‘The way of devotion, is not different from the way of knowledge or Jnana. When intelligence matures and lodges securely in the mind, it becomes wisdom. When wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes Bhakti. Knowledge, when it becomes fully mature is Bhakti. If it does not get transformed into Bhakti, such knowledge is useless tinsel. To believe that Jnana and Bhakti, knowledge and devotion are different from each other, is ignorance’
Inspite of listening to this introduction by Rajagopalachari at the beginning of MS Subbalakshmi’s Vishnusahasranam, almost every day during my growing up years, I never realised its importance till very late.I was one of those intellectual Advaitins. You know, those ‘everything is consciousness, so why pray’ types. It was only in the last decade or so that I realised the importance Shraddha and Bhakti and began experiencing the beauty of surrender, gratitude and devotion.
Meanwhile I also noticed a growing category around the world of “Spiritual But Not Religious” ( SBNR) and even closer home a number of friends who say “I do not believe in rituals, you know, but I believe there is some spirit”. Like my friend Sunny Narang says we were not just deracinated because of our colonial rule, we were also de ‘rasa’ nated !
I made this slide a few years ago how these crucial Bhakti elements were being removed systematically from all aspects of our culture by the Western practitioners and in doing so they are operating only at 80% of their true potential.
However off late there is a growing realisation in the West about the importance of gratitude and the healing powers in expressing it. Gratitude has now become a buzzword. Every new age guru has begun to speak about the importance of gratitude. SBNRs have now begun to experience the joy when they surrender or express gratitude. However they tend to go back to their intellect driven practices following the path of ‘Spirituality without Religion’ advocated by Sam Harris and their ilk, as they do not have access to indigenous, authentic and established practices by which they can express gratitude and devotion on a continuous basis.
Through this talk I propose a new framework ‘Penta – Polytheism’ addressed to all those who identify themselves as SBNRs. I use our concept of ‘Pancha Maha Yajna’ and invite them to select their own icons, create their own form through a photo montage, establish their own private rituals and thus begin a daily devotional practice of surrender, worship and gratitude to their chosen icons .
As an intermediate step, I believe such an intellect driven process will be easier for SBNRs, especially those who have come from monotheistic backgrounds and have since become atheists, in eventually discovering Gods from indigenous traditions and progressively become Polytheists.
In other words they can use their own intellect to destroy itself and become one with their Bhagwan.
A journey from ‘eka roopa’ to ‘aneka roopa’ to eventually ‘aroopa’. ( If they adopt the path of Advaita) helping them cross the last frontier and enabling them to operate at 100 % of their potential.
Hope you enjoy the talk. It is my earnest hope that all the indigenous traditions from around the world that have been lost to us are revived by the descendants of those very ancestors who played a role in their loss.
Karma can also be a Witch.
Hari’s Curries
A Buffet of Reflections