Stotrarnava /11
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9
Srimad Bhagavadgitā, consisting of 18 chapters, is also broadly
divided into three sections (i) The Karma Yoga (ii) The
Bhakti Yoga and (iii) The Jñāna Yoga. The Bhakti Yoga is
regarded as the easiest means for an ordinary person in the
Kali Yuga, who may have neither the strength and the facilties
for the performance of Karma nor the brilliant intelligence
and endurance for practising Jñāna Yoga. It is often
described that the Bhakti Yoga is arranged in the middle of the
Bhagavadgitā to lay stress upon the fact that Bhakti is required
as an accessory both for the Karma described earlier and for
Jñana described later, based upon Dehali-Dipa-Nyaya - just
like a lamp placed in the threshold of a door to illuminate the
space on either side of it.
Moreover, this Bhakti Yoga is more fascinating to the mind
as it is enriched by the various stories of the Rāmāyaṇa and
the Mahābhārata and the Purāņas. A model in the form of
God is set before us and all His great qualities are vividly
described in an enchanting manner by the Purāņas etc. Even a
child cannot fail to be attracted by such descriptions of God
and his mind is naturally drawn towards Him.
The Bhaktas may be classified fourfold-
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ -
Srimad Bhavadgītā VII-16.
Of these, an Arta is one who is in affliction and prays to
the God for immediate help. The examples for this are
Gajendra and Draupadi.
The next is Jijñāsu who is keen on having the true
knowledge of the God. The example for this is Nārada.
The third variety is Arthārthi (i.e.,) a person who prays
to God for the fulfilment of mundane desires. The classic
example for this is Dhruva.
The last variety is Jñānī, one who desires to pray for
prayer's sake without any specific desire. The main example
for this is Prahlada who was uttering the name of Nārāyaṇa
even in his childhood in spite of the threats of his father.
This Bhakti is described as nine-fold in the Srimad
Bhāgavata by Prahlada, one of the foremost devotees:
श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम् ।
अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥
Srimad Bhāgavata VII-v-23,
Srimad Bhagavadgitā, consisting of 18 chapters, is also broadly
divided into three sections (i) The Karma Yoga (ii) The
Bhakti Yoga and (iii) The Jñāna Yoga. The Bhakti Yoga is
regarded as the easiest means for an ordinary person in the
Kali Yuga, who may have neither the strength and the facilties
for the performance of Karma nor the brilliant intelligence
and endurance for practising Jñāna Yoga. It is often
described that the Bhakti Yoga is arranged in the middle of the
Bhagavadgitā to lay stress upon the fact that Bhakti is required
as an accessory both for the Karma described earlier and for
Jñana described later, based upon Dehali-Dipa-Nyaya - just
like a lamp placed in the threshold of a door to illuminate the
space on either side of it.
Moreover, this Bhakti Yoga is more fascinating to the mind
as it is enriched by the various stories of the Rāmāyaṇa and
the Mahābhārata and the Purāņas. A model in the form of
God is set before us and all His great qualities are vividly
described in an enchanting manner by the Purāņas etc. Even a
child cannot fail to be attracted by such descriptions of God
and his mind is naturally drawn towards Him.
The Bhaktas may be classified fourfold-
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ -
Srimad Bhavadgītā VII-16.
Of these, an Arta is one who is in affliction and prays to
the God for immediate help. The examples for this are
Gajendra and Draupadi.
The next is Jijñāsu who is keen on having the true
knowledge of the God. The example for this is Nārada.
The third variety is Arthārthi (i.e.,) a person who prays
to God for the fulfilment of mundane desires. The classic
example for this is Dhruva.
The last variety is Jñānī, one who desires to pray for
prayer's sake without any specific desire. The main example
for this is Prahlada who was uttering the name of Nārāyaṇa
even in his childhood in spite of the threats of his father.
This Bhakti is described as nine-fold in the Srimad
Bhāgavata by Prahlada, one of the foremost devotees:
श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम् ।
अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥
Srimad Bhāgavata VII-v-23,