Karma and Bhakti are different

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Karma and Bhakti are differenthttp://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2147117.cms

B V Tirtha Maharaj

Why

should we try to attain Krishna? Because if we can get complete reality, we can

get everything. By getting whom, we get all; by knowing whom, we know all

— that is Krishna. We will not want anything else. All our desires will be

fulfilled and our problems solved.

One of Krishna's unlimited

names is Hrsikesa. That means He is the enjoyer of all sense organs and their

objects. Now if we do not engage our senses in the transcendental service of

Krishna, then unholy things will enter our minds through those senses. That is

why we have to stop them from engaging in material matters, so that mundane

thoughts don't dominate. This can only be achieved by using our senses for the

pleasure of the Lord under the guidance of a realised soul.

When Krishna is satisfied, He

can give us the opportunity to see Him. That is called

 

bhakti

 

..

This is the

 

abhidheya

 

,

the method of spiritual practice as propagated by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Only by

loving another person we can increase our love for him. Similarly, if we want to

increase our love for Krishna, we have to practise loving Him.

Krishna has no material form;

his form is transcendental. If there is no form in the cause, then there can be

no form in the effect either. God has infinite form. We can never find happiness

independent of Him.

When we

take the merits of our actions for our own self, it is called karma — it

is not

 

bhakti

 

..

The results of all our actions should go to the Supreme Lord, not to our own

pocket. Someone may work throughout day and night and an observer might say,

" This person is a very good servitor " . But if he is doing this work to satisfy

his own material ego, then it is not

 

bhakti

 

..

We should be free from all kinds of material identification.

 

Vinirmuktam

 

means there should not be even a scent of material ego. If there is even a touch

of material ego, there is no question of

 

bhakti

 

— it will be karma.

" I

am from India, i am from such and such caste " — these are examples of

material ego. There's no goodness in this world; all is

 

amangala

 

,

unholy. We become unholy when we think we are of this world. Anything done with

the unholy ego is unholy. So we should have no connection with this world by

completely freeing ourselves of this ego. This condition is very difficult to

achieve.

However, just to be

free from ego is not enough.

 

Jnanis

 

or knowledge-seekers also want to give up the ego. They want emancipation; they

want to merge themselves with Brahmn, the impersonal, formless aspect of God.

But we cannot perform

 

bhakti

 

just by divesting ourselves of the worldly material ego. We have to sincerely

feel that we belong to Krishna and the guru in our hearts, not just mouth the

words. Then we shall become sanctified,

 

nirmalam

 

..

Bhakti

 

is the best devotion: one should be free from non-devotional desires of any

kind. We should not be entangled

with

 

jnana

 

and

 

karma

 

,

knowledge aimed at liberation and reward-seeking activity.

Radharani is the most perfect

form of Krishna's potency. She is the highest devotee, and we have to take

shelter with Radha, her

 

sakhis

 

and

 

manjaris

 

(friends and maids). When, like them, we have given ourselves completely to

Krishna, then whatever we do after that will be devotion.