Posted on: 01 Oct 2017
[In second part called as Nivrutti or divine life, after explaining the knowledge in the previous chapter, the subsequent devotion is explained in this chapter.]
[The true knowledge spoken by God in human form (Satguru) shall generate inspiration, which is the force required for implementing the knowledge in practice. The truth existing in the knowledge is responsible for the generation of this emotional force called as theoretical devotion. Hence, the first requirement of knowledge must be truth as said in the Veda (Satyam Jnaanam...). This truth is the reflection of the truth of God. God is unimaginable, but, His existence (truth) is experienced by us (Astityeva... Veda) through the miraculous knowledge called as ‘Prajnaanam’. Only truth of existence of God is reflected to us and the rest nature of God is unimaginable being beyond space.]
[Devotion is of three types: 1) True devotion on God without aspiration of any fruit in return like the theoretical and practical love shown by us to our issues. 2) False but justified devotion as we show in business by equal exchange of cash and material and our love is false because our practical love to God is for equal benefit of practical boons from Him. 3) False and unjust devotion showing theoretical love for practical boons from God like the case of a prostitute towards her customer.]
[The first type is true love. The second type is mixed love since business is said to be a mixture of truth and falsehood (Satyaanrutam tu vaanijyam). The third type is totally false love. Since God is absolute truth, only the first true divine love (Nivrutti) is liked by God. Since world is Mithyaa, (both truth and false), this second heavenly love is liked by all worldly souls. Since prostitution is the worst sin related to hell, the third love is utter cheating liked by demons.]
[Devotion by itself is theoretical and its proof by practical sacrifice is called as practical devotion. The latter is a practical proof of the former. The first step is knowledge (Jnaana) as preached by Shankara. The second step is theoretical devotion or Vedanaa (Bhakti) as preached by Ramanuja. The third step is practical service or seva (karma) involving sacrifice of work and fruit of work as preached by Madhva. Practical service is also called as practical devotion and thus Ramanuja and Madhva belong to the same line.]
[We can give several examples for this sequence. By knowing the details of Mumbai city (Jnaana), we will be inspired to take up journey to Mumbai. This inspiration (Bhakti) generated by the knowledge of Mumbai makes us to take practical steps (Karma) to go (sacrifice of work) to station and purchase ticket (sacrifice of fruit of work) and practically travel to reach Mumbai. Another example is Rukmini, who heard about the details of personality of Krishna from Narada (Jnaana), inspired to marry Krishna (Bhakti) and took practical steps to write letter to Krishna and to run away with Krishna (karma). Her love is of the best first type without aspiration for any fruit like becoming the queen of Dwaraka kingdom. She (being incarnation of Lakshmi) served Krishna by pressing His feet.]
[Some say that knowledge follows devotion since God pleased by devotion gives divine knowledge to His devotee. Several uneducated devotees like Gopikas, hunter (Kannappa), Shabari etc., are fquoted for this concept. But, in these cases, the knowledge was attained by them in previous births. Gopikas were sages for past several births spending lot of time in knowledge to do research to find out the truth. They are born as Gopikas straight in the second step (Bhakti) of theoretical devotion and practiced third step (karma) also (by sacrificing butter and serving Him by dance).]
[Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa told that knowledge is like writing the list of items to be purchased. There is no use in keeping always the list in the pocket without going to market to purchase its items. One may have lot of emotion (theoretical devotion) to purchase the items by which there is no use. Since knowledge and devotion are theoretical, there is no use, if one sticks to these two steps only. Unless one goes to market (Karma Samnyasa) and pay the shopkeeper (Karma Phalatyaga), there is no practical use. In this example also, the above said sequence is maintained.]
[Without detailed knowledge of God, the devotion may appear simply by knowing that by devotion to God, one can attain any boon. This mere point of knowledge is sufficient to develop the devotion to any extent. Prostitute exhibits extensive love simply by knowing one point regarding the customer that he is very rich. This is false love, which does not require all the details of the personality of God or customer respectively. The love is not on God or customer, which is only on boons and money respectively. This love is instrumental devotion in which God is the instrument to get boons. The love on God is actually the love on boons appearing as real love on God due to cheating. For the real love on God or customer, all the details of the personality (complete knowledge) of God or customer are required.]
