A Bhakta's response to the blog

April 6, 2011

I had emailed my blog to a few close friends and relatives and invited comment. Got this from my cousin sister in Sydney.

It is endearing to see you express your Rajasic attachment to Bhagavad Geeta in the form of the blog page that you have created to explore the meaning of Geeta in everyday mundane matters.

As an intense and committed disciple of Bhakti-Yoga, I desist from my conditioned tendency to entering into intellectual discussions on the sacred subject of Bhagavad Geeta. This is because through continued satsang of and service to my ShriGuru, I have come to relish the sweet pastimes and glories of the Supreme Lord. Once you start relishing the nectar of Bhakti......any intellectual discussion feels bland and tasteless.

However, for my dear brother, I am choosing to make an exception....only because I trust him to have an open mind....through which perhaps I can transmit the wonderful and glorious message of Bhakti, as I have come to realize and relish.

As highly educated souls, our tendency is to intellectualize Bhagavad Geeta. Your blog is an example of that. So, what's wrong in doing so? From mundane (intellectual) perspective - nothing wrong, if anything, you may even get to hear few 'waah ! waah!'. However, from the perspective of a devotee - it's plain foolish. Because it's like scratching the surface of Geeta and getting so distracted by its lustre that you completely miss out on the real treasure that is hiding between the lines and chapters of Bhagavad Geeta.

Yes, Geeta does explain and describe human behaviour systematically, completely and thoroughly. But, it does so as a background to and with the view to explaining and describing the human potential - the true purpose of human life, the true nature and duty of our soul - which is to (actively) develop the love for the Supreme Lord and to be continuously engaged in serving Him through remembering Him, His pastimes, His glories and His names.

It is very common to see intellectuals (easterners or westerners) commending, applauding and doing "waah waah" at a Swami's talk or explanations about Bhakti (Love for the Supreme Lord) and Bhagavaan (Supreme Lord). Sadly, while the theory is understood *at intellectual level) and applauded, there is no effort made to actually realize Bhakti or Bhagavaan. Because, doing so requires engaging oneself in simple, non-intellectual acts such as chanting the holy names and it also demands giving up our egos by surrendering completely to a pure devotee. Bhakti (the love for the Supreme Lord) is awakened ONLY by pleasing and seeking the blesssing of a pure devotee. Impossible to do when you identify yourself as an intellectual. And to make matters worse (for an intellectual, that is) - the ultimate objective of developing Bhakti (love for the Supreme Lord) is also Bhakti (to be continuously engaged in loving devotional service of the Supreme Lord). How can that be appealing to an intellectual mind!

No wonder, it is said that highly intelligent (educated) mind is a hindrance to Bhakti.

So, my dear brother, it is your humble sister's humble request that please do reflect on what I have said and please do consider diving deeper into the sweet nectarian ocean of Bhagavad Geeta to discover first hand - the pearls of Bhakti, rather than be content playing on the shores - howsoever beautiful may be the shells scattered there.

Given my cousin's conviction, I will not make this a topic for 'intellectual debate'. The approach of some masters is steeped in Bhakti that does not encourage discussion and that is fine for them and their devotees. I cannot specifically say whether she read this post on Bhakti or whether that triggered this response.

What I love is her engagement and willingness to contradict. In the same spirit, dear readers, by all means, bring it on. Where applicable, I will counter if I need to.

Hari Om and Namaskar till the next time.

Geeta Dhyānaṁ 2 - Vyāsā's Vast Intellect

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Geeta in Literature - IF by Rudyard Kipling

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Everyday Geeta

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