Bhakti Yoga, Krishna and the beyond

Last updated on: December 17, 2007 at 12:32 am by Desh Kapoor

Bhakti Yoga, Krishna and the beyond 2007-12-17T00:32:29-06:00 Desh Kapoor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Dr. Avtar Singh is writing a series of articles titled “Are Science & Spirituality Two Mutually Exclusive Pursuits?” In the second part he wrote:

Their experiments showed that the blind following of religious rituals/beliefs, memorized information and knowledge of scriptures, and physical/worldly (penances, fasting, yoga postures etc.) pursuits were ineffective in realization of the wholesome universal reality (God).

To this Naj wrote:

So what is Bhakta Yoga? Are Bhakta Yogees concerned about this holistic relativity ? If they are not, will they not be able to realize the wholesome universal reality, as you call it ?

If I understood Naj correctly, then he seemed to imply that the Bhakti Yogis were “followers” – since had “Love”.. and so there should be an object of love by logical reasoning.

This is the problem with the understanding of “Love” itself as it is understood in the materialistic framework while interpreting the spiritual Love. That is why I believe “love” has NOT been used in the – at least – the Vedantic texts. The closest word to Bhakti is Devotion. Bhakti is non-judgmental and self-less.

Another important point, none of the Bhakti Yogis that you mentioned – Nanak, Buddha or Jesus – had a known “Human guru”. They achieved their enlightenment off of their OWN effort… “Purushaarth” – as Yoga Vasistha calls it. So, in absence of a “specific” object of love or devotion, their Love took a boundless form.

Now, the question on following. Ram – as an incarnation – was supposed to be the one who was functioning within the bounds of Maryaada (or principles) [which is strange since he was the first hand recipient of the knowledge from Vasistha himself!]. That is why he is always considered less than perfect. The ONLY perfect incarnation or soul in the Vedantic literature is Krishna. Krishna, because, was unbound.

And also because Krishna transended all the “schools” of Yoga. Jesus could be a Bhakti Yogi. He could not leave his path and perfect Jnana Yoga or Karma Yoga… and then relate all to his followers to let them “choose” any and feel content.

It looks so simple about what has been said in Gita, but no one before or since has had the vision to go BEYOND any ONE school and describe all to perfection to create a buffet of enlightenment paths, if you will. Lifetimes went in achieving enlightenment from just ONE school / path, and that was enough to make these masters ecstatic enough to start preaching.. without having the realization of any other way!

THAT is why there is an “I” in preaching “a” path. For it is the ONLY way that resonated with YOUR soul… which may not work for the other!

Following any one never gets one anywhere. Every “soul” is unique. Its resonating frequency is its own. The way to subside its vibrations is also unique.

Spirituality

Previous Post

December 16, 2007

Benefit of Dividends to Stock Investing!

Next Post

December 17, 2007 First ICL Twenty20 tournament Finals won by Chennai Superstars!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Aarti Achievement and Leadership AfPak Africa Annual and Year-end Asia Audio Australia Behavioural Sciences Bhagwad Gita Bhagwad Gita Blogging Blogs Business Business Intelligence Business Strategy Cannes Careers Chanakya China Conservation Corruption Creative Daily Links Desh Poems Development & Welfare Devotional Audio Devotional Songs Drama Earth Economics Education Entertainment Environment Europe Everyday Quotes Featured Articles Featured Songs Finance Flickr Pictures Food Geo-Political Global Warming Globalization Health & Medicine Hinduism Historic History Humour India Indian Culture Indian music Indian Weddings Israel Issues Legal Link Love Minorities Misc Motivation and Personal Development Movie Lists Movie Reviews Movies Mumbai terror attacks Natural Disasters Nature News Outsourcing Pakistan Parenting Personal Philosophy Poetry Politics Poverty Quotes Recipe Regular Blog Post Relationships Religion Religious/Spiritual Audio Sciences Showcase Slideshow South Asia Special Stories Spiritual Quotes Spirituality Sports Stories Strategy Technology Technology Terrorism Travel Uncategorized US Video Women Women_s Rights Worship Yoga

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 September 2014 August 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What destroyed Pharaoh's army as they pursued the Israelites?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fire from heaven Earthquake The sea Plague of locusts