MATT HUISH YOGA : TALKS & SLOKAS
BHAKTI, THE NATURE OF DEVOTION, A TALK ON CHAPTER 12 OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA
May 5, 2009
Philosphy Notes
Chapter 12 – Bhagavad Gita
Slightly modified on June 30, 2009 for easier reading
Some commentators say that chapter 12 of the Gita is the chapter on Bhakti. Really however, Bhakti is discussed all through the text.
Arjuna begins the chapter with a certain question: “Which would be better to worship? The finite form or the infinite formless?” It’s kind of a nice chapter because it shows that one does not need form to be of a devotional nature. People used to tell me that I was not into Bhakti, into devotion, that I was more into Jnana. How would they know? Are Jnanis not devoted? We’re all devoted to something, it’s just a matter of to what. Krsna says, “Whatever way men/women approach me, in that way I manifest/receive them. If one wants to approach me through Christ, Allah, Siva, Visnu, Brahma, I’ll receive them that way. If one comes to me without any sort of support, through formlessness, in that way I receive them.” So, it’s a beautiful chapter in that it shows that no matter which way you approach through devotion, in that way you come back home. All roads ultimately point home – it’s just a matter of how long some of them take.
At the basis of every experience is nothing but That. At the basis of every form is the formless. So ultimately, it’s not going to matter if we approach through form or through the formless. As long as you fix the mind on Me (God), and you’re steadfast with faith, these are the perfected ones.
When we’re seeking form, the heart of the form is nothing other than the formless. The form is nothing but the display, or the power, of That. It’s like the sun or the sun’s brilliance. Where do you draw the line, where do you distinguish the difference between the sun and its effect? Where do you draw the line as an either/or thing? Ultimately Siva and Shakti, basis and display, are one. Form is formless, formless is form.
Q: So why do anything? What difference does it make?
R: Well, if I don’t get the kids to bed on time, they’ll be pretty cranky. I don’t really like cranky kids. If I shoot someone, I go to jail and create suffering. Do I want that?
Q: There are people who do that.
R: Yeah, there’s some unfortunate shit out there. Even the most twisted ways we’re seeking god, the mind twisting on itself in the most sick and twisted manner – at the heart of it everyone is seeking peace, whether that comes out in an appropriate manner or not. Who knows what was the background of the man who shot his kids – his childhood, how he was raised. Hard to know why people do the things they do.
Q: If we’re using form, and it’s just all formless anyway....
R: It’s not all formless. At the basis of form is formlessness. But form is still form.
Q: So there are certain abiding laws, naturally, in nature, flowers...
R: There’s a certain way it’s arising, a certain order to things.
Q: In this chapter, there are various ways. One is faster, but if not that way, you can try these other ways.
R: Yeah, if you can’t do the formless, take the yoga of constant practice. In other words, if you have trouble resolving the mind into its basis, use a support for the mind: breath, object, horse stance with focus on soles of the feet, or a mantra. If that’s not good, serve me, serve the world, be a good person. If not that, at the very least, give up your thought for the reward (karma yoga). So these other applications are possible. He’s said all along you don’t need to follow the direct way; although all roads lead to it, doesn’t mean you have to start there. Doesn’t matter if you come to Me through form or without form (says Krishna). Don’t care if you have a 6 foot Siva in your house, or a little Ganesha, or any of that stuff. But, if you like worshiping 6 foot Siva or whatever it is, I’m (God is) there, too. So the nature of devotion is not dependent upon form or formlessness. What we’re really speaking about here, on a deeper level, is devotion to Truth, to Sat. Whether that takes a form or the nature of Sat in itself ultimately doesn’t matter because the devotion to truth is there. So he’s praising the devotion.
Q: It makes sense, but ultimately, in this book, it seems like it doesn’t matter. Be devotional or don’t be devotional, it’s all one. I don’t live my life like that, but that’s the way I see it from this.
R: What are you devoted to? Your family? Certain things? Certain passions?
Q: Yes.
R: Would you say God/Truth exists within those?
Q: Not always.
R: Why not?
Q: I never stopped to think about it like that.
