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Chapter 7
PRAPATTI OR SURRENDER TO GOD
35. Desireless Bhakti: Its Varieties And Fulfilment
13. Sakaam bhakta (a bhakta who has desire for some worldly gains) is one type of bhakta. Now let us have a look at the nishkaam bhakta i.e. desireless bhakta. As we have seen, his bhakti could either have blossomed fully or not. The latter type of bhakta can be further categorized into three sub-types. The bhakta of the first sub-type craves for the love of the Lord and cries for Him like Namdeva. He is restless and desperate to embrace the Lord and lay himself at His feet and have His love showered on him. He examines every action of his to find out whether there is sincere yearning and love therein. 14. The bhakta of the second sub-type is a seeker of knowledge. Presently such seekers are rare in our country. Persons of this type will risk their lives in trying again and again to climb Mount Everest and may perish in the attempt. Some may go on an expedition to the North Pole, note down their observations and findings on a piece of paper and keep that piece in a bottle for the posterity before embracing death. Some may descend into the womb of a volcano to learn more about it. But the Indians are so scared of death! Taking care of the family is for them the greatest achievement; they have nothing better to do. The bhakta who is a seeker of knowledge has an irrepressible and insatiable curiosity. He tries to know the nature and properties of everything. He too would eventually unite with the Lord. 15. The bhakta of the third sub-type has been called ‘artharthi’—one who seeks artha. Artha is commonly translated as money or wealth; but it really means welfare or well-being. Artharthi bhakta judges everything in terms of the good of society. Whatever he writes, whatever he speaks, whatever he does, he sees to it that it is for the good of the world. He dislikes useless or harmful activities. He is indeed a great soul who is always concerned for the good of the whole world! His joy lies solely in the welfare of the world. Thus, the outlook of the first sub-type of the partly-blossomed nishkaam bhakta is marked with love, that of the second sub-type with quest for knowledge and that of the third sub-type with concern for the well-being of all. |
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