Talk:How does Bhakti lead to Jnāna and Moksha

By Vishal Agarwal

Bhakti cuts the fetters of Karma which is essential for Moksha. Nullification of bad Karma also purifies one’s intellect (buddhi) and mind (manas) and makes one fit for Jnāna-

Just as a strong fire reduces heaps of wood into ashes, even so, Bhakti to Me burns out all sins (great and small). Bhāgavata Purāṇa 2.14.19

Furthermore, the Bhakti Yogī masters Buddhiyoga and becomes a Sthitaprajna through His grace- To those who are constantly devoted to me and worship Me with love, I give the Yoga of Intellect by which they come unto Me. Gita 10.10

Bhakti Yoga is a direct path to the state of rising above the three Guṇas because this path establishes a direct connection with the Lord, who transcends the them-

Krishna said: And he too who serves me with yoga of unwavering yoga of Bhakti, rises above the three guṇas, and becomes fit for becoming Brahman. Gita 14.26 Because I am the foundation of Brahman (the Universe), of inexhaustible immortality, or eternal Dharma and of absolute bliss. Gita 14.27

A question that might arise is – Does Bhakti Yoga lead to Jnāna, or does Jnāna lead to Bhakti Yoga, or are both alternatives possible? Before responding to this question, we have to understand the varieties of Jnāna or Knowledge. Many texts use the term ‘Jnāna’ to refer to knowledge of Brahman. In the Gita, two varieties of knowledge are discussed – first is the knowledge of the universe comprising of non-living matter and the living individual Jīva-s. Second is ‘Vijnāna’ – the knowledge and experience of the Divine. The former is helpful but not sufficient to obtain Moksha. The latter is absolutely essential to obtain Moksha. The Gita declares that even though the Bhakti Yogī might not make a conscious attempt to acquire knowledge of the universe, the Lord grants the same to him out of compassion. In fact, the Bhakti Yogī not only acquires the knowledge of the universe, he also acquires the knowledge of the true nature of the Lord, and becomes One with Him-

Out of compassion for them, I, who dwell within their souls, destroy the darkness born of ignorance, with the shining lamp of knowledge. Gita 10.11 Having become one with Brahman, he whose soul is serene, he neither grieves nor does he desire. Regarding all beings as alike, he attains supreme devotion to Me. Gita 18.54 By devotion to Me he comes to know My true nature and how great I am. Then having known My true nature, he enters Me immediately. Gita 18.55

Rishi Shāṇdilya’s Bhakti Sūtra 10-14 and the commentary by Svapneshvara on it as well as Nārada Bhakti Sūtra 27-30 too affirm that Bhakti leading to Jnāna is the only possibility, not Jnāna leading to Bhakti, nor even the third possibility of mutual dependence of Jnāna and Bhakti listed above. Rishi Shāṇdilya gives the example of the Gopī-s of Vraj, who were illiterate but who attained Moksha because of their one pointed devotion towards Krishna and their knowledge of His identity with Brahman-

For that very reason, the liberation of the milk-maids, even without the help of knowledge has been declared in the scripture. Shāṇdilya Bhakti Sūtra 14

The commentary on this Sūtra cites the following two verses from the Purāṇa-

One milkmaid, having all her merits cancelled by the intense rapture of thinking about Him, and all her sins expiated by the agony of not obtaining Him, - meditating on Him, the cause of the world, identical with the Supreme Brahman, - ceasing to breathe, obtained liberation. Vishnu Purāṇa 5.13.21-22

A modern scholar summarizes how the actions, character, understanding and knowledge of the follower of Bhakti Yoga get perfected, leading to his Moksha-

“If a devotee is intellectually deficient and entertains wrong ideas of God and man, the bhakti itself, whatever be its limitation in this stage of ignorance and misconception, sets going the corrective process. Bhakti is a self-corrective factor. The grace of God evoked by bhakti does not require omniscience on the part of the devotee and it itself feeds him with the right perception of truth as he marches in his pilgrimage. All that is required is the devotional longing in all earnestness and sincerity and the rest by way of enlightenment is furnished as consequent nourishment. This facility operates in the comprehension of scriptures, in the process of philosophical reflection, and in the final attainment of intuitive apprehension. Nothing is left want when want of God is genuine. This applies in the moral sphere also. The Gita assures in ringing words that even he who is extremely deficient in his character….does not perish provided he fulfills the sovereign condition of sticking to God steadfastly. Not that the morality does not count for bhakti, but that the Lord of bhakti sees to it that a speedy rectification of character comes about…”

The following story illustrates the principle that Bhakti Yoga can lead to Jnāna and Moksha.

The Lifestory of Sant Bahinābāī

Bahinābāī was born in a Brahmana family in the year 1628 CE in Devagaon, a town located close to the famous Ellora Caves in the Indian state of Maharashtra. While she was still a little girl, she was married to a widower Gangadhara Pathak, who was more than 20 years older to her. Gangadhara was a fairly well-off man, a renowned astrologer and a scholar of the Vedas. But he had no faith in Bhagavān and was not at all religious.

