A seeker asks Sadhguru about the importance of devotion, to which Sadhguru replies that being devoted is not about someone or something. Devotion is essentially an enduring sweetness of emotion, with which your body and mind will function at their best.

Questioner: I noticed here that a majority of the people have a lot of devotion towards Shiva but I came from the United States, from south Mississippi and this yoga is new to me, like three months new to me and I have an extreme amount of devotion towards you because I’ve experienced it but I don’t feel the devotion towards Shiva. I know we say the mantra but do we need to have that devotion towards him to progress on the spiritual path?

Sadhguru: Shiva doesn’t need your devotion. (Laughter) Just yesterday someone was reading a passage to me from a book written by Friedrich Nietzsche. You’ve heard of him? Not… he is not from Missouri. You’re from… you’re from Mississippi? I’m sorry, he’s not from Mississippi, from Germany. So Friedrich Nietzsche is saying or his character is saying “Only because there are so many people to receive the light, the sun can enjoy coming up” – this is German bullshit. (Laughter) If none of you are here, sun will still come up the same way, with the same glory. Hmm? Yes or no? He does not come up for you. This is a disease that human beings have got – they think the whole Existence is human centric. It is not so. What is here is not human. A tremendous phenomena is happening here, nothing to do with humanity. Well, it has lot to do with humanity but it’s not of human nature.So Shiva doesn’t need your devotion. It is just that if you carry devotion in your heart… What is devotion, let’s look at this. On one level devotion means a certain sweetness of your heart. It’s the best way to be for any human being. If you do not carry this sweetness in your heart you will be… life will do things to you and you will become bitter. Don’t think you can insulate yourself. You can build a home, you can build a family, you can build a huge bank balance, you can be born in Mississippi but you will not remain insulated. Insulation happens… works only for a certain period of time; after that, one way or the other life gets you. If there is no sweetness in your heart you will become bitter, resentful – this has happened to a large segment of humanity. So on one level devotion means an enduring sweetness of your heart; a kind of sweetness that does not depend on any outside help. Suppose you fall in love with somebody – does it happen in Mississippi? (Laughter) Suppose you fall in love with somebody, your heart becomes sweet. But for how long – there is no guarantee. It can become extremely bitter because of a love affair. Yes or no? We are not wishing that but it can become… either because of situations or because of disease or because of death or because of loss, so many ways, or simply because of boredom.