Various Paths to Perfection
Every individual has three implicit instruments available at his disposable in his spiritual journey. They are his Body, Mind and Intellect. One can use his intellect as an instrument; use logic and reasoning; and walk on the path of knowledge (jñāna). One can also use his mind as instrument; leveraging strong human emotions and choose the path of devotion (bhakti). Finally, one can use his body (and his other material possessions) and choose to serve lord’s creation to reach him. This is the path of self-less service (karma). While these paths seem different, they have an underlying commonality. They eventually merge and lead to the same goal. When one begins to walk on a specific path, per color and texture of his mental and intellectual fabric, his instruments (body, mind and intellect) start getting refined and slowly traits of other paths start to culminate.
For the one walking on the path of knowledge, knowledge without devotion leads to fattening of ego. The sense of pride (“I know”) blocks progress and prevents intellectually acquired knowledge to become an experiential wisdom. Scriptures highlight this difference beautifully through the character of Hanuman and Ravana in the historical epic of Ramayan. For a true seeker, leveraging logic and reasoning to understand the Supreme, leads to refinement of his intellect. When his intellect sufficiently matures, he recognizes the magnanimity of that Supreme truth; as the one that lends sentiency in the heart of every sentient being, and existence to every particle of matter or pulse of energy. When one starts to understand (and get traces of experience) that he too is that Supreme consciousness, his intellect humbles and surrenders; mind gets flooded with devotion for the creator and servitude for his creation.
For the one walking on the path of devotion, love for the Supreme starts with the duality of subject vs the object. Devotee is the subject (the lover) and the Supreme is the object (beloved). But at the pinnacle of that devotion, lover and beloved merges and becomes one. There is no duality left after that – only oneness. This is exactly what is preached by the path of knowledge – albeit using logic and rationale.
The one focused on self-less service towards other beings is filled compassion in his heart. No service can be self-less unless fueled by compassion towards all fellow beings, the entire creation. Such compassion for the entire creation makes one eventually fall in love with the Creator. Thus, the devotion culminates, eventually leading to oneness amongst himself, creation and creator. Knowledge manifests.
Just like the one attempting a high jump uses a pole to get a lift from the ground, eventually leaving that pole as well, to complete the jump. The seeker uses his instruments (Body, Mind and Intellect) to detach from worldly attractions, eventually letting those instruments (and his individuality) drop, only to merge with that Supreme. Choice of the path only decides which instruments he starts with.
Arjun’s Question
Chapter 12 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, known as “BhaktiYoga”, begins with Arjun’s question about the best way to approach the Supreme? By now, he is given teachings of his true identity as pure consciousness, inferring to oneness between jīvātmā (individual soul) and paramātmā (Supreme). Shri Krishna also mesmerized him with his viśvarūpa darśana (chapter 10), and his various vibhutis (chapter 11).
Considering his mental state before the war and events leading up to the war, he is torn between action (doing his duty), knowledge (that he is now endowed with teachings) and devotion (For his best friend whom he now knows as Supreme). He asks – “Who is better? Devotee worshipping the Supreme with form and attributes (Saguna upasana) OR jñānī worshipping the formless Supreme consciousness (Nirguna upasana)”. He is curious about which path is better for him. His curiosity is reflected in his question in verse 12.1. Let us understand these two terms properly – Saguna upasana and Nirguna upasana.
What is Saguna upasana?
Human mind always needs an anchor to latch on to. Mind needs a support either from a person, society, past memories, future goal etc. Saguna upasana converts this weakness into strength. It is an upasana where the devotee develops an emotional bond and a specific relationship with a certain form and attributes of Supreme; thus, making that form, an anchor for the mind. He sees that Supreme in the form of a father, or mother, or master, or teacher or beloved. He attaches his mind to traits of that form. Whether it is flamboyancy of Shri Krishna personifying love and duty, or calm but powerful demeanor of Shri Rama featuring compassion and righteousness, or detachment of Shiva in ever established union with Self, or fierce power of Durga with ability to create or annihilate universes. Based on his emotional makeup, devotee gets attached to a certain form and attributes, and worships them in various ways (pooja, japa, temples). Shri Krishna indicates that who you worship and how you worship is not important, but the total absorption, complete focus and unwavering faith are needed.
