Bhagavadgita -Radhakrishnan 46

The Bhagavadgita -S. Radhakrishnan

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY 11. The Way of Devotion: Bhakti-margaa Again, "The truth is non-duality; but duality is for the sake of worship; and thus, this worship is a hundred times greater than liberation. " Bhakti, in the Gita, is not an amor intellectualis which is more reflective and Contemplative. It is sustained by know-ledge but is not knowledge. It involves no reference to yoga technique or longing for speculative knowledge of the Divine. Sandilya argues that it gives us spiritual peace even without knowledge as in the case of milkmaids. The devotee has a sense of utter humility. In the presence of the Ideal, he feels that he is nothing God loves meekness, the utter prostration of the self. As a rule, the particular qualities associated with bhakti, love and devotion, mercy and tenderness are to be found more in women than in men. As bhakti emphasizes humility, obedience, readiness to serve, compassion and gentle love, as the devotee longs to surrender himself, renounce self-will and experience passivity, it is said to be more feminine in character. Women expect, suffer, hope and receive. They long for compassion, mercy, peace. Femininity is in all beings. In the Bhagavata, it is said that the girls prayed to the Supreme Goddess, Katyayani, to get for them Krsna as their husband , When they are most truly themselves, women give everything, claim nothing; they want to love and be loved Radha typifies the loving soul. In relation to God, bhaktas are more like women. "The Supreme Lord is the only man ; all others from Brahma downwards are like women (who long to be united with Him)."