Worship of God a Child

[izi]

What is this form of worship officially termed? I once knew the term but now I forgot it, so.....please help :\

[saidevo]

There are nine forms of bhakti: Shrvanam (listening), kIrtanam (singing), smaranaM (remembering), pAdasEvanaM (service to the feet), archanaM (worshipping with flowers), vandanam (bowing to), dAsyaM (relating to), AtmanIvEdanaM (offering the soul), sakHyam (association).

Of these forms, dAsyaM may involve relating the devotee to the devoted as a friend (sAkhya bhAva), wife (madhura bhAva), and mother (vAtsalya bhAva). So worshipping God as a child amounts to vAtsalya bhAva.

For more details check: http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/devot.html

[izi]

Actually I mean worshipping GOD THE CHILD...like god as a baby you care for, etc....sort of like Krsna as a babe....

I do this quite often it is very appealing but then diversity is an effective prybar...so I switch it around a lot.

[izi]

Ah here it is I found it:

"In Vatsalya Bhava, the devotee looks upon God as his child. Yasoda had this Bhava with Lord Krishna. There is no fear in this Bhava, because God is your pet child. The devotee serves, feeds, and looks upon God as a mother does in the case of her child."

But I have to wonder if this is the correct terminology? Vatsalya Bhava?

many thanks :>

[santosh]

Yes, Vatsalya Bhava is so nice and sweet. Who wouldn't get attracted to the form of Krishna as a little baby in the lap of mother Yashoda. There is wonderful pasttime of Krishna known as Damodar Lila wherein baby Krishna was little too naughty and His mother Yashoda bound Him to ukhal (grinding mortar).

Other Bhavas (or Rasas):

Shanta, Dasya, Saukhya, (Vatsalya), Madhurya.

Hare Krishna!