[The theoretical devotion is intermediate between its cause (knowledge) and its generated product (practical service) like both sides of a coin and hence, can be understood perfectly only with reference to perfect knowledge of previous and posterior stages. Theory is the mother of practice and hence, without theory, practice can’t appear. Hence, theory is very important and shall not be criticized. The person sticking to theory only throughout life is to be criticized. LKG class is not wrong since without learning alphabets in LKG, further academic progress is impossible. Sticking to LKG class only throughout life is wrong and such a wrong person is only to be criticized.]
[The practical stage alone gives the practical fruit. The theoretical stage can give theoretical fruits only. Practical Fruit is reflection of practical action as said in the Veda (rupam rupam pratirupo babhuva) and in the Gita (ye yathaa maam...). For knowledge, God will give you better intelligence. For devotion, God will give you better emotion and more sweet voice to sing devotional songs. You can’t get practical boons for theoretical knowledge and devotion. At least, practical devotion for practical boons is better since it has basic ethics even though it is business. Aspiring for practical boon for your theoretical devotion is worst like the case of a prostitute. Even asking for practical boon to be given first and promising practical devotion later on is better than this prostitution devotion since such devotion involves devotion and fruit in the same practical phase even though God is not believed to get fruit after payment of practical devotion!]
[The final practical stage alone gives practical fruit like the mango plant alone yields fruit. Even hundred tanks of water and hundred bags of fertilizer will not yield even single fruit. But, water like knowledge is needed for the basic survival of the plant. The fertilizer like theoretical devotion is needed for the growth of the plant. Without water and fertilizer, the plant can’t survive and grow to yield the fruit. Little water and little fertilizer are sufficient if you have the plant. Without the plant, any quantity of water and fertilizer is waste. Hence, all the three are equally important, but, note that the plant alone can yield the fruit.]
[Narada generated the book on devotion called the Bhakti Sutram. Narada means giver of spiritual knowledge (Naram aadhyaatimika Jnaanam dadaati iti Naaradah). This means that knowledge (Narada) generates devotion (Bhakti Sutram). If the knowledge contains more and more truth, more and more emotional devotion is generated. If the knowledge is not having truth, doubts are generated by which inspiration to lead you to practice is not generated at all.]
[The theoretical inspiration is developed on hearing the stories of God by which the wonderful personality of God is impressed on mind and this point was acknowledged by the sage. Narada gave very good definition for devotion (Bhakti) by stating that it is the total surrender of all practical aspects (Tadarpitaakhilaachaarataa). Here, the word ‘Aachara’ means practical devotion giving proof to theoretical devotion. He means that mere theoretical love is not true though it is very essential to generate practical love. In absence of the practical proof, theoretical concept can’t be believed.]
[The theoretical devotion (bhakti) is like the coin having both sides as theoretical knowledge and practical devotion. Knowledge is generated by Sattvam (Vishnu), theoretical emotional devotion is generated by Tamas (Shiva) and Practical devotion is generated by Rajas (Brahma). Thus, Bhakti at the centre having knowledge on one side and practice on other side represents Datta having middle face of Shiva with side faces of Vishnu and Brahma.]
[The Veda is divided into two parts: 1) Upanishat dealing with knowledge (Jnaana Kaanda or Uttaramimaamsaa) indicating Shankara and 2) the Rest Veda dealing with theoretical devotion (Upaasanaa Kaanda) and practical devotion (Karma Kaanda) indicating Ramanuja and Madhva is Purvamimaamsaa. The overall classification of the Veda deals with knowledge (Jnaana), theoretical emotional devotion (Upaasana) and practical devotion (karma). Nivrutti involves all the three whereas Pravrutti involves only two without knowledge. The second part of the Veda alone without the Upanishat represents false devotion involving prayers and worships for attaining heavenly pleasures. The same second part with the Upanishat indicates the true devotion to God without aspiration for any fruit. Hence, in true devotion all the three (Jnaana, Upasana and Karma) exist related to true love to God. In false instrumental devotion only, two (upasana and karma) exist and such love to God is not real. The classification of the Veda shall be taken like this.]
