JAP RE JAP JAP RAM RAM

Shree Hari:

22nd June, 2008, Sunday
Aashaad Krishna Chaturthi, Vikram Samvat 2065, Ravivar

In Gita 12:2, when Arjuna inquired of Lord Krishna, that of those
devotees who, ever steadfast, worship You (in form, Saguna), and
those who worship the Imperishable, the Unmanifested (formless,
Nirguna), of these two, which one is considered the most perfect in
Yoga? To this God replied -

"In my opinion, those devotees, endowed with supreme faith and ever
steadfast, worship Me (with form and attributes), with mind centered
on Me, are the most perfect in Yoga." (Gita 12:2)

Comments: Even though Knowledge and Devotion are both equally
capable of eradicating man's sorrows, yet the glory of Devotion is
greater than that of Knowledge. With Knowledge one can experience
constant, uninterrupted joy, but with Devotion one can attain
infinite and ever enhancing joy (which increases every moment). Just
like in this world when you first gain the knowledge of a particular
object e.g. "This is money", simply with this knowledge, ignorance of
money will be erased. Similarly, with knowledge of real nature of
things (Tatvajnana), ignorance (lack of knowing) of the nature of
that particular thing is wiped out. When ignorance is removed,
sorrow, fear, and the cycle of birth and death – all end.

Joy derived from knowledge, is savored by the "Self" (swayam).
Devotion is even more extraordinary. In Devotion there is
exceptional joy. The pleasure and joy experienced from devotion and
love, is savored by God Himself. God is not hungry for knowledge,
but He is hungry for love. Therefore love is more extraordinary than
even salvation, or knowledge of true nature of things (tattvajnana),
or experiential knowledge of Self (atmashaakshaatkar) or singleness
of state (kaiwalya).

In knowledge (Jnana yog), a spiritual aspirant by attaching
importance to the discrimination between the real (imperishable, IS)
and the unreal (perishable, Is-Not), renounces the unreal
(perishable). Due to the discrimination between the Real (Is) and
Unreal (is-not), in the path of knowledge, the subtle impressions of
the unreal (the subtle Ego) persist for a long time. This subtle Ego
remains even after salvation. And due to the remaining of this
subtle Ego, even though one is freed from future births, one cannot
experience the Oneness with God. Also mutual philosophical
differences are perceived (because of impression of one's opinion)
and these differences remain for a long time.

In the path of selfless service (karma yog), an aspirant renders
service to others with all that he possesses. Things that are not
of value or importance are renounced easily, but those things that
are valuable and important to the aspirant are not easily renounced.
But when these same things are used for rendering service to others,
the unreal (perishable) is easily and quickly renounced.

In Devotion (bhakti yog) the devotee regards the world as belonging
to God or God's manifestation, and thus the world (unreal,
perishable) is wiped out in his eyes and God remains. Therefore
through selfless service (karma yog), the unreal is more quickly
renounced, than in the path of knowledge (jnana yog), and in path of
devotion (bhakti yog) the unreal (perishable) does not remain at
all - "sadasaccaaham" (Gita 9:19). Therefore Selfless service (karma
yog) is superior to Knowledge of Self (jnana yog) and Devotion
(bhakti yog)is superior to Selfless Service (karma yog).

Thus with the blossoming of love of God, one loses one's identity
and becomes one with God. Hereafter, all philosophical and
ideological differences will end.

From "Gita Prabodhani" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji.

Ram Ram