How can we make the right choices within bhakti?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
So within bhakti also we have to make many choices.
So how do we make choices within bhakti? Actually this is the topic of last session tomorrow. I will just talk briefly right now. In bhakti, there is the form of service and there is the purpose of service.
Or rather the principle. Principle is I am meant to serve Krishna. Krishna is my lord, I am his servant.
That principle remains unchanging. The form in which we serve, that will change according to the circumstances. So now which particular form we choose when, that is something which we have to use our God-given intelligence in that.
So there are two broad factors in this. One is initially we do whatever we are told to do. And that is our submission.
In bhakti, there is two aspects to it. One is our submission to our guides. But the second is our own initiative.
That is also important. Because it is not that there will always be some senior devotee over our head telling us do this, do this, do this. The world is a big place.
We may go to places where we may not have association. We have to also take decisions ourselves. So while doing whatever we are told to do, we also observe.
Now what is it that, what is it that I like to do? What is it that I am good at doing? Two factors. What is it that I like doing? What is it that I am good at doing? And if we find these two things working in a particular avenue, we can understand that more or less this is my nature. And then we can try to focus more and more of our energy on that.
Some of us may like to distribute books. Some of us may like to study scripture and teach scripture. Some of us may just like to do cooking.
Some of us may like to do literature. There are so many services in bhakti. And we will, if we are vigilant, we will be able to observe.
Which is it that I connect with? We again do whatever we are told to do. But at the same time, we take initiative to find out what we are good at, what we like. Krishna says, Guna karma vibhava sahab.
He talks about varanashram. The point of varanashram is not simply to divide people into four varanas. The point is to engage people in a way that is natural to their material situation.
To engage brahmanas in intellectual work, to engage kshatriyas in administrative work, martial work. So like that, the point is to engage people according to what they are naturally endowed with. So guna, when we like something, that is like corresponding with the guna.
And when we are good at something, that is like corresponding with karma. So when we are comfortable doing something and when we are competent doing something. That we can understand is like our guna karma.
By doing that, we can actually get a steady service which we feel inspired to do. And which we are, which we make a tangible contribution to. That way we can move onwards in our bhakti.
And similarly with the spiritual stimuli which we have. Some of us may like particular deities in a particular dress. Some of us may like a particular kirtan, a particular dhun.
Some of us may like a particular holy place. Among the worshipable forms on the altar also, some of us may be attracted to a particular person. These are all individual spiritual preferences.
The principle is we are devoted to the Lord. But which particular manifestation of the Lord we may devote, we may feel especially connected with, that will vary. And that’s a manifestation of our individuality.
So as we are doing our bhakti, we keep also observing our spiritual manifestations. This is actually called uddhipan. Uddhipan, spiritual stimulus.
And whichever uddhipan triggers us the most, triggers our spiritual desire the most, we cherish that. And thus we move forward so that we can connect with Krishna more deeply. Does it answer your question?