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== साधकगुणः ॥ Quality of a Sadhaka ==

== साधकगुणः ॥ Quality of a Sadhaka ==

Devotees’ shraddha: The highest

In verse 12.1 of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks Shri Krishna as to who is a better spiritual practitioner, one who follows bhaktiyoga (the path of devotion) or one who follows jnanayoga (the path of knowledge).<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते । ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥१२.१॥<ref name=":10" />

मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते । श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥१२.२॥<ref name=":10" />

evaṁ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṁ paryupāsate । ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṁ teṣāṁ ke yogavittamāḥ ॥12.1॥</blockquote>In response to this, Shri Krishna replies that <blockquote>मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते । श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥१२.२॥<ref name=":10" />

In verse 12.2, Krsna tells Arjuna that the best spiritual practitioner is one who fixes his or her mind on Krsna and is always engaged in worshipping Krsna with deep shraddha. This verse is in response to Arjuna’s question about who is a better spiritual practitioner, one who follows bhaktiyoga or the path of devotion, or one who follows jñānayoga or the path of knowledge. Since shraddha is used to characterise bhaktiyoga, its relevance to both the paths of knowledge, as noted earlier in verse 4.39, śraddhāvān labhate jñānam (only those who have shraddha obtain knowledge) and devotion (as noted in verse 12.2) is unequivocal.

mayyāveśya mano ye māṁ nityayuktā upāsate । śraddhayā parayopetāste me yuktatamā matāḥ ॥12.2॥</blockquote>Meaning: The best spiritual practitioner is one who fixes his or her mind on Shri Krishna and is always engaged in worshipping Shri Krishna with deep shraddha.  

Canto 12 of the Bhagavad-Gītā is called bhaktiyoga, and in verse 12.2 Krsna firmly states that the path of devotion is superior to the path of knowledge and uses shraddha to define devotion. Further, in the concluding verse Krsna employs shraddha again to describe the person that is dearest to him. Thus, '''shraddha is what describes a spiritual practitioner, both who practices bhaktiyoga or the path of devotion and jñānayoga or the path of knowledge.'''

In this context, it is noted that in an earlier verse of the Bhagavad Gita it is mentioned that only those who have shraddha obtain knowledge.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं ... ॥४.३९॥<ref name=":6" /> śraddhāvām̐llabhate jñānaṁ ... ॥4.39॥</blockquote>This establishes the unequivocal relevance of shraddha to both the paths ie. the path of knowledge and that of devotion.

 

Moreover, in verse 12.2, Shri Krishna firmly states that the path of devotion is superior to the path of knowledge and uses shraddha to define devotion. And emphasizes in the concluding verse of the same adhyaya that enumerates on bhaktiyoga that those endowed with shraddha dearest to Him.<ref name=":4" /><blockquote>ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते । श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥१२.२०॥<ref name=":10" />

 

ye tu dharmyāmr̥tamidaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate । śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste'tīva me priyāḥ ॥12.20॥</blockquote>Thus, shraddha is what describes a spiritual practitioner, both who practices bhaktiyoga (the path of devotion) and jnanayoga (the path of knowledge). And a devotee's shraddha is considered the highest.<ref name=":4" />

== मोक्षसाधनत्वम् ॥ Shraddha as Moksha Sadhana ==

== मोक्षसाधनत्वम् ॥ Shraddha as Moksha Sadhana ==