[The Veda is in prose (Yajurveda), poetry (Rugveda) and song (Samaveda). Knowledge is generally written in prose for best clarity. Theoretical devotion is best expressed in songs. The poetry is used for both knowledge and prayer (theoretical devotion). Hence, song is very important medium for developing theoretical emotional devotion. The taste of anybody increases from prose to poetry to song. God also said that He likes mostly song (Samavedosmi... Gita). Hence, one can become close to the mind of God (Upanayanam) through song (Gayatri). Becoming close to God is Upanayanam and singing prayers is Gayatri. Therefore, Upanayanam with Gayatri means development of theoretical devotion to God in the childhood. Gayatri means that God protects the devotee singing prayers through songs (Gayantam traayate iti). This is universal basic essence irrespective of caste, gender and religion. The Gita also means song.]
[Out of all paths to develop devotion to God like uttering divine name repeatedly (Japam) etc., singing the prayer is the best path since it alone has maximum attraction to mind by which the song is repeated again and again. Hence, Gayatri is told as the best of all mantras (Gayatryaa naaparo mantrah). Mantra (Mananaat traayate iti) means repetition without any effort due to natural attraction. Gayatri Mantra means the sweet song on God, which develops natural attraction in mind provoking the devotee to sing again and again without any effort by which God is very much pleased to protect the devotee. Every form of God is provided with such mode of song, which is called as Mantra Gayatri. Without knowing this inner sense, people are simply reciting a verse written in Gayatri meter!]
[The theoretical devotion also pleases God to very great extent. The practical devotion without this theoretical devotion becomes just mechanical sacrifice and service like exchange in business. Expression of theoretical love along with practical sacrifice pleases God, which is like giving scented gold. The value of gold will be given whether it is with good scent or no scent or even with bad scent. If the gold is scented, God gives its value with smile. If the same gold is given without scent, value of it is given with normal face. If the same gold is given with bad scent, value will be given with serious face. When Ravana sacrificed his heads with false devotion, Shiva gave the boon, but, the boon didn’t protect Ravana from untimely death. Hence, good theoretical devotion is very important, but remember, theoretical devotion alone gives only theoretical fruits! Even in the practical sacrifice done without aspiration for any fruit, the practical sacrifice must be associated with good theoretical devotion, in which case only it is proved that your practical sacrifice is done due to your real theoretical love. Real theoretical love must exist in the mind at least, even if it is not expressed. When you do practical sacrifice with false love for some fruit, the true theoretical love is not in your mind and God is displeased with such practical sacrifice also since your mind has only business-devotion.]
[Knowledge is related to intelligence or buddhi (Vijnaanamaya Kosha). Theoretical devotion is related to mind (Manomaya Kosha). The practical service is related to gross body (Annamaya Kosha) along with life or respiration maintaining the health of body by purifying the blood (Pranamaya Kosha). When all these four categories are diverted to God, bliss (Anandamaya Kosha) is the fruit. Bliss is continuous happiness without break. If these four categories are diverted to worldly bonds, discontinuous happiness (sukha) broken by alternate miseries (duhkha) is achieved.]
[In the Gita both knowledge and devotion are given position of climax (Priyohi jnaaninotyartham..., Bhaktaastetiva me priyaah...). Two items can’t be in the highest position since one item only can be in the highest position. This means that knowledge is directly proportional to theoretical devotion. More the knowledge about God, more is the inspiration. More the inspiration means more the possessed knowledge. Hence, knowledge means devotion and devotion means possessed knowledge. Shankara defined devotion as that having the inherent characteristic of spiritual knowledge (Paramaarthajnaana lakshanasampannam bhaktim...).]
[Knowledge is sattvam or Vishnu and emotional devotion is Tamas or Shiva. Shiva and Vishnu are one and the same. When you see Vishnu with Brahma or Rajas (practice) on lotus flower, you are seeing all these three since Vishnu seen there is Shiva. Knowledge (Vishnu) and theoretical devotion (Shiva) are in the same theoretical phase indicating homogeneous phase of Vishnu and Shiva.]
