Arjuna addresses Lord Krishna:
“The devotee who earnestly worships You, and the one who worships the immutable and the unmanifested—which of these is greater?” (XII; 1)
Devotees think that a personal audience (darshan) or vision of their deity would ignite instant enlightenment. This is not true. For instance, despite the vision of Lord Krishna’s Divine form, Arjuna’s intellectual quest is not quenched. Unless the intellect is silenced, how can the mind be silent?
How to silence the intellect?
The intellect cannot be silenced by any outward vision. The awesome Divine vision of Lord Krishna may have left a powerful stamp in Arjuna’s consciousness, but it has to sink in. After all, it is no different from the disciples of Christ, who saw all His miracles but did not believe in Him until He resurrected. Likewise, ascetics who perform severe penance may obtain boons from a deity, but that is not the same as becoming the Spirit.
The Lord responded:
“The one who, with single-minded devotion, is absorbed in My worship with absolute faith—I deem him to be greater among yogis.” (XII; 2)
“But those who worship the eternal, unmanifest, beyond definition, beyond concept—the immutable and the steadfast—by attuning the senses, maintaining balance in all circumstances, and delighting in the good of all beings, they also attain Me.” (XII; 3-4)
Those who meditate on the inconceivable God as formless consciousness attain unison with the Divine. The devotees who worship the manifest form of God also attain the same state.
It is more difficult to worship the unmanifested form, for it is difficult to attain the unmanifested by human beings. (XII; 5)
It is hard for a seeker who lives in body-mind consciousness to meditate on God as formless consciousness. Without a reference point, there is nothing to stop the mind from going into self-hypnosis. The mind curates auto-suggestions and then accepts them as reality.
Moreover, one’s concept of the Divine may just be a small part of the whole or an incomplete aspect. For instance, without seeing the complete picture, one may conceptualize a wrathful God who punishes severely. But if there is no hope of forgiveness, then why worship Him? Where is the guarantee that punishment would induce the necessary change in a person?
According to one’s concept, some associate Yang qualities with God—the Father, and some associate Yin qualities with the Mother Goddess. Neuroscientists associate physical vacuum with its unmanifest form. Nonetheless, physical vacuum should not be mistaken for empty space, because it bubbles with Divine love.
“But those who surrender all actions to Me, absorbed in Me, meditate on Me with rapt devotion, whose mind is intent on Me—I right away liberate them from the ocean of death-trapped existence, O Arjuna!” (XII; 6-7)
“On Me exclusively absorb your mind, and direct your intellect on Me. Thereafter, in Me alone will you doubtlessly abide.” (XII; 8)
As the intellect moves in a linear direction, it ends up chasing its own projections or those cast by others. Its movement is like a kite in the hands of a child that flies without direction. Unless its movement is harnessed towards the object of its worship, it cannot abide in it.
“O Arjuna! If you are unable to steadily absorb your mind on Me, then seek to attain Me by the practice of yoga.” (XII; 9)
Lord Krishna is Yogeshwara—the deity of the yogis. He reveals that Yogeshwara can be awakened within through yoga—the union of our attention with the Divine.
“If you are unable to practice yoga, then let your sole purpose be the dedication of service to Me. Dedicating all actions to Me, you shall attain Me through perfection.” (XII; 10)
Lord Krishna is the Savior, come to save all His children. He does not forsake a single devotee—strong or weak. For those who are not empowered to practice yoga, He gives the option of dedicating all actions to God. For instance, it could be a selfless action like social service. Nonetheless, one should try to attain excellence in whatever path one chooses.
“If you are unable to accomplish this, then with your attention absorbed in Me, renounce the fruits of all action with a subdued mind.” (XII; 11)
For those unable to practice yoga, Lord Krishna gives the option of karma yoga. But there are two conditions:
- The fruits of action should be dedicated to God.
- The action should be performed in humility, without ego. On this point, there is no compromise.
“Better than the practice of discipline is knowledge. Better than knowledge, meditation is preferable. Better than meditation, renunciation of the fruits of action is preferable; from it comes peace.” (XII; 12)
After so graciously giving various options, Lord Krishna states that renunciation of the fruits of action is the highest, as it brings peace. When all actions are dedicated to the Lord without ego, we become centered in our axis, though the wheel continues to rotate.
Lord Krishna clearly states that one should act but merely renounce its reward. It shows that to become a parasite like a monk is not an option.