On the contrary, Bahinābāī was a deeply spiritual person who liked to attend spiritual discourses given by visiting Sadhus in her village. In particular, she listened very intently to the kirtans conducted by a Pandit Jayarāma Gosāvī. Gangadhara did not like his wife attending these sermons. Therefore, he made her pregnant while she was still 11 years of age, so that she would stay at home. However, her pregnancy did not deter her from attending the spiritual sermons. One day, when she was 3 months pregnant, Gangadhara was furious when she returned from Gosāvī’s kirtan. In a fit of rage, he tied her in a bundle and threw her around. He did not care whether she or the unborn child would be killed. When people around heard the commotion, they rushed and called Jayarāma Gosāvī.

Jayarāma scolded Gangadhara and said, “You should consider yourself lucky that you have married a lady like Bahinābāī. She was a great Yogi in one of her previous lives, but due to some faults, she became a Yogabhrashta (a person who has temporarily fallen from the path of Yoga). In this life, she will complete her spiritual journey and unite with Bhagavān. You must not treat her harshly. Thank your good karma from previous lives that you have been given a chance to be associated with her now.” A calf in their home was very devoted to Bahinābāī. When it saw the tortures inflicted on her, the calf stopped eating and died within a few days.

Gangadhara calmed down. But Bahinābāī became seriously ill. She fainted until she heard a Brahmana urging her to open her eyes. When she opened them, she had a darshana of Vithoba! Also, she felt an intense longing to meet with Sant Tukārām, who lived in the town of Dehu, and was a great Bhakta of Vithoba.

When Gangadhara heard of her dream and her desire to meet with Tukārām, he became furious once again. He insulted her for desiring to meet Tukārām, who was a Shudra whereas they were Brahmanas. He insulted the Sant and Vithoba and resolved to leave his wife. But the day before he was to leave her, he became seriously ill.

Gangadhara now regretted his actions of insulting a Sant like Tukārām. His sickness too had a drastic change on his behavior. As he got better, he started shedding his hatred for Sants and Bhagavān. Another Sadhu arrived at their home and advised him to recognize the spiritual greatness of his wife.

A few days later, he actually asked her to go with him to Dehu to have a meeting with Tukārām. There, he accepted the Sant as his Guru. Sant Tukārām also acknowledged the fact that Bahinābāī was spiritually very advanced from her previous births, and advised Gangadhara to ever treat her with love and respect.

Many years passed and Bahinābāī lived peacefully with her husband. They had several children together. She also met Sant Samartha Rāmadāsa, who gave her a Mūrti of Hanumān that is still worshipped by her descendants today.

At the age of 72 years, Bahinābāī was finally at her deathbed. She summoned her son, saying that she will attain Moksha in 5 days’ time. She also said to him, “In my last twelve births, I have been striving to attain Moksha without success, but this time I will be united with Bhagavān. You have been associated with me in some way or the other in all of these 12 births. In the first three of these 12 births, I was born in the homes of Vaishya families. However, in all the cases, my family was advised not to marry me and let me be devoted to Bhagavān. I lived to the ages 13, 28 and 24 in these three lives. In the next four births, I was born in the families of milkmen. Again, I was very devoted to Bhagavān. In the last of these (viz. seventh lifetime), a Sadhu came to my family and declared that I was a Yogabhrashta – a person who was spiritually very advanced but not yet united with Bhagavān. As a result, my family asked the Sadhu to take me away. I advanced spiritually under the guidance of my Guru, and lived to the age of 63. In my lives 8-12, I was born in Brahmana families. In my 8th birth, I was married and also became a widow very early. But I too died at the age of 18. In my 9th birth, I lived only till the age of 9 years. In my 10th lifetime, I lived till the age of 42. And you, my son, were my eldest son in that life. In my 11th lifetime, I was married at the young age of 7 years. Fortunately, my husband was a yogi and he also became My Guru. I lived to the age of 43 years in that life. In my previous or the 12th life, I was born in the home of a very pious and religious couple. They married me to a man who was also very spiritual. Together, we advanced spiritually till I died at the age of 36. Now in this life, I have already seen how I will die. When my breath stops, my soul will depart and unite with Brahman – the Supreme Being. I will not be reborn thereafter. Just like the waters of a river merge with ocean, I will merge with Bhagavān. When the water puddle dries up, no one talks of reflection of a pot in it. Likewise, of what use is the body when my soul has united with Brahman? I am crossing this physical and material world, and will pass over into the infinite joy of Brahman!”

Regarding her life, a modern Sadhvi therefore aptly says, “From Bahinābāī’s songs we can understand that her spiritual path was a mixture of devotion [Bhakti] and knowledge [Jnāna], and that she was highly learned in Advaita Vedanta… In those days a woman would not have any chance for education, so it seems probable that her learning came from both her spiritual experiences and from listening to discourses….Though Bahinābāī had to suffer much at the hands of her husband, her firm faith and devotion, courage and steadfastness are certainly a great inspiration to women all over the world. She showed that a person can attain the highest even in the face of great afflictions.”