VIVEKACHOODAMANI – “The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination" : Slokam 31 : 6. The Place of BHAKTIs. Sri Swami Adi Sankaracharya.

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Monday, June 28,  2021. 07:48. AM. 
VIVEKACHOODAMANI VOLUME : 1. The PURPOSE of Human Life
PART 1: (Sloka-s 1-66, 66 No.)
1.4 QUALIFICATIONS of DISCIPLE & GURU
(Sloka-s 17-32a, 15 No.)
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Slokam  31 : 6. The Place of BHAKTI

"Moksha-karana-samagryaam bhaktih eva gareyase; 

svasvaroopa anusandhaanam bhaktih iti abhidheeyate." || 31||

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Translation :

1 mokshha-kaarana-saamagryaam     =  Among the ingredients necessary for liberation,

2 bhaktih eva gareeyasee;                 =  Devotion alone is the most important.

3 svasvaroopa anusandhaanam         =  Constant attempt to live up to one’s Real nature

4 bhaktih iti abhidheeyate.                =  is designated as Bhakti.

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Commentary :

1-4 This verse first of all assumes that A, B and C as outlined above are in place in the aspirant, that is, he has Vairagya, the Shat Sampat and Mumukshutva. Beyond these, what would be the single most important factor that would take the seeker to the Goal?

The answer to this question is BHAKTI.

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SRI SWAMI ADI SANKARACHARYA UNFAIRLY CHARGED :

There is a controversy about Shankaracharyaji’s use of the word ‘BHAKTI’. Vested interests of the Bhakti path proclaim that Shankaracharya is trying to entice their followers by making this claim. However, it is purely from the point of view of their worldly interests and no more. Shankaracharya defines Bhakti from the Vedantic perspective, and this in essence is not in conflict with the definition for Bhakti by the Bhakti schools of thought. The definition is: “Bhakti is a constant and consistent effort to raise the ego-centre from its welter of false values to the memory and dignity of Self-hood” – Swami Chinmayanandaji.

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Spiritually, there is no flaw in this definition, as it aims to bring the aspirant to a state of oneness with the Self, which is the essence of Love or Bhakti. The Vedantic term for it is Nididhyasana. This Bhakti is founded on Knowledge as obtained during Sravana and is the basic Vedantic Sadhana.

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The malpractices arising within the Bhakti field come under criticism using this pure definition. There is no room for “intellectual slavery” in Shankaracharya’s view. The Vedantin’s Bhakti does not render him helpless to use his intellect to grasp the truth about the delusion of Maya. For this reason, many of the slavish attitudes in vogue at the time amongst the practitioners of Bhakti is quiet rightly not encouraged by Shankaracharyaji.Vedanta makes full use of the intellect for the great purpose it was created, which is to enquire deeply into the nature of one’s true Self. An intellect devoted to the Self, is capable of the purest form of Bhakti!

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End.
Next - Slokam 32a : Bhakti Inseparable from Self-Knowledge.
To be continued ...


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