“The one who is not averse to any being, who is loving and compassionate, without ego or self-importance, who has equanimity in sorrow and happiness, and is ever forgiving and patient—ever content, who has control over the senses, of strong resolve, with mind and intellect absorbed in Me—he is dear to Me.” (XII; 13-14)
He from whom beings do not react and who does not react to them, who is free from elation, wrath, fear, and aversion is dear to me. (XII, 15)
A devotee has to be free from animosity. If he hurts another’s feelings, then what use is his prayer? The Sufi Saint Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya prayed:
“He who is not my friend,
May God be his friend.
He who bears ill will against me,
May his joys in life increase.”
Much like the Sufi saint, if Mercury does not react to metal, likewise, if we do not react and do not have a disposition that causes others to react to us, we can deal with our feelings without hurting ourselves or others. Thus, we can work out our disagreements with others without harboring animosity.
As we become free of action and reaction, we become free like a bird. A tree does not feel burdened by its weight. For instance, when Guru Nanak visited Lahore, the clerics felt threatened by his presence. They sent him a tumbler of milk, full to the brim, indicating that the place was full—there was no room for him. Guru Nanak humbly returned the tumbler with a rose petal floating on top, to say that his presence was light as a rose petal that does not displace anyone.
He who is without expectations, pure, proficient, impartial, even-minded, unperturbed, who has renounced all deliberations, thus devoted to me, he is dear to Me. (XII; 16)
As a director of a film, the author of a book, or an artist with his painting steps back and watches his work, likewise, when the attention becomes anchored in the Spirit, a person does not get involved in any undertaking, yet he does everything.
The bliss of the Spirit is so fulfilling that the residues of desires and expectations wash away. There remains nothing for such a person to do or not to do.
He who is not elated nor abhors, neither grieves nor yearns, and who has renounced the auspicious and inauspicious, thus devoted to me, he is dear to me. (XII; 17)
An attention that plans becomes futuristic. It not only tries to secure the future but also attempts to curate it differently. And that rankles pangs of anxiety. It is truer to say that anxiety does not stem from the future but from trying to control it. Little does the futuristic person realize that the universe continues to function miraculously despite his anxiety about it!
Whereas, the one who walks with the love of the Spirit carries the world on his shoulders. He has no yearnings, misgivings, regrets, or sorrows. Nor does he judge what’s auspicious or inauspicious because he is not the doer.
Once, an ascetic was in deep meditation. His meditation was disturbed by the croaking of a crow. The ascetic opened his eyes and angrily glared at the crow. The crow got burnt by the fire of his anger. In the evening, the ascetic went on his round begging for food. When he knocked at a door, the housewife asked him to wait till she finished feeding her husband. The ascetic took offense and threatened to curse her. The housewife coolly retorted that she was no crow who would perish by his anger. She was fulfilling her duty to her husband and thus abided in her dharma. The ascetic was impressed by her Dharma and inquired after her Guru. She pointed to a butcher’s shop across the street.
The ascetic was surprised to discover that a butcher, who chops animals, could be a guru. The butcher revealed that he was born in such a caste whose profession was such, so he was merely doing his duty, but his attention was forever anchored in the Lord, and all his actions were an offering to Him.
Likewise, a warrior who kills in the course of his duty accrues no sin.
He who is the same to a foe and friend, honor and insult, cold and heat, happiness and sorrow, and is free from attachment. (XII; 18)
He who is the same in criticism and praise, who maintains silence, content with any adverse circumstances, not attached to any abode, resolute, devoted to me, he is dear to me. (XII; 19)
A Sufi earned his living by selling flowers. People thought he had no judgment because he would accept bad coins unhesitatingly. When it was time to die, he prayed:
“O God, I have accepted many bad coins from people without judging them.
I too am a bad coin. Please do not judge me.”
And he heard his inner voice:
“How is it possible to judge someone who does not judge others?”
The one who experiences his Spirit feels the same Spirit in others, and hence, goes into silence—there remains nothing to criticize or praise. Whereas, the one who has not experienced it, spins mental yarns.
We should bear in mind that inspiration does not flow from the intellect but from the Spirit. It inspires such self-confidence that one no longer worries about the future but stands resolute like a rock.
The poet Iqbal muses,
“Let your devotion be so deep,
That at every twist of fate,
God Himself will be impelled to ask you,
‘Tell me, what is thy will?’”
We have to bear in mind that the power of self-determination does not arise from the ego but from a heart flowing with devotional love.
Those who with faith, drink this nectar of my discourse on Dharma, regarding me as the highest goal, such devotees are extremely dear to Me. (XII; 20)