Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

With a view to find out Bhagavan’s opinion in this matter,
one day he approached Bhagavan and asked in a general
way: “Swami, can sadhakas attain this goal in life if they go
about the world absorbed in singing songs in praise of God?
Or should they stay at one place only for the purpose?” “It is
good to keep the mind concentrated on one thing only
wherever the person wanders. What is the use of keeping
the body at one place only if the mind is allowed to wander?”
said Bhagavan. “Is ahetuka bhakti (devotion without a motive)
possible?” asked that young man. “Yes, it is possible,” said
Bhagavan. Some time back, when some others also asked
the same question during conversation, Bhagavan had
replied saying, “Why is it not possible?” The bhakti (devotion)
of Prahlada and Narada was only ahetuka bhakti.

The devotion shown by our Bhagavan towards
Arunachala is an example of this type of bhakti. During the
very first darshan, Bhagavan had said, “Oh father! I have
come here according to your orders and have surrendered
myself to you.” Look! Bhagavan says, Lord Arunachala had
ordered and that he had come! Why was he ordered and
why had he come? Bhagavan had come and had surrendered
himself completely. If asked for what purpose he had done
all that, what is there to say! See the bhava (meaning) in the
seventh stanza of Arunachala Navamani Mala written by
Bhagavan in Tamil. This was translated into Telugu by
G. Narasinga Rao. What is the purpose indicated in this
stanza? Nothing. Bhagavan tells us, now and then, that
ahetuka bhakti, ananya bhakti, poorna bhakti and the like are
synonymous with jnana and are not different.