In the previous episode, we had witnessed the classification of “Bhakti” into the three categories – “Satvika Bhakti”, “Raajasa Bhakti” and “Taamasa Bhakti”. Satvika Bhakti is that wherein we’re able to surrender ourselves completely to Bhagawan in all aspects – By chanting our “Mantra” continuously, by singing in praise of Him unconditionally, etc. “Raajasa Bhakti” is something wherein we “act” as if we’re performing “Bhakti” and spiritual practices, for the sake of public attention and money. In other words, if we’re trying to “commercialize” Bhakti for name and fame, Bhagawan Krishna classifies this under the category of “Raajasa Bhakti”. Finally, if someone performs Bhakti just for the sake of doing it, it comes under “Taamasa Bhakti”. In other words, if we’re going to inculcate a “fear” factor for Bhagawan, and if we’re performing our spiritual practices with this fear in us, this comes under “Taamasa Bhakti”. Hence, from this accord again, we can infer which category of Bhakti we should fall into! This needs no more explanation!
Moving on with the next point, Bhagawan Krishna is going to talk about something that all of us need to understand very precisely here. This is applicable very much to today’s scenario. Bhagawan Krishna talks about the aspect of “borrowing”. Whom can we borrow from? From whom we should never even think of borrowing anything at any point in time? Bhagawan explains to Uddhava thus, “Oh Uddhava! If you’ve to borrow something from someone, you should first understand what kind of a person he / she is. If that person is a thief and is possessing some things that he / she had obtained through some illegitimate ways, you should never borrow anything from such a person. This is because, that person’s evil and wicked character would also come into you, along with whatever item you borrow!”
This is where we’ve to be extremely careful – We might be facing tough times in life at various points of time. However, just because we’re facing that tough time, can we go and seek help from whomsever we come across? If we’re going to ask for a help from an unethical person and a person whose only business is to earn money, name and fame through all illegitimate ways, we’re going to get into all sorts of trouble! Already, we might be in trouble and only because of that, we’re going to someone and seeking their help. On top of this, if we’re going to the wrong person seeking help, we’re only going to complicate things further for ourselves! First of all, as Bhagawan Krishna explains clearly, their wicked and evil characteristics would automatically come into us as we borrow something from them. Even other than this, if we’re going to do such a thing, we’ve to understand that the other person is going to try and take advantage of our inability and “use” us to do more illegal things! Ultimately, possibility is extremely high that we might get caught for all the wrong reasons, and that person might easily escape by putting us into the dock! This is where Bhagawan Krishna is sending out a loud and a clear warning to all of us! He’s thus explaning that if at all we’ve to seek someone’s help, we should approach only those who are Bhaagawathas and who walk the path of ethics and “Dharma”.
Such is with regards to our day-to-day affairs. So the point here is that, if we’re asking for some help to someone, we should always know whom are we asking that help to. As Bhagawan Krishna continues this discussion further, we’re going to witness how kings in those days gave “Dhaanam”. When kings donate something to someone, they would take a series of “pledges”, especially when the receivers are great “Maharishis”! We shall witness more about this in the next episode! Stay tuned! 😊
The Indian Dharma 