The Gita according to Gandhi 111

The Gita according to Gandhi -Mahadev Desai

DHYANAYOGA AND BHAKTIYOGA (Discourse 12) Lord Krishna sums up the teaching about the two forms of devotion in reply to Arjuna's question as to which of the two was the better yogin—he who meditated on the impersonal Lord and he who worshipped Krishna as his all. Lord Krishna's preference for the worship of the Personal is based on the same reasoning as his preference for karmayoga to jnanayoga in discourse 5. The fruit of both dhyanayoga and bhaktiyoga is the same, as we saw the fruit of karmayoga and jnanayoga was also declared to be the same. Both the meditative mystic and the bhakta come to the Lord. But as in discourse 5, whilst path of the dhyanyogi is one of hard and toilsome endeavour, that of the bkaktiyogi is comparatively easier. The devotee of the Absolute has to rid himself to such an extent that he sees Self everywhere and absorbs himself in the welfare of all. But inasmuch as he contemplates on the Absolute, he has nothing but his own spiritual and moral resources to draw upon. Unless the process of catharsis has reached to perfection, his effort may well be endless. But the bhakta with an exclusive, unwavering devotion throws himself on his Lord with all his weaknesses and imperfections, and the Lord pulls him out ere long even from the lowest depths (XII. 1-7).