What is that devotion? How does it relate to intensity? And if God is already dwelling inside of us, why is such instensity and devotion required to know that?
Devotion is using all of one's energy, intensity and mental force to attain an internal or external goal. Upon attaining the goal, devotion dissolves.
This devotion is a tool that is used in many ways; however it is commonly attributed to living for God, living as God, or living in a way that permits one to attain the realization of God. When one attains realization of God and then becomes God, he becomes that venerable object of devotion: living as God, he is beyond the idea of devotion itself.
There is no devotion without intensity for attaining that goal. There must be a strong yearn to have that or know that. In the case of God realization, intensity is only in the begining; the closer one gets to attaining God, the devotion becomes a bit more graceful. That devotion itself becomes so woven into your skin that you know nothing else outside of that.
Intensity is not something that is easily had by many. So as complicated as it is, some individuals require devotion to intensity to attaining a devotion for God: they must learn to abandon their dull mind as a means to understand that intensity. The man of the dull mind must first learn how to be intense with his body before he can do the same with his mind. This is one of the reasons people engage in fruit bearing activities of all sort in the begining. Eventually, the fruit itself can become trivial if, and only if, devotion to God and the intensity conversion required for that is kept at the fore of the devotee's mind. The term intensity can be used interchangably with devotion to some extent; but true devotion cannot be had without grace.
Why must there be devotion and intensity to know God that dwells inside of us?
Many seek God in very specific and limited aspects of life. God is everywhere and in everything; God is with form and also without that form. God is the base of all that is seen and known and also all that is unseen and unknowable. Until one becomes God wholly, anything existing as a part of God outside of the whole is merely a transitory tool that can be used to realize the formless presence of that almighty, infinite force.
So in order to know that God inside of our being, you have to use the body and the mind to realize that portion of God. And unless one is devoted to that portion of formlessness dwelling inside of the physical being, one cannot know that. That formlessness exists as itself, by itself. It requires nothing as it is part of everything. It is the perfection existing in nature without force for creating, sustaining or destroying by any hand of man. If one is living in a way that commands no fruit for his work of sorts, Self-Realization is already had: doing absolutely nothing, his being represents the nature of the Self. If a man rests comfortably in his own nature without doubt or thought of his actions or deeds, the idea of devotion will not only confuse him, but also it will not make sense: it will (or could) do harm and dillude him to believe that he is not Self-Realized, when we very well could be.
It is not possible for a man to easily understand the Self and that formlessness: the nature of God. So often, association with religion and devotion to external Prophets, Gods, and Deities become useful tools for strengthening one's devotion in the begining. But it must be remembered, God is the source of all sources: So eventually all external worship becomes transcended. Until that point, a man prays to his pictures, symbols, idols, priests, gurus and teachers until there is an immediate union with himself and all external forms of worship. He has to see and know himself as a devotee in order to understand that devotion. But even devotion itself (in all forms) require some level of association and identification with the body and mind. As man starts to know and live as the Self (by itself), he cannot fully know that Self until all devotion is transcended and abandoned simultaneously. Otherwise, it becomes a bind to a form of lower nature: thereby preventing the full union with that Self inside of him. Living as the Self, nothing aids your existence but God. Living as the Self, nothing is required for you to continually maintain the knowing as that Self: The Self-Realized man is whole in all aspects of his life, doing nothing and requiring nothing. At this level, he is all things. By being whole in his existence, he becomes all things, including devotion and the devoted object itself.
Devotion cannot be abandoned forcefully. The result could be a dilluded understanding of God and a "False-Self-Realization." Upon truly realizing the Self, in that moment, there is nothing left to be undone or done. Like meditation, devotion too will carry you straight to God and into God (the path and the way). Then, all things are had...
"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness; then all things shall be added unto you..." ~Lord Jesus (M.6:33)
"Those that set there mind intent on me alone and the thought rested in me alone, he comes straight to me..." ~Lord Krishna (Bhagavad Gita)
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