[The Veda says that the love seen in this world is always selfish (Aatmanah kaamaaya sarvam priyam). When you love any other human being, you are loving it due to your selfishness only. You are loving it since it is giving happiness to you. This is inherent nature of every human being and is justified also because the human being loved by you also loves you for its happiness only! This nature of love exhibited by human being even towards God is not justified because God doesn’t love you for His selfish happiness. God is always with infinite happiness and there is no need for Him to love you for His happiness. God loves you for your welfare only. Hence, you must love God without aspiring any happiness (fruit) from Him as per the justice of the principle, which is the reversible equilibrium between equal natured concepts. In the case of God and devotee reversible equilibrium between selfless loves from both sides alone can be justified. The same equilibrium between you and worldly bonds is justified because both loves are selfish!]
[Love grows if the devotee stays far from God. Any devotee staying close to God will be put to loss of devotion. The reason is that by staying far, the devotee will be imagining the wonderful personality of God only without observing His external body and its behaviour. The external human body has all its inherent properties undisturbed by the pervading God in it. When current pervades the wire, the properties of wire like leanness, metallic colour etc., are not disturbed. The wire gains the extra property of electric shock without any disturbance of its original properties. On observing these original properties of body like birth, death, disease, thirst, hunger, sex etc., the human devotee thinks that the human incarnation is also a human being without God like himself. The human devotee forgets the divine property (electric shock) of the human incarnation experienced by him. The electric shock is only known on touch (experience) whereas the properties of wire (human body) are constantly seen by us. The constantly seen properties of wire mask the shock experienced by touch now and then. This is called as repulsion between common media leading to negligence or reduction of love. This is present even in angels also as said in the Veda (paroksha priyaah...). The Gita says that even the devotee insults the human incarnation without seeing the electricity in the wire (Avajaananti maam..., param bhaava majaananto...).]
[The above observation applies only to ordinary devotees, who are not in the climax of devotion. Adi Shesha, Garuda, Nandi etc., are such exceptional devotees living very close to God without any effect on their devotion, who should not be imitated by ordinary devotees. Even such exceptional devotees have the risk of this principle at any time. Even exceptional devotee like Rukmini was affected by this common principle of repulsion due to constant closure. When Radha came to Dwaraka, on that day, she was given hot milk by Rukmini and Krishna became red hot. On enquiry by Rukmini, Krishna told that He was effected so since He is in the heart of Radha. Rukmini asked Him that she is also drinking the same hot milk everyday but such effect was not found on any day. Krishna told her that she developed negligence due to constant closure to Him and hence, He is not in her heart. Radha immediately returned to Brundavanam fearing for this concept. This means that this point is very very strong for which even exceptional devotees like Rukmini, Radha etc., also fear! Radha means the continuous unbreakable stream (Dhaaraa reversed is Raadhaa) of devotion and even she feared for this principle!]
[The love of God to the devotees is unassuming because it is the love shown towards souls without any selfish benefit in return. Such true love is seen in this world to great extent in the case of parents loving their children. In the loves of worldly bonds, this love (issue devotion) is unparallel. God, the creator of souls, is also showing the same devotion towards the souls, which is both paternal and maternal affection. In the case of parents showing love to issues also, some times, in some cases, some defects are seen. The parents in their old age blame their issues for not serving them back in spite of their unassuming services done previously to those issues. In the case of God, not even a trace of such defect is seen because He does not need any service from anybody! Hence, Shankara says that the affection of even thousands of parents can’t be equal to the affection of God towards the souls created by Him!]
[The biggest tragedy is that we are not showing love to Him, which is even equal to the love shown by us toward our issues. In spite of their negligence towards us and sometimes even serious insults, we serve (karma samnyasa) our issues with utmost care and finally write will transferring all the remains of our earnings to them only! We don’t show even a trace of such love to such God! Our love to God is always based on some fruits from Him in return in this life here or after death there. Shankara says that the pre-requisite for spiritual knowledge is not to have aspiration for any fruit from God here and there (Ihaamutra phala viraagah).]