In such upasana, engagement may be limited to one’s body in early days (e.g. doing pooja as a mere ritual). Gradually, it advances to senses (japa) and then to mind. Finally, the center of one’s ego (intellect) shifts towards that form. Initially one stays absorbed only during the time of worship. However, over a period of time, absorption becomes permanent, eventually merging of the identity of devotee with the Supreme. In this type of upasana, one does not need to detach from the world but just attach himself to the Supreme with strong devotion (bhakti) and faith (shraddhaa). Lord emphatically promises that such devotees undoubtedly reach him. (Ref V12.2)
What is Nirguna upasana?
Nirguna upasana is intellectually predominant. One cannot accept what one doesn’t understand. How can Shri Krishna pick up a mountain as a young boy, that too with one hand? While such acts melt devotee’s heart, jñānī brushes them aside. For him, upanishadic texts are the primary source of knowledge. Upanishads repeatedly explain seeker his true identify as the Supreme consciousness (existence, consciousness and bliss). These texts do their best in trying to define something that is undefinable (अनिर्देश्यम्), imperishable (अक्षरम्), unmanifested (अव्यक्तम्), omnipresent (सर्वत्रगम्), non-moving (अचलम्), unchanging (कूटस्थम्) and eternal (ध्रुवम्) reality that is beyond human intellect (अचिन्त्यम्). (Ref V12.3)
As human intellect cannot reach it directly, this upasana attempts to approach the truth by elimination (neti neti – not this, not this). Systematically understanding everything in the universe intellectually by listening to scriptures; eliminating it as untrue through logical contemplation; finally meditating on what is left and making that knowledge experiential. Such are the milestones of this path. There is no worship in this upasana, instead an understanding of one’s own true identity as that Supreme consciousness – beyond body, mind and intellect. Here, the relationship with that Supreme is not important, but oneness is importance (I AM THAT). Thus, the essence of this upasana is destruction of one’s own ego, one’s individuality and experience universality by introversion of the mind.
Are there any pre-requisites for these paths?
Path of devotion (Saguna upasana) does not have any prerequisite or qualifying criteria. Anyone with heart filled with emotions can follow that path. However, the path of knowledge (Nirguna upasana), often called the Royal path or the direct path, is hardest of all. It requires one to qualify through strong control of senses, mind and intellect (साधनचतुष्टय सम्पत्ति – sādhanacatuṣṭaya sampatti). One must be able to intellectually understand scriptures, have strong control over senses (over temptation of sensory pleasures) and the focused mind with ability to stay on a single thought for a significant amount of time. Nirguna upasana demands one to see equanimity in everything and everyone in universe – i.e. the common substratum manifesting in diverse ways. One should be able to rejoice in universe’s welfare, going beyond individualism. (Ref V12.4)
There is one common aspect in both these upasanas. They both demand strong faith. While in Saguna upasana, that faith is directed externally towards “God” (with form and attributes), in Nirguna upasana, that faith must be directed towards scriptures, Guru and one’s own self.
Faith vs Blind Faith
As a side note, I must provide difference between Faith and Blind faith, as explained in scriptures. There is subtle but significant difference between the two. Blind faith makes one strongly believe in the source of the knowledge and the knowledge. Such acceptance comes even when the student does not understand the subject (or misunderstands it) and lacks intellectual conviction. Student does not attempt validate what is learnt.
However, faith makes one strongly believe the authenticity of the source of the knowledge and not the knowledge itself. When the student is presented with the knowledge he does not understand, he approaches teacher with the attitude seeking clarification and help – “I know what you are teaching me is the truth, but I don’t understand it. Can you teach me again, in a different way, with different examples?” Here student accepts authenticity of the teacher and scriptures, reflects on the subject taught, and accepts knowledge only after intellectual conviction is developed. Spiritual knowledge given by scriptures is transcendental, thus beyond human intellect. This demands faith in scriptures and teacher. However, blind faith is strongly discouraged.
Which path is better?
