While Vaishnavism recognizes the importance of meditation practices, its emphasis lies primarily in religious devotion and morality. The word bhava is the key to understanding Vaishnava spirituality. It means emotion, or more specifically the overwhelming joy and love that arise from living life active companionship with God.
While some Hindus focus on deep meditation and others on philosophical contemplation, Vaishnavas are often suspicious of too much head stuff. It's that juice in the heart called love that gives spiritual life its zip. Vaishnavas love to recount the story of Rama's passion for his wife, Sita, or it contemplating Krishna's beautiful features and amorous adventures. Deep feelings of religious ecstasy cleanse the mind and propel the heart toward living companionship with Vishnu here and after death.
For some Vaishnavas, God's wife is just as important and maybe even more important than he is. This is Lakshmi, which you've already met in Chapter 13, " Meet the Hindu Goddesses". Many Vaishnavas call her Sri (pronounced shree), which literally means "auspiciousness" or "all good things". She is the supremely compassionate one, the beloved World Mother who looks after us kids and guide us home to Dad.
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