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Chapter 13
Doubts:- Why has the Lord mentioned His devotion, as a virtue, which makes for Jnana (wisdom)? Does a striver, following the Discipline of Knowledge, practise devotion?
Answer:- Strivers following the Discipline of Knowledge, are of two kinds - those having predominance of feelings (devotion), and others having predominance of knowledge.
- The stover who has predominance of devotion, wants to know the reality, by depending upon God (7/6; 13/18). The terms 'Mam' (Me) and 'Mama' (My), in the second verse; Me (from Me) in the third verse; 'Mayi' (to Me) in this tenth verse and 'Madbhaktah' (My devotee) and 'Madbhavaya (to My being) in the eighteenth verse of this chapter, denote that upto the eighteenth verse, it is related to a striver, in whom devotion predominates. But, from the nineteenth to the thirty-fourth verses, no such word as 'I', 'Me', or 'My' etc., has been used, which indicates that, it describes a striver, in whom knowledge predominates. So here, devotion is a means for Self-realization.
Further, as butter or milk, with other ingredients of sattvika food, or alone, promotes strength and health, similarly devotion to the Lord, with the Discipline of Knowledge, or alone, makes
a striver eligible for God-realization and by itself also induces him, to transcend the three modes (Gita 14/26). According to Sri Patanjali, devotion is one of the eight yogic practices, and an independent means for God-realization. Thus devotion, occupies an important place, even in the Discipline of Knowledge.
- A striver, having predominance of knowledge, is one, who endowed with discrimination and dispassion, distinguishing the real (spirit) from the unreal (Matter), wants to know the truth (Gita 13/19—34).
Today, because of excessive attachment to sensual pleasures, a striver, following the Discipline of Knowledge is rare, indeed. So the Discipline of Devotion, is very useful for them. Thus, here the description of devotion is appropriate and reasonable.
Remedy: By having affinity, with the Lord and depending on Him, utterance of His name, loud chanting, meditation and adoration etc., are easy means, to develop devotion, for Him.
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