How to reconcile Gita bhogaishvarya prasaktanam and Bhagavatam akamah sarva kamo va?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Bhagavanta says, that if we are attached, we cannot get the determination of bhakti.
Bhagavatam says that, no matter what we are, even if we have material desires, still we should practice bhakti. So there are two different things. There is starting and there is sustaining.
As far as starting is concerned, anybody can start bhakti, from anywhere. But if they are to sustain, they need to come to a particular level. Just like in Shikshashtaka, There are no rules for chanting.
But the next verse says, So what is it? As far as starting the chanting is concerned, anybody can start. But actually, if you want to come to the level of constantly glorifying Krishna, then we have to develop that humility and tolerance. So, like that, we should not put preconditions for people to start practicing bhakti.
You know, Prabhupada, he was so accommodating, I think on the way to Krishna, he says that, even if a person is a drunkard who cannot give up drinking, that person can think that the taste of wine is Krishna. And they can remember Krishna while drinking wine. And by this, one day they will become a devotee.
Not only devotee, they will become a great devotee. Now that same Prabhupada has also one of the regulative principles where he says no more drinking. So what does it mean? Even a drunkard can start practicing bhakti.
But if they want to practice bhakti steadily, if they want to advance, then they may have to do certain things, just giving up the material attachments. So, even in our scripture, like in fact, today evening’s class about how to deal with our attachments, how to not let guilt overcome us daily. The point is that whenever we have attachments, they prevent us from steadily practicing bhakti.
So that’s why the stress is we should give up attachments. But even if we are not able to give up attachments, that doesn’t mean we have to give up bhakti. We should still keep practicing bhakti no matter what happens.
And gradually we will get the strength to give up attachments. What should not be done is we should not think that bhakti is a path of bhakti. That becomes an offense against the holy name.
If I see my bhakti as a license for my sinfulness, but I have conditions because of which I fall into some wrongdoing, I am trying to give it up. It’s an ongoing battle going on. Just because I get discouraged, just because I am defeated by temptation, that doesn’t mean I have to give up bhakti.