Tuesday, November 29, 2011

BHAKTHI YOGA

Humans stand apart from beasts in that they are governed by certain rules, customs and morality which separates them from animals.

Civilizations around the world has paved the way for different cults and religions. All the religions that emerged in this world has given utmost importance to morality and code of conduct. Semitic religions have Moses Ten Commandments.

Ultimate objective of religions is to guide humans to achieve salvation. Hinduism and Buddhism call it Moksha and Nirvana respectively. In Buddhism advices us to achieve Nirvana by right conduct and moral life; in one sense Buddhism is atheistic, believing in God itself is a form of attachment, selfishness or clinging.

The beauty of sacred Hindu text Bhagavat Gita is in its attitude to fellow religions or beliefs. The 12th chapter of Bhagavat Gita is called Bhakthi Yoga or Yoga of Devotion. In this the blessed Lord Krishna clarifies this. Arjuna asks God Krishna about two different sects of believers; he asks who is superior? Those who worship God in Krishna's form or those who worship the unmanifested the impersonal Bhramham?

The answer appears simple; Krishna says those who worship his personal (human) form is most perfect; but he does not say that those who worship the impersonal and unmanifested which lies the beyond the perception of senses is not inferior. To understand something beyond once senses one needs extra sensory perceptions and to achieve the final goal is very difficult, if not impossible.

Advancement to final goal is full of hurdles and troublesome many fall on the way and a very few achieve the final objective. In modern parlance Lord Krishna is saying that when you can fly to a destination why select a rugged roadway to reach your goal?

The chapter also emphasis the condition to achieve salvation. His mind should be fixed in God Krishna, he must mediate as well for such persons HE promises swift delivery from the ocean of death and life.

Krishna also gives alternatives to achieve salvation; one is work for Krishan, that too selfless work. Attainment of knowledge is another way of achieving God, he also gives other options like meditation, renunciation of fruits of action. Renunciation always leads to peace of mind. Renunciation will remove all mental ills like envy, passion, achievement, false ego, and a person will be able to see life in same way in happiness and distress. And mind and intelligence should be in agreement with Krishana.

This clearly shows that Indian philosophy and religions are not against fellow religions and paths