ELEVEN - Water for Survival
Question: What exactly is ‘beyond our capability’? What does bhakti achieve that jnana does not accomplish?
Vinoba, a saintly devotee of Mahatma Gandhi, reveals in his book “Talks on the Gita” a most important point regarding this question that frequently arises during spiritual pursuit. He definitively proclaims (as do all of the scriptures) that bhakti will lead one to the revelation of jnana. In the same breath he says that: “the branch of jnana is nourished by the waters of bhakti.”
One should then ask, “How can this be?” The answer is known by the understanding that when all of our abhyas (repeated spiritual effort) and vichara (reflection) are distilled down to the fundamental motive, we are primarily in pursuit of a Pure Mind.
We are in pursuit of pure happiness, the foundation of which resides exclusively within the heart. This is diametrically opposed to the pursuit of pure pleasure which is the dominating factor motivating the ego. All the trouble in the world comes from the pursuit of happiness being misdirected towards the pursuit of pleasure!
It is human nature that even in the pursuit of something as pure and enduring as spiritual awakening we tend to use a scientific approach. We analyze the endeavor and equip ourselves with tools that suit the task. This approach is indeed fraught with great risk when the work at hand is nothing short of the ‘experiment of life’ and we somehow feel up to the task without divine guidance.
Which Way First
In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord places before us the most appropriate tools for us to utilize in solving the ‘riddle of life’; they show us how to divinize the mind and thus remove the veil of ignorance and delusion. Sri Krishna places before us two separate toolkits for us to choose from according to our temperament and nature. Being only human, we from the very onset, misread the instructions. We contemplate the path of jnana (wisdom) and conjure up a belief that being only conceptual it is achievable with relative ease. The path of bhakti (devotion) is immediately shied away from for it is seen as nothing short of a lifetime of work, constantly trying to deepen the sincerity of one’s devotion.
God, in His infinite wisdom, comes as an Avatara (Divine incarnation in a human form), again and again to show us that the choice is not which tools to use but rather which tools to use first. Each path is designed to effect unique results that taken all together are essential for ultimate success. One path leads to the next, and they mutually nourish each other along the way.
To the dismay of some, the Lord refers to these two paths not as one of knowledge and the other of devotion but rather as two separate forms of devotion; nirguna (formless) bhakti and saguna (with form) bhakti. The 12th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is devoted solely to the meaning and method of employment of these yogas (means for attainment of inseparable union with God). The Lord further ‘thickens the plot’ by revealing to us that the life-long effort of saguna bhakti is easier then the path of nirguna.
Devoted Knowledge
It is concerning this truth uttered by the Lord Sri Krishna that Vinoba comments with beautiful clarity:
“Apart from the point of easiness, there is one more point. Nirguna worship is fraught with some risk. Nirguna is full of knowledge and wisdom (jnana) only. In saguna there is love and tenderness and warmth of feelings. A devotee is more secure therein. There was a time when I relied much on knowledge, but experience has taught me that knowledge alone is not enough. It does burn down gross impurities in the mind, but it is powerless to wash away the subtler impurities.
Self-reliance, enquiry (into the nature of the Self), abhyas (constant practice), vairagya (detachment and dispassion)- all these means taken together are of little avail here. The subtle impurities can be washed away only by the waters of bhakti. Only bhakti has the efficacy to do it. You may call it dependence; but it is dependence on nobody else but the Lord. The mind cannot be completely cleansed without His help.
Some may say: “You are giving a narrow meaning to the word ‘knowledge’ (jnana). To hold that knowledge cannot cleanse the mind completely is to undervalue it.” This objection is certainly valid. But my point is that it is hard to attain pure knowledge while living in a mortal body. The knowledge that we can have while we are encased in this body is bound to be somewhat imperfect and incomplete; its power is bound to be limited. Pure knowledge will undoubtedly burn to ashes all the impurities of the mind; and along with it, it will burn down the mind too. But when associated with the weak flesh, its power proves to be inadequate. It cannot therefore wash away subtle impurities. One has to take recourse to bhakti for this purpose. A man is therefore more secure in bhakti. This is my personal assessment. Saguna bhakti is easier, as there is reliance on the Lord whereas in nirguna bhakti there is self-reliance. But, after all, what does ‘self’ in ‘self-reliance’ mean? It means reliance on the Lord Who dwells within us. You cannot find anyone purified solely through reason. Through Self-reliance, that is, through knowledge of the Self within, we shall have pure Knowledge. Thus, even in nirguna bhakti, reliance is on the Self.
Saguna needs help from nirguna. One must eventually learn to free oneself from attachment to and preoccupation from individuals and outer forms. Saguna is indeed the source of inspiration, but the ultimate culmination must be in nirguna, in commitment to principles. Self-knowledge must ultimately emerge from the womb of devotion. The plant of bhakti must blossom into the flower of Self-knowledge.” 1
Strength and Beauty of Experience
Question: How is one to know when the plant of bhakti has matured into the flowering stage of Self-knowledge?