R: God’s at the basis of all experience. Wherever you go, believe it or not, you’re going towards God. There’s no direction but God. This is the profound way. I’m not telling you to go out and shoot up heroin, but the fact is, God’s even found there. I’m not saying certain things won’t be more painful than other things, because the realm of experience still has its laws of cause and effect, but at all times what we’re really seeking is peace. We’re always seeking that. All that we do, the underlying root that we’re looking for, is that. Ultimately we’re all devoted to that, as convoluted as it seems. Some ways are just a little bit more direct.
They say in the Vedanta that there are four requisites for realizing the self: ability to discern real from unreal, intense dispassion for that which is unreal, and a few more pieces (control of mind, senses, so on) and, 4th, an intense burning desire for freedom or truth. This is the devotional aspect. Because what else do you really want but Truth, but That which is Real? It’s true about anything in your life. Relationship, conversation: you want it to be real. what you’re really seeking through every experience is that. We can get convoluted, but we’re still seeking that one thing, even through all our confusion. Ultimately it’s not about whether it’s this form or that form or formless.
As we start to come closer and closer to recognizing our self nature through our practice, these are the qualities (described in verses 13 through 20) that start to come alive in us, as we start to live more and more in the real, as we start to open ourselves to that which is true, that which is real. There will be less hatred, more contentment, more conviction, more faith in that steadiness. There will be more freedom from the extremes of intense feelings, freedom from fear, anxiety, dependence. There will be equanimity, contentment, more silence in our life. These are all the qualities that start to come alive through that devotion itself, through that devotion to Truth. As we start to live and abide in that more and more, these qualities will be present, because there’s nothing lacking in That, in Truth. There’s nothing missing. In the space of Truth, we have nothing to want for. There’s nothing to fear. There’s nothing really further to seek, because whatever direction we look, we’re looking into the face of the Lord, into the face of Truth.
This recognition obviously might not come from typical, day to day, mundane devotion, until we really start to see the basis of that devotion, until we start to see what it really is. It’s not saying we need to leave these mundane devotions, but rather, can we see them for what they truly are? When we look into our children’s eyes, our spouse’s eyes, can we see them for what they truly are? In whatever we do, can we see Truth? Can we see That which is Real – Sat? This is what we’re devoted to. Brings to mind verses from Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.5:
“Verily not for the sake of the husband, wife, sons/daughters, wealth, worlds, beings (etc.) are the husband, wife, sons/daughters, wealth, worlds, beings (etc.) loved, but they are loved for the sake of the Self.” (summarized)
Wherever we look we see nothing but God. In the Bhagavatam at the end in book 11, Krishna is about to leave the planet, talking to Udava, says
“I shall tell you what I consider to be the greatest form of yoga, that practice which I consider to be the greatest form of yoga, that practice which pleases me most and which is the best way to attain immortality. One should offer his/her whole mind to me, his/her heart to me, and with his/her whole being devoted to me, do all actions for my sake. He/she should see me alone in all beings and thus cultivate equal vision towards all beings- from the high-born and learned and devoted to the lowest and meanest of creatures. By this incessant practice, he/she will overcome the spirit of rivalry, of finding fault with others and of contempt – all of which are associates of self conceit. Without the least sense of shame and without regard for the opinions of others he/she should prostrate like a falling piece of wood before all, even to animals like the donkey.
In this way he/she comes to regard everything as Brahman, the infinite. This indeed is the greatest of spiritual disciplines, the greatest yoga and the quickest way to self knowledge. There is no loss at all in this path and nothing but spiritual gain; as this practice has been ordained directly by me it is beyond the operation of the three guna.”
Wherever you look, your practice is to see the Lord, to see That, to see the Truth. The Truth is staring at you in the face every moment. It’s never absent. Ever. This is really the heart of devotion. Whether you think of that Truth as God, or Consciousness itself, or Buddha nature, doesn’t matter. Just be devoted to it: see Me (God) alone in all beings. Because why would you want anything else other than that which is True, that which is Real?
Q: What if you’re struggling with seeing God in all those you face every day?
R: It’s a practice. If you don’t see it, you don’t see it. Doesn’t mean God’s still not looking you in the face. Remember how his face appears in many different ways in Chapter 11 – some of them are pretty frightening! Some of them come in the face of friends, enemies, beauty, horrors. Look at Kali: not very pretty. Stomping on Siva. She’ll cut off your head.
Biggest lesson to learn in life: sometimes we get cut. This can be hard to understand. At the time you never really see fully, the full picture, don’t always know why. Sometimes it’s not till we hit the higher ground that we turn around and see the why of those things.