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== भक्तिः ज्ञानं च ॥ Bhakti and Jnana ==

== भक्तिः ज्ञानं च ॥ Bhakti and Jnana ==

One cannot entirely separate Bhakti and Jnana. When Bhakti matures, it becomes transmuted into Jnana and Jnana in turn intensifies Bhakti. People think that study of [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] fades away Bhakti. It is not so. The study of Vedanta is rather, an auxiliary to increase and develop one’s devotion. [[Adi Shankaracharya (आदिशङ्कराचार्यः)|Adi Shankaracharya]] defines Bhakti as devotion to [[Atman (आत्मन्)|Atman]]. For, the same Nirguna Brahman of Advaita Vedanta manifests with a little [[Maya (माया)|Maya]] in a corner as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of His devotees. Ishwara is His taṭastha lakṣaṇa only. Thus, to think that a Jnani is a dry man and has no devotion is a sad mistake. Rather, the one who has knowledge of Vedanta is steady, firm and well established in his devotion. Therefore, Bhakti and Jnana are like the two wings of a bird that help one to fly towards Brahman, the summit of Mukti.  

One cannot entirely separate Bhakti and Jnana. When Bhakti matures, it becomes transmuted into Jnana and Jnana in turn intensifies Bhakti. People think that study of [[Vedanta (वेदान्तः)|Vedanta]] fades away Bhakti. It is not so. The study of Vedanta is rather, an auxiliary to increase and develop one’s devotion. The Narada Bhakti Sutra quotes various opinions regarding the relationship between Bhakti and Jnana. It says, <blockquote>तस्या ज्ञानमेव साधनमित्येके ॥२८॥ अन्योन्याश्रयत्वमित्यन्ये ॥२९॥</blockquote><blockquote>''tasyā jñānameva sādhanamityeke ॥28॥'' ''anyonyāśrayatvamityanye ॥29॥''</blockquote>Some say that knowledge is a means to the attainment of devotion. While some others say that there is a mutual dependence between devotion and knowledge. 

 

[[Adi Shankaracharya (आदिशङ्कराचार्यः)|Adi Shankaracharya]] defines Bhakti as devotion to [[Atman (आत्मन्)|Atman]]. For, the same Nirguna Brahman of Advaita Vedanta manifests with a little [[Maya (माया)|Maya]] in a corner as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of His devotees. Ishwara is His taṭastha lakṣaṇa only. Thus, to think that a Jnani is a dry man and has no devotion is a sad mistake. Rather, the one who has knowledge of Vedanta is steady, firm and well established in his devotion. Therefore, Bhakti and Jnana are like the two wings of a bird that help one to fly towards Brahman, the summit of Mukti.  

To elaborate further, it is well-known that Maharshi Veda Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata and yet was not satisfied in his heart of hearts. He was quite uneasy and restless. Then [[Narada (नारदः)|Narada]] came to his rescue and said, “You will have to write a book that deals with Krishna-Prema and the Lilas of Bhagavan Krishna. Only then will you have peace of mind.” Maharshi Vyasa then wrote the Bhagavata Purana that over brims with Bhakti Rasa and Kirtana of Hari. Rishis studied the Bhagavata and held Kathas in a lonely forest in the vicinity of Shukadeva's hermitage. [[Shukadeva (शुकदेव)|Shukadeva]] was very much attracted towards the Katha and directly proceeded to his father, Veda Vyasa, to study the Bhagavata under him. Shukadeva was a perfect Jnani absorbed in his Brahmanishtha. However, he came down from his heights, taught Bhagavata to Raja Parikshit and preached devotion. From this incident, it is quite clear that devotion and Jnana are inseparable. And as mentioned previously, it is these very Jnanis who are referred to as the greatest bhaktas in the Bhagavad Gita by Shri Krishna.<ref name=":9" />

To elaborate further, it is well-known that Maharshi Veda Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata and yet was not satisfied in his heart of hearts. He was quite uneasy and restless. Then [[Narada (नारदः)|Narada]] came to his rescue and said, “You will have to write a book that deals with Krishna-Prema and the Lilas of Bhagavan Krishna. Only then will you have peace of mind.” Maharshi Vyasa then wrote the Bhagavata Purana that over brims with Bhakti Rasa and Kirtana of Hari. Rishis studied the Bhagavata and held Kathas in a lonely forest in the vicinity of Shukadeva's hermitage. [[Shukadeva (शुकदेव)|Shukadeva]] was very much attracted towards the Katha and directly proceeded to his father, Veda Vyasa, to study the Bhagavata under him. Shukadeva was a perfect Jnani absorbed in his Brahmanishtha. However, he came down from his heights, taught Bhagavata to Raja Parikshit and preached devotion. From this incident, it is quite clear that devotion and Jnana are inseparable. And as mentioned previously, it is these very Jnanis who are referred to as the greatest bhaktas in the Bhagavad Gita by Shri Krishna.<ref name=":9" />