It must be understood that we are trying to put an experience of the heart into words from the mind. Our efforts here are in vain due to the fact that the limitations of the words themselves present an insurmountable obstacle. Rather than attempting to describe what the experience is, we will succeed in depicting what this experience does.
The dawning of knowledge of the Self is the most attractive thing in creation. It pulls you inward while creating one sole irresistible desire; you want that and only that! Inherently you know that if effort is slackened and you turn away from pursuit of it through the slightest indifference you will lose it.
This loss will happen so quickly because we are in the subtle realms of the heart. This region of the heart, though most near and dear to our true Self, is paradoxically an area that we know the least about. If we have not developed the subtle strength and agility of awareness, through a skillful and nimble power of concentration, the slightest distraction will cause us to lose the perception of that which we strove with such vigilance to acquire.
A Friend You Can Trust
The foundation of concentration that we laid in the early stages of our meditation will serve as our strength and support during our final assent. This bedrock of firm and focused concentration is essential because the subtle regions of the heart are not limited within time and space. Within meditation the perception of this limitlessness is so profound and relieving that we want to simply float away and bask within it. Our skillful habits developed within meditation will catch this desire ‘in the act’ and pull us back to the safe shelter through awareness of the breath. The assurance of our awareness on the breath, as the most reliable thread leading us to true awakening, is evident in the statement of Bhagavan Sri Ramana:
“The breath and the mind arise from the same source; the heart, the dwelling place of the Self.”
We must befriend and have respect for the breath, for that is what pulled us inwards from the vagaries of the mind towards the sublime abode of God.
The ancient Biblical text of the Hebrews declares that:
“In the beginning, God breathed upon the waters.”
Symbolically this means that God ‘took on our humanity’ by breathing Immortality into our Higher Mind. The catch is the role of maya in this divine action; She put the immortal Mind into a very mortal body!
Regardless of the great possibility that all of this is also Her moha (unreal delusion), we have no choice but to ‘deal with it’. When in a state of dis-ease, a cure must be ‘sought and found’!
Another aspect of the ‘humanity’ of God is His methodical nature. He pulls us back to Himself along the same path from which we came out from Him! He is steady in His patience and relentless in His effort. His love for us is without limit or motive; it is pure unselfish love. The simple truth is that we are always within the power of His Presence. The discovery of this is found in becoming receptive to His transformative power.
The Grace of God is literally confined within our own choice to receive it, and its effect is limited by the intensity of our efforts to absorb it! Sri Ramana Maharshi verified this truth with certainty to all who came before him. The most profound example of this is seen when in the presence of Bhagavan:
“The conversation turned upon the question as to whether Iswara Prasad (Divine Grace) is necessary for the attaining of samrajya (universal dominion) or whether a jiva’s honest and strenuous efforts to attain it cannot of themselves lead him to That from whence is no return to life and death.
The Maharshi with an ineffable smile which lit up His Holy Face and which was all-pervasive, shining upon the coterie around him, replied in tones of certainty and with the ring of truth: “Divine Grace is essential for Realization. It leads one to God-realization. But such Grace is vouchsafed only to him who is a true devotee or a yogin, who has striven hard and ceaselessly on the path towards freedom.” 2
Accepting God’s Grace?
Our choice is whether we will remain creatures of ‘free will’ or accept our inheritance as beings of Divinely inspired ‘freeing-will’, in possession of an Awakening that transforms us and purifies those in the world around us. This ‘freeing-will’ is the Will of God. For from the very beginning it was only God, in the disguise of our sadhana that came out of His ‘heart-dwelling’ within us and into our minds, into the world of forgetfulness that we chose to live in. We may also choose to call it the Divine Mother’s sport of maya, but certainly this creation has appeared with Supreme intent. God fully intends to lure us inwards, back to the realization that He is our very own.
Bhagavan freely divulged the relentless intention of His grace and compassion to guide towards Realization all who came to Him with sincere hearts. Thus, he declared to those before Him as if proclaiming to all:
“Even if you let go of Bhagavan, Bhagavan will never let go of you.” 3
Even so, when a devotee grew despondent at seeing no progress in himself saying:
“I am afraid if I continue like this I shall go to hell.”
Bhagavan, the ‘Ocean of Compassion without Reason,’ tenderly replied:
“If you do Bhagavan will go after you and bring you back.” 4
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1. Talks on the Gita, Vinoba, Paramdham & Sarva Seva Prakashan 2005, p. 171-173.
2. Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, recorded by Sri Munagala Venkataramiah, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, Talk 29. p. 33-34.
3. Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge, Arthur Osborne, Sri Ramanashramam 2006, p. 172
4. Ibid.
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