How can we use our intellectual faculty to elevate ourselves and others spiritually?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.
So, how can we use our intellectual faculty for elevating ourselves spiritually and how can we do similar same thing for others? The Bhagavad Gita actually is a book that appeals to the intelligence. At the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, In 18.63 he says, So, Krishna is asking for deliberation. Think, what do you want to do? And think means use your intelligence he is saying.
So, definitely if this is a Bhagavad Gita, it is actually not containing just entertaining stories. It is serious philosophical analysis. So, not everybody has a very high intellectual capacity.
And say for most people who are educated, the intelligence does play a role. But if people have been brought up in a pious background, then, you know, because of the current culture, there are certain doubts which are created. And if those doubts are removed, then they start acting on their natural piety.
They have natural piety, but there are certain logical doubts which are created by the culture. And if those doubts are addressed, then afterwards, they just, the practice of bhakti itself nourish them. So, initially, there are some people, those people may be very logical, intellectual, questioning, and afterwards they just move on in their normal way of bhakti.
They are happy practicing bhakti. And that's how most devotees are. But some devotees, you know, for them their intellectual side is quite central to their being.
And then afterwards they may feel, oh, initially I got so many questions answered. But afterwards, you know, it's the same thing being repeated again and again. I am not getting any intellectual nourishment.
Feel like that. If we feel like that, then we have to associate with intellectually minded devotees. In the devotee circle, we may find that there are, everybody is practicing bhakti, but there are some devotees who are really interested in studying shastra, who are really interested in philosophy.
So, if we find even one or two devotees like that, then we can associate with them more. And then we can see how they are using their intelligence in Krishna sense. Okay, you can read this book, you can read this, you can understand this.
Maybe this, you know, this speaker's classes are really intellectual. I would like to hear them. This commentary I read, this was very good.
Or this book I read in this way. Sometimes, if we have an intellectual need, we can not just hear classes or read books, we can do the two in parallel. You know, read a book and try to hear classes on that same subject.
Then the two become symbiotic and our understanding becomes much more. So, we should see that, just like if a devotee has a special talent for music, you know, everybody may enjoy music, but to get into music requires some diligence, some talent. And they may associate with people who have that talent and they may learn from devoting musicians.
So, that's a specialized need and then a specialized avenue created, which they have to find out by which they can fulfill that need. So, same applies to the intelligence also. And those devotees who have this nature, if they nourish themselves intellectually, then in the long run, they can also perform a valuable service.
That others whom they come in contact with, they can also offer intellectual nourishment. But we have to be careful that, you know, we don't impose our intellectual side on those who are non-intellectuals. Because if we are very philosophical and others are non-philosophical, then others will say, you know, main bhakti kar rahe hoon, tum gyaan kar rahe hoon.
I am practicing bhakti, you are simply doing gyaan. So, if you find that the devotee is like that, then better not talk about intellectual things with them. Because that's not their need.
So, broadly speaking, you know, the people access the spiritual through three different ways. The intellectual, the social and the cultural. Intellectual means people come, classes that they hear.
This is also stimulating. For other people, when they come to the temple, the primary thing is taking darshan of the deities, you know, maybe seeing the Tulsi and just getting in the spiritual atmosphere of the temple. That is what nourishes them.
And the class is okay, it's good, but the cultural atmosphere is what is most important for them. For others, social, that means, you know, come and meet devotees, talk with them, you know. They ask me, how are you? I ask them.
Interact with people and that's what nourishes them. So, we have to find out what nourishes us and we do that more. We do all aspects of bhakti.
It's not that I come to the temple, attend the class and don't even look at the deities. It's not like that. But our needs may be different and we shouldn't impose our needs on others.
And that way we can find out ways for fulfilling our needs and grow intellectually. Did I answer your question? Yeah.