Talk:A Bhakti Yog Practitioner Overcomes Psychological Flaws of Other Yogis

By Vishal Agarwal

Moreover, the Lord adores qualities like the absence of ego and a spirit of surrender (towards Him). Narada Bhakti Sūtra 27

Followers of other paths towards Moksha can often suffer various psychological side effects. For example, a Jnana Yogi can get conceited for his immense spiritual information and study. But the emotions of a Bhakta are refined because the very core of Bhakti are emotions like humility and self-surrender-

"Sadhana or spiritual practice in other paths is self-effort, and so one must be conscious of oneself as a separate individual. So one may get over-attached with the means and forget the goal. But a supreme devotee, as an ardent lover of God, cannot remain even for a moment forgetful of the goal. He has transcended the ego-consciousness. In the other paths, the seeker may develop arrogant self-assertions and self-glorification. But, a devotee has less chance of developing such arrogance because of his humility and self-surrender."

"Without devotion, those who follow the other aspects of Yog may easily fall prey to egoistic temptations. A Karm Yogi, instead of purifying his heart, may develop a pride in being the benefactor of the world. A Raja Yogi may be tempted to seek various psychic powers and thus drift away from the goal. A Jnana Yogi may misinterpret the great teaching, "I am Brahman," and develop a highly inflated ego. But with the development of greater devotion, these dangers can be averted. This is why the Path of Devotion is given greater importance by sages and saints....

"......in every form of Yog other than the Path of Devotion, one runs the risk of falling prey to the influence of ego. In the Path of Devotion, humility, self-effacement and surrender to God are the basic constituents of practice (sadhana), and therefore, devotion prevents ego from asserting itself (Nārada Bhakti Sūtra 27). This is beautifully expressed in the following poem of Saint Chaitanya [Shikshāshtakam 3]: Being humbler than a blade of grass, more enduring than a tree, and Giving honor to those who lack honor, the devotee continues to be immersed in singing the glory of the Lord."

The importance of quotients other than intelligence quotient (IQ) has been emphasized in recent years. These other quotients include Emotional Quotient (EQ), Adversity Quotient (AQ), Spiritual Quotient (SQ), and Creative Quotient (CQ). The practitioner of Bhakti Yog establishes a relationship with the most Perfect Supreme Being which can help in the refinement of one's emotions (EQ), creativity (CQ), ability to emerge victorious from adverse situations (AQ), and be humble, contented, and happy (SQ). The uplifting narratives of Bhaktas perceiving the Divine as their spouse, child, parent, Lord, king, beloved, etc. are exemplars of perfect human relationships from which we can learn a lot about how to interact with people around us in real life.

"Culturing and integrating one's emotions are more directly related to life's deepest experiences. When following any of the other paths, an awakening of sublime feelings produces an integrated personality. Therefore, even at the practice level, the Path of Devotion excels other paths of Yog. Love of God removes obstacles in the path, and brings about concentration of mind; it intensifies spiritual aspiration and fortifies the aspirant against the temptations of the world. It enables him to gain spiritual strength through Divine Grace and secures success to him on the spiritual path."