Bhakti is necessary for all paths: Quote from Kanchi Mahaswamigal

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

I have recently been translating Kanchi Mahaswamigal’s

Discourses on Advaita Saadhanaa for the ‘advaitin’ list. I

found the following important passage on pages 278-279 of

Deivathin Kural, Vol.6, in Tamil. I think every Hindu

spiritual seeker should be aware of this. Almost every

list (touching the subject of spirituality) has recurring

discussions on whether one on the karma path or the jnana

path has to be a devotee or not. So I am reproducing here

this beautiful verdict of the Mahaswamigal for the benefit

of all on this list. In the following, ‘Acharya’ refers to

Adi Shankaracharya.

--------------------------

Why did the Acharya, as well as Lord Krishna Himself,

demarcate only two classes of people: those who qualify for

karma yoga and those who qualify for jnAna yoga? Why did

they not make one more classification, namely, those who

qualify for bhakti? [Note by VK: cf. B. G. III – 3]

 

This is because, both the karma yogi and the jnAna yogi

need to have bhakti. In both the classes, bhakti is an

important part and both have to do it. That is why it was

not separated into a class by itself. The karma pathfinder

has to show bhakti at a certain level while the jnAna

pathfinder has to do the same at a different level. Already

I have told you about two levels of shraddhA. Just as we

use the word bhakti-shraddhA, in bhakti also there are two

such levels! – as we have two levels of courses in

Shorthand and Typewriting!.

 

The lower level – karma pathfinder has to do bhakti in

order to recognise the thought that there is an Ishvara

above us who watches us and gives punishment. He should

then progress in the same level and continue to do bhakti

now to focus the mind through Love. A further progress –

still in the same ‘lower’ level, not ‘higher’ – would make

him carry on bhakti with the attitude of surrender of all

fruits of action.

 

And now at the higher level, the jnana pathfinder does his

bhakti with the thought: ‘The Brahman or the Atman for

which I am doing my saadhanaa, it is the same brahman that,

in its saguna, is the Ishvara; it is that Ishvara who has

granted me the taste in this path and it is only by His

Grace that I should obtain siddhi (success).

 

Above this -- above or below, higher or lower, none of

which is applicable now – is the bhakti of those ‘siddhas’

who have reached that experiential stage (of Brahman

Realisation). For them there is no reason why they do

bhakti but still they do, says Shukacharya , one such

realised soul. (Shrimad Bhagavatam I – 7 – 10).

 

Thus, at all levels, there is bhakti in both karma and

jnAna; that is why bhakti is not separately mentioned.

 

 

PraNAms to all seekers of Truth.

PraNAms to Kanchi Mahaswamigal.

profvk

 

 

 

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

 

Latest on my website: A conversation on the Concept of God in Hinduism.

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/VK2/ConceptofGOD.html