Sixteenth Theme: Bhakti-yoga, devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

 

The description of Sri Vyasadeva’s vision continues. 

In the verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.7.6), he realizes what are the means necessary for the ultimate realization of the self and says: 

anarthopasamam saksad

bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. 

In order to purify (upasamam) the many elements harmful to an evolutionary life (anartha), devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (bhakti-yogam adhoksaje) is absolutely necessary. The term saksat has the power to exclude other possible forms. For this purpose, the saint Vyasadeva wrote the Bhagavatam (cakre satvata-samhitam), which has the function of constituting the beginning of the process of worship of Sri Krishna.

 

Jiva Gosvami points out that in this verse the term bhakti-yogam refers to the preliminary stages of bhakti, known as sadhana-bhakti, characterized by disciplines such as listening, chanting, etc. The highest love for God is not referred to here, in fact, only devotional practices require instructions. Pure love for Krsna depends only on the grace of Bhagavan.

 

Sri Jiva’s observation, which leads us to identify the term bhakti-yoga with sadhana-bhakti, is important. In fact, Vyasa wrote the Bhagavatam for the ignorant who need light, that is, spiritual teachings, for which, at least in this context, bhakti-yoga cannot mean the stage of prema, pure and supreme love for Godhead.

This is a section of the book “Tattva Sandarbha”, in English.

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