.
Thuswereturntoourstarting-pointandlearn
to recognise the devotee byhis aspect to his
fellow-creatures. His abounding love, his
tenderness,hiscompassion,hispity,hissympathy
withallfaithsandallideals,thesemarkhimout
asalover of the Lord of love. It is told of
Shri Ramanujacharya thata mantrawas once
given him by his Guru, and he asked what
wouldhappenifhetoldittoanother: "Thou
wilt die," was the answer. "And whatwill
happentothe onewhohears it?" "Hewill
be liberated." Then out ran the devotee of
Shri Krishna,and flyingtothetopof a tower,
heshoutedoutthemantratothecrowdedstreets
below,carelesswhathappenedtohimselfsothat
others should beset free fromsin and sorrow.
There is the typical devotee, therethe lover
transformedintothelikenessof theBeloved.