The teachings from Class 14 of the Bhagavad Gita focus on the various forms of devotion (bhakti) and understanding the paths to reach God, whether through His form or the formless Brahman. Krishna's discourse to Arjun provides:
- Profound insight into the nature of God.
- The characteristics of exclusive devotion.
- A step-by-step approach to cultivating love for the Divine.
Types and Kinds of Bhakti: Aishwarya and Madhurya
The Bhagavad Gita describes different kinds of devotion: Aiśhwarya Bhakti and Mādhurya Bhakti.
- Aiśhwarya Bhakti: This form of devotion is characterised by awe and reverence towards God. Devotees see Him as the Almighty, maintaining a sense of distance and propriety. An example of this devotion can be seen in the residents of Dwaraka and Ayodhya, who viewed Krishna and Ram as kings.
- Mādhurya Bhakti: This is the devotion where devotees feel an intimate, personal relationship with God. The sentiment here is, "Shree Krishna is mine, and I am His." Examples of Mādhurya Bhakti include the cowherd boys of Vrindavan, who loved Krishna as their friend; Yashoda and Nand Baba, who loved Krishna as their child; and the gopīs, who loved Him as their beloved.
सबै सरस रस द्वारिका, मथुरा अरु ब्रज माहिँ।
मधुर, मधुरतर, मधुरतम, रस ब्रजरस सम नाहिँ ॥
"sabai sarasa rasa dwārikā, mathurā aru braja māhiñ
madhura madhuratara madhuratama, rasa brajarasa sama nāhiñ"
(Bhakti Shatak 70)
"The divine bliss of God is immensely sweet in all His forms. Yet, there is a gradation in it—the bliss of His Dwaraka pastimes is sweet, the bliss of His Mathura pastimes is sweeter, and the bliss of His Braj pastimes is the sweetest."
In Mādhurya Bhakti, the devotees forget the almightiness of God and establish four kinds of relationships with Shree Krishna:
- Dāsya Bhāv: Krishna as the Master, and the devotee as His servant.
- Sakhya Bhāv: Krishna as a Friend. This type of devotion was seen among the cowherd boys of Vrindavan.
- Vātsalya Bhāv: Krishna as a Child, where devotees, like Yashoda and Nand Baba, saw Him as their own.
- Mādhurya Bhāv: Krishna as the Beloved, where the gopīs of Vrindavan saw Him as their lover.
Arjun, representing Sakhya Bhāv, experiences awe at Krishna's universal form but prefers to see Him as a friend rather than being overwhelmed by His opulence.
Grace and Devotion: The Key to Seeing God
Only through unalloyed devotion can one attain divine vision and union with God. Krishna explains this to Arjun, stating that rituals, penance, and study are not sufficient. One must possess true, exclusive devotion.
भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन |
ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप ||
"O Arjun, by unalloyed devotion alone can I be known as I am standing before you. Thereby, on receiving My divine vision, O scorcher of foes, one can enter into union with Me." (BG 11.54)
मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्त: सङ्गवर्जित: |
निर्वैर: सर्वभूतेषु य: स मामेति पाण्डव ||
"Those who perform all their duties for My sake, who depend upon Me, and are devoted to Me, who are free from attachment and are without malice toward all beings—such devotees certainly come to Me." (BG 11.55)
Five Characteristics of Exclusive Devotion
The Gita outlines the five key qualities that define exclusive devotion:
- Selfless Service: Performing all duties for the sake of God, seeing every action as an offering.
- Complete Dependence on Divine Grace: Trusting entirely in Krishna's grace rather than one's own spiritual practices.
- Focused Devotion: Seeing Krishna as the sole object of devotion.
- Detachment from the World: Cultivating a mindset free from worldly attachments to focus on devotion.
- Absence of Malice: Bearing no ill will towards others, even those who have wronged them, recognising all beings as manifestations of the divine.
Whom to Worship: God's Personal Form or the Formless Brahman?
Arjun asks Krishna which is better—to worship God's personal form or the formless Brahman.
अर्जुन उवाच |
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते |
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमा: ||
"Arjun inquired: Between those who are steadfastly devoted to Your personal form and those who worship the formless Brahman, whom do You consider to be perfect in Yog?" (BG 12.1)
Krishna explains the three forms of God:
- Brahman (the formless, all-pervading divine light)
- Paramātmā (the Supreme Soul in everyone's heart)
- Bhagavān (the personal form full of qualities and pastimes)
He also uses the analogy of ice, water, and steam—all are the same substance but have different properties.
Difficulty of Worshiping the Unmanifest
Worshipping the formless Brahman is extremely challenging for embodied souls because humans are accustomed to interacting with forms.
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ||
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दु:खं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ||
"For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest, the path of realisation is full of tribulations. Worship of the unmanifest is exceedingly difficult for embodied beings." (BG 12.5)
Devotion to the Personal Form of God
Krishna acknowledges that devotion to His personal form is easier and more effective. The personal form of God is full of compassion and mercy. Krishna reassures Arjun:
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्न्यस्य मत्परा: |
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ||
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् |
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ||
"Those who dedicate all their actions to Me, regarding Me as the Supreme goal, worshipping Me, and meditating on Me with exclusive devotion, O Parth, I swiftly deliver them from the ocean of birth and death for their consciousness is united with Me." (BG 12.6-7)
Step-by-Step Approach to Devotion
- Surrender Your Mind and Intellect
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय | निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशय: ||
"Fix your mind on Me alone and surrender your intellect to Me. Thereupon, you will always live in Me. Of this, there is no doubt." (BG 12.8) - Practice Remembering God
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् | अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ||
"If you are unable to fix your mind steadily on Me, O Arjun, then practice remembering Me with devotion." (BG 12.9) - Work for God
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव | मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ||
"If you cannot practice remembering Me with devotion, then just try to work for Me." (BG 12.10) - Renounce the Fruits of Your Actions
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रित: | सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं तत: कुरु यतात्मवान् ||
"If you are unable to even work for Me in devotion, then try to renounce the fruits of your actions." (BG 12.11)
Conclusion: The Ease of Devotion
Krishna emphasises that knowledge, meditation, and renunciation are crucial, but devotion is the simplest and most rewarding path. Devotees who love God selflessly, perform their duties for Him and seek only His grace find peace and ultimate liberation.
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते |
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ||
"Better than mechanical practice is knowledge; better than knowledge is meditation. Better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of actions, for peace immediately follows such renunciation." (BG 12.12)
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita Simplified [English]- 22nd September 2024
