Sri Prahlāda’s teachings to Asura Kumāras - Harmonizing Advaita jnAna and Bhakti in life
Why this blog? One of the common misconceptions regarding Advaita, is that Īśvara bhakti takes a secondary position to jnāna anusandhānam (i.e. śravanam, mananam etc of brahmavidyā). Careful study of Gītā and Śri Śa ṃ kara bhāśya removes any doubt one may have in this regard. There is a role for bhakti to Īśvara (as in Īśvara prasāda buddhi and Īśvarārpa ṇ a buddhi), during the karma yōga stage. Since karma yogā purifies the mind and makes it conducive to jnāna śravanam, it can be construed that it (i.e. Advaitic view of Gītā) logically places bhakti (as part of karma yōga) as preparatory step to jnāna. It is true, but the bhakti to Īśvara which was prior to jnāna śravana, does not cease upon the dawn of jnāna niśtā, in fact it can ripen into parābhakti ~ supreme devotion. We can learn this, clearly from Gita śloka BG 18.54 and the insightful commentary of Śri Śa ṃ kara. In BG 18.54, Sri Krishna says that “ One who has become Brahman (i.e. jnāni) and has attained the blissful Self ( b