In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna continuing His accord on the “Archiraadhi Maargam” and how it is the “bright path” to reach “Vaikunta”, from where we never come back to any of the other “Lokhas” again. We’ve had the continuation of the discussion on what are the various “Lokhas” through which we’ve to traverse, as part of the “Archiraadhi Maargam” to reach “Vaikunta”. After we traverse through all the “Lokhas”, we should cross a river called “Virajaa Nadhi”, wherein we’ve to wash ourselves completely of all our sins and “Karma” that might still be sticking on to us. Once we cross over the “Virajaa Nadhi”, Bhagawan will be eagerly waiting to receive us at “Vaikunta” and He will be the happiest person to see us there! This is because, if we’ve to reach “Vaikunta”, we should have definitely obeyed and followed all the words of advice that Bhagawan has given us through various “Shaastras” including this Bhagawad Gita. Hence, Bhagawan will be super pleased to receive us with a lot of love and affection, and once we reach Bhagawan’s divine abode, we are going to experience permanent happiness and bliss. With this point, Bhagawan concludes the eighth “Adhyaaya” of the Bhagawad Gita and in today’s episode, we shall move on further from here into the ninth “Adhyaaya”.
Moving on now, we enter into the ninth “Adhyaaya” which is called “Raaja Vidya – Raaja Guhya Yogam”. Here is where Bhagawan Krishna is actually going to commence the main discussion on the “Bhakti Yoga”! We might be wondering as to what He was talking about from the seventh “Adhyaaya” onwards! We initially saw that starting from the seventh “Adhyaaya”, Bhagawan Krishna is going to commence the discussion on “Bhakti Yoga”, but He never did! This is a clear sign that Bhagawan Krishna was a great orator! 🙂 Till now for the past two “Adhyaayas”, He was only building up the context to discuss the “Bhakti Yoga”! So if we’ve to ask a question as to why did Bhagawan Krishna take two full “Adhyaayas” to set up the context for discussion, the answer is very simple – If we’ve to understand “Bhakti Yoga”, we should first understand who an ardent “Bhakta” is, shouldn’t we? Thus, for the past two “Adhyaayas”, Bhagawan was explaining meticulously as to who is His most “Ardent Bhakta” (Devotee) and why is this “Bhakta” close to His heart. Only once we understand what pleases Bhagawan Krishna’s divine heart, will we be able to understand how to conduct ourselves so that we also join that “Satsanga” group, isn’t it? This is why, Bhagawan had given such a build-up to the “Bhakti Yoga”!
Thus, the point that we’ve to understand here is very simple – “Adhyaayas” 7 and 8 completely talk about who is an ardent “Bhakta” and what makes this “Bhakta” special in Bhagawan’s heart. From “Adhyaaya” 9 onwards, Bhagawan is going to explain what a “Jeevatma ” does in order to become Bhagawan’s most ardent “Bhakta”! For instance, even in Engineering or Management or Leadership lessons that we might teach as a professor in a class, we would not just talk the technical part of the subject and come back. If we do so, students will not be able to relate anything with what is happening in real life, isn’t it? This is why we give a lot of examples, applications of concepts, case studies, etc. in class, so that students are able to relate the concept and its real-time application. Similarly here also, before Bhagawan talks about the technical concept called “Bhakti Yoga”, He first makes us understand who a “Bhakta” is. For instance, if we see Prahlaada, we will immediately understand what “Bhakti” is, won’t we? We’ve seen how Prahlaada was tortured by his father, Hiranya Kashibu, by giving him poison to drink, by pushing him from a mountain, by pushing him into the ocean, etc. Yet, Prahlaalda never gave up his “Bhakti” towards Bhagawan Vishnu and finally when Hiranya Kashibu asks about the whereabouts of Bhagawan Vishnu, Prahlaada confidently points out to a pillar into which He would be present! We’ve seen how Bhagawan Vishnu came out in the form of Bhagawan Narasimha to protect the little child Prahlaada, isn’t it? In fact, we’ve also seen that Bhagawan Vishnu Himself was fearing for Prahlaada as He Himself did not know how to prove His omni-presence! As Prahlaada was a child and he was so blind in His “Bhakti”, Bhagawan had to take up His divine form in the place where Prahlaada pointed his fingers at! Hence, we can see how Bhagawan Himself is on toes (in a good way of course) upon seeing a “Bhakta” who is completely immersed in “Bhakti”!
Similarly, we’ve seen how Bhagawan Vishnu turned up in front of little Dhruva, who took up an extraordinary penance to somehow see Bhagawan! In similar lines, we’ve seen how Elephant Gajendra was protected by Bhagawan Vishnu when its leg was grabbed by a crocodile! Hence, by seeing all these examples, we can understand who an “Ardent Bhakta” is! This is how Bhagawan set the context for the “Bhakti Yoga” to commence.
So for today, let us understand this important prelude to the “Bhakti Yoga” and from the next episode onwards, we shall slowly delve into the main “Bhakti Yoga” and what Bhagawan has got to say on it! Stay tuned for an important accord! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 