The Easiest Way to Reach God
Everyone is eligible to follow the path of devotion and all scriptures advocate devotion. Veda Vyasa, for example, says in Skand Purana and Linga Purana,
“O human beings! I have studied and thoroughly analysed all the scriptures and repeatedly reflected on their meaning. I have reached the conclusion that one should practice exclusive devotion to Shri Krishna. This is the essence of all the scriptures.”
Everyone is qualified to practice devotion too — from the most pious to the most sinful. Shri Krishna tells Arjuna in the Gita 9.30,
api chetsuduracharo bhajate …
“Even the great sinner who surrenders to me can attain the supreme goal. Do not look at his past, look at his present condition.” The Ramayana agrees.
purusha napumsaka nari nara …
Everyone is eligible — both the person who is completely detached from the world and the person who is extremely attached to it.” So does the Bhagavatam 6.1.15 and 11.11.33,
The greatest scholar as well as the greatest ignoramus are equally eligible to practice devotion. The person who loves God 100 percent, knowing Him to be the Supreme Lord, as well as the one who loves Him 100 percent unaware of His divinity, will receive His grace and the attainment of His divine abode. Just consider the gopis. They were not aware that Shri Krishna was the Supreme Lord. They went to the extent of calling Him a rascal, a loafer, and a womaniser. Nevertheless, they attained Golok. The same is also true for Shishupal, who insulted Shri Krishna before a packed royal assembly, and yet he attained Golok. Even Kansa, who tried every means at his disposal to kill the infant Krishna attained Golok!
Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj explains that this proves that however the mind is 100 percent attached to God — be it through love, hate, fear, or any other sentiment — you will be benefited by receiving His divine grace. Therefore, self-realised souls, worldly souls and spiritual aspirants alike are all eligible to practice devotion.
As far as the practicalities go, let us consider a few key points explained by Shri Maharaj Ji. The eternally liberated, the self-realised and the spiritual novice engrossed in sense gratification can all follow the same guidelines and do the same practice. This is even true for great personalities like Brahma and Shankar and great transgressors like Ajamil. They all take the same divine name, and they all are qualified to do so.
Secondly, there is no restriction in practising devotion to God. Many of you will know that this is not the case for the worship of celestial gods. But there are no such rules that apply for devotion to God. Anything and everything can (and should) be offered to God with love. Shri Krishna declares exactly this in the Gita 9.26,
patram pushpam phalam …
“I gladly partake of any offering made to me with love, even if it is fruit, a flower, a leaf or water.” Just think, a human being would not eat leaves if they were offered to him, but God is so gracious He happily accepts — even relishes — whatever we offer Him with love. In this way, every act of ours should be surrendered to Him and it will be considered devotional practice.
Thirdly, devotion can be practiced anywhere and everywhere. We need not worry that a place we are in is impure or not proper for the practice of devotion. God can and should be remembered everywhere, and always. He purifies everything that is impure, and He Himself never becomes impure by doing so. Just see how much our beloved Lord has simplified devotional practice. Anyone can think lovingly of God while doing any action, in any circumstance, and in any place. Could there possibly be anything more magnanimous than this?
Fourthly, there is no separate practice required for attaining knowledge apart from practising devotion. Devotion gives rise to both knowledge and detachment, so says the Bhagavatam 1.2.7,
vasudeve bhagavati bhaktiyogah …
Just practice devotion to God: divine knowledge and detachment from the world will automatically be attained. By attaching the mind to God — by thinking about Him — it will automatically be detached from the world — not thinking about the world — to the exact same extent. Could it be any simpler than this? If the mind is 10 percent attached to God, it will be 10 percent detached from the world. If it is 50 percent attached to God, it will be 50 percent detached from the world. Accordingly, and to the exact same measure, we attain spiritual knowledge and experience divine bliss through God’s grace.
Fifthly and finally, to conclude, if devotion is practised to Shri Krishna, there is no need to make any separate effort to please any other form of God or celestial god. By watering the root of a tree, the leaves, branches, flowers and so on are all automatically nourished. In the same way, if we practice devotion to Shri Krishna, all celestial gods and goddesses will automatically be satisfied. This is but a glimpse of the immense glory inherent in the art of true devotion.
Jagadguru Kripalu Bhaktiyoga Tattvadarshan
The essence of Vedic wisdom, spirituality, and devotion in daily life.