As mentioned earlier, it is not a question of which type of upasana is best. One should rather choose the type that one feels naturally attracted to per his emotional and intellectual makeup. Shri Krishna however clearly mentions that path of Nirguna upasana is filled with obstacles and pain. In this upasana, one is trying to use intellect to understand something that is the very cause of that intellect. Effect can never understand its cause. Imagine meditating on something that has no form, no attribute, neither living nor dead, smaller than the smallest, larger than the largest, residing deep in your heart, at the same time omni-present in the entire universe. How can a limited human intellect even fathom such “entity”, let alone meditating or worshipping it? Such powerful but abstract knowledge, if misunderstood or incompletely understood, can create havoc in one’s life (āsurī Vedanta). Lord explains the primary reason for such misunderstanding is one’s identification with one’s own body. Till one thinks that he is this body, he will absorb the knowledge with incorrect perspective. (Ref V12.5).
On the contrary, meditating upon a beautiful form of the Supreme (as described in scriptures), fully drenched with emotions is a joy in itself. Here devotee using all his instruments at disposable (body, speech, mind, material resources), striving hard to experience that form, reaches to the pinnacle of self-effort. At that moment, his ego, his individuality, his limited sense of self, surrenders. Purity and power of such devotee’s mind manifests that formless reality into the form of his worship and merges devotee with himself. This was the life story of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He could manifest form of Mother Kali due to his exceptionally strong devotion for her. Eventually, she blessed him with oneness with herself by sending Guru Totapuri-ji in his life.
Thus, the path of devotion is full of love and joy, as against path of knowledge is like walking on the edge of a sharp blade. In devotion means itself is a goal. Worship itself is a union. Every step of this path makes one revel in love for that Supreme.
More about the Path of Devotion – Saguna Upasana
While initially, devotion just beings as a ritualistic engagement (occasionally going to temple, doing pooja on specific days etc.), it grows the remembrance of lord in all actions. Initially, actions done are offering to the lord, later they are done for the lord. Eventually devotee gets to a state where he considers himself as instrument of lord and actions are done on behalf of the lord. This dissolves the sense of doer-ship, and thus his ego. At this stage, mind becomes totally dedicated to lord. He worships the lord for the sake of lord, and not sake of anything else (no other worldly desire). Love for the sake of love, and nothing else. For follower of such path, Shri Krishna promises to take him beyond the world of names and forms, births and deaths, in the realm of eternal existence, filled with awareness of perfect bliss. (Ref V12.6 to V12.7)
Ways to Practice Saguna Upasana
Thus, Shri Krishna advice Arjun to choose the path of Saguna upasana. He advices to place his mind firmly in him without any doubt. While this may be difficult initially as mind, by its very nature wavers, however continuous practice for prolonged time should help (Ref V12.8 to 12.9). For minds that are extremely agitated, and unable to practice devotion or meditation, Shri Krishna advice path of self-less service for the betterment of society. However, such actions must be done in the best possible way, with the attitude of detachment from their result, and with the attitude of an offering to Lord, without any attitude of doer-ship. If one’s finds tough to let go of doer-ship due to strong ego, then one should at least surrender fruits of action, thus renouncing enjoyer-ship in the favor of lord. (Ref V12.10 to 12.11)
Finally in the verse 12.12, Shri Krishna summarizes relative comparison of various attitudes behind these upasanas. Practice (action) is the basic means to start any upasana. However, practice done with the right knowledge enhances the impact of that practice. Meditation (placing a mind in lord with constant flow of single thought about HIM) is better than any practice (even done with knowledge), as it directly works at the level of mind. Finally, the complete sense of detachment from actions and their results (with attitude of surrender to the lord) is the best upasana.
Interestingly, beauty of Sanskrit grammar allows us to interpret verse 12.12 in one more way. In Sanskrit, usage of fifth vibhakti can either be “than” or “due to”. Per this, teaching of Shri Krishna can be understood as, Knowledge becomes better due to constant practice. Just plain knowledge without practice has no value. Knowledge, when put in practice becomes valuable. Similarly, meditation becomes better due to knowledge (when one is fully intellectually aware of the object of meditation). Finally, it is due to such deep meditation, one develops detachment from actions and their result (withdrawing from the world and getting absorbed in the object of meditation – i.e. the Lord himself).
No matter which interpretation is taken, Shri Krishna promises immediate attainment of peace upon reaching the final stage of renunciation (loss of individuality).
श्रीकृष्णार्पणम् अस्तु ।
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