Does Gita 9.32 which says that anyone can begin bhakti apply to those who fall while practicing bhakti?
The question is based on this article:
Never lose heart on the path of the heart
I just have a faint feeling that there is intermixing of two concepts here:
1) Qualification to start on devotional path
2) Fall downs of someone traveling on this path
The main theme of the article is that we don’t need any prerequisites for zooming on the path of devotional service. In this way, this truly fulfills the communist slogan: from everyone according to his capacity, to everyone according to his needs. The verse quoted is on the same theme.
Then there is how we deal with fall downs. There are BG verses that deal with that: ksipram bhavati dharmatma, shashvat shantim nigacchati, verses around 6.35, etc. The basic theme being that there is no need of being disheartened on failure.
The verse 9.32 say that any one from any caste,creed ,nationality is eligible for bhakti. If some body says this also applies to one who is fall down while practicing bhakti does not make sense here. ‘Na svatantrah kenApi sAdhyate bAdhyate vA’ a bhakt does Anukulyena krishnAnushilanam so naturally he does what is anukula to him so he naturally has ‘utsAhAt nischyAt dhairyAt tat tat karma pravartanAt——–‘. Now, a bhakt is conscious of ‘krishnAya rochmAnAh pravritti’ so he is in shashtriya shraddha and not laukika shraddha so he does not behave as a sudurAchAri.
so the verse 9.32 says only about the qualification. any person is qualified. later krishna says what to say of a person born as brAhmana—-like this.
if a fall down again is in laukika shraddha he will always do sudurAchar. but a bhakt is is always conscious for anukula service towards krishna so will never do sudurAchAr.
This comment reflects the same confusion as the questioner. 9.32 is obviously about who all can practice bhakti – everyone. What the answer emphasizes is that the very thing that enables us to begin bhakti also enables us to sustain bhakti amidst falls, that is, our innate capacity for emotions. connect
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