Talk:Gullibility
By Vishal Agarwal
Bhakti Yog does not require many prerequisites, either in the form of wealth, knowledge, or meditation. Due to this, it is a very suitable path for the masses. Unfortunately, many individuals in our society are gullible or prone to exploitation due to their ignorance, or lack of understanding of true spirituality. And this is especially true of people who have chosen the path of Bhakti Yog.
In the name of shraddhā and bhakti, unscrupulous people can easily dupe an innocent bhakta through ruses like, “These mūrtis are of divine origin and were found buried underground after I dreamt about their presence a few weeks back. Therefore, please donate money so that I can construct a temple to house these divine mūrtis.”
Unfortunately, many narratives in the texts of Bhakti and Bhakti Yog depict their Sants as gullible characters who lack worldly wisdom but are saved by the Bhagavān from being robbed or killed due to their devotion to Him. While this may be true of perfected a rare Bhakti Yogī who has no worldly cares, most of us need to take care of our mundane needs along with spiritual needs. And we need to guard ourselves against people of evil intent to rob or harm us lest we become their enablers. Some examples of gullibility include-
- E.g.. Evangelists ask their followers to give millions for their luxurious lifestyles.
- Gurus and Babas who teach simplicity and honesty to their followers but loot their devotees.
The solution to this potential pitfall is to never follow a ‘Divine Agent’ whose character is questionable.