[If God doesn’t answer to our prayers, 90 % of us will leave God neglecting His negligence shown to us. This is the quarterly examinations or Brahma Parikshaa. The remaining 10% face the half yearly examination or Vishnu Parikshaa, in which if you are asking God for money instead of giving it, He will steal it from us. By this, 90% of remaining leaves God. The remaining 10% i.e., only one candidate appears for the annual examination called as Rudra Parikshaa in which unbearable violence will be shown as the fruit of the service done to God! If that one candidate (Kashit maam... Gita) passes that annual test, Datta surrenders Himself to the devotee making him as the human incarnation. This is reverse of the normal fruit we expect in which the soul surrenders and merges with God finally. Datta means He who donates Himself to the devotee while he is alive (Atmaanam bhaktaaya dadaati iti Dattah) or Jivanmukti.]
[Devotees of climax Nivrutti showed the climax devotion, in which God is given more value even than their life. Several examples stand here. When Sita is left by Rama in forest, she says that she could have committed suicide in case Rama’s issues are not in her pregnant womb (Kuryaamupekshaam hatajivitesmin...). Gopikas jumped into fire after hearing the demise of Krishna. Hanuman wanted to commit suicide when Sita was not found by Him in Lanka and He is the topmost devotee because even the work of God is more than His life and that work is also not spiritual work, but, personal work related to worldly bond!]
[Theoretical devotion must be always accompanied by practical devotion as its proof. Examination must be always accompanied by valuation and declaration of results followed by issue of degree certificate. Otherwise, every theoretical devotee is to be doubted as an example of prostitution devotion. By this, the theoretical devotion is not insulted at all. Only the person sticking to theoretical devotion throughout life for cheating God is abused. Actually, the theoretical devotion is the required force to implement the knowledge in practice. If this emotional force is absent, there is no use of any amount of knowledge carried by the head like a donkey carrying on a big load of books!]
[Shankara (knowledge with practice) criticized Mandana Mishra (blind practice without knowledge). The knowledge without practice is lame and practice without knowledge is blind. Both are to be joined by the inspiration or emotional force generated from knowledge, which converts the knowledge in to practice and this is done without force from blind tradition. The Gita says that knowledge is better than practice based on blind tradition, the inspiration to act is better than mere knowledge and the practice involving sacrifice is better than mere inspiration (Shreyohi jnaanamabhyaasaat…). The emotional inspiration (theoretical devotion) born from true and complete knowledge is very important link between knowledge and practice.]
[The practice of ritual or Yajna (sacrifice) is preparation of food and distributing it to the deserving priests and other participants. This practice is the highest since practice (Karma Yoga) alone gives the fruit, but, the practice must be done in right direction obtained from knowledge. Such ritual becomes fruitful if the sacrifice is done to priests having the knowledge of scripture (Jnaana Kanda) and generate devotion to God (Upaasana Kanda) in performing the ritual (Karma Kanda). This is the Uttaramimaamsa argued by Shankara in which all the three (Jnaana, Bhakti and Karma) exist together. The same ritual can be done as it is blindly, simply based on the tradition, doing sacrifice to undeserving tape recorder-priests and such ritual has no place for knowledge and devotion to God arising from knowledge. In this blind ritual also devotion is generated, but not from knowledge, which is only generated from the blind tradition and ambition for heavenly pleasures. This is the Purvamimaamsa argued by Mandana Mishra, who was a student of Kumarila Bhatta. This Kumarila Bhatta is the founder of the concept of doing practice with knowledge (Jnaana karma samuchchaya), who appreciated the commentaries of Shankara without any argument. The inspiration is common in performing the ritual with knowledge and ritual with blind tradition. But, the inspiration in former is correct with right direction and the same in the latter is wrong having no correct direction. The Gita says that one should perform any sacrifice only after the knowledge (Jnaatvaa kurvita…). Shankara was not confined to mere knowledge in His argument, but, stressed the importance of knowledge in practice for getting correct direction. If Shankara confined to knowledge only without practice, Kumarila Bhatta would have not appreciated Shankara. An expert in running towards opposite direction of goal is lacking knowledge of correct direction, though has emotional force in running (bhakti) and performing the action of running (karma) very well.]