Devotion is not just about worshiping some being; it is about finding our own small story within the larger story that is the divine plan and purpose for us and the world.
Some people think of devotion as a form of escapism, where the worship of a divine being is used to avoid facing life’s real problems. While a few rare souls are indeed so immersed in God that they become disconnected from the world, this is not the norm for practicing bhakti, as described in the Bhagavad-gita. Additionally, while some may use devotion as an excuse to avoid responsibilities, such escapism is criticized in the Gita, where it is deemed to be in the mode of ignorance—unproductive and even counterproductive.
In its fullness and richness, devotion is about infusing our lives with deep meaning and purpose. We all want our existence and endeavors to have value, to make sense, and to make a difference. The bhakti worldview reveals a story of existence that fulfills these longings and needs for meaning. Here, “story” is not used in the sense of something imaginary but in the sense of something active and unfolding dynamically in real time. Although events in the world may sometimes appear chaotic or cruel, they are ultimately part of a divine plan. The Bhagavad-gita reveals that God, Krishna, wants all of us to rise toward higher consciousness and become increasingly harmonized with him in love as we play our parts in his plan.
The bhakti worldview shows that each of us has a small story within the larger story of the universe. In line with Shakespeare’s metaphor of the world as a stage, the Gita clarifies that, although life’s events may seem meaningless at times, they are directed according to a grand cosmic story. Each of us has a unique role in this overall plot, and beyond this worldly stage lies a higher reality where the play continues eternally. This view introduces us to a majestic tapestry of meaning that extends beyond the cosmos itself. By higher arrangement, we can find confidence and comfort in knowing we each have a part to play, supported by divine arrangements to enable us to play it effectively.
Summary:
- A life of bhakti is not an escape from the world, though some may practice it that way, nor does it lead to apathy, although some saints may manifest it in this way.
- The universal implication of bhakti, as depicted in the Bhagavad-gita, is to fulfill our deep-rooted need for meaning and value by revealing that there is a larger story unfolding across the universe and that we each have our own small story within it.
- Bhakti harmonizes us with the divine plan, infusing us with confidence that we have a role to play and comfort that arrangements are in place to deal with obstacles that may arise as we try to fulfill that role.
Think it over:
- What is problematic about the idea that devotion is merely worship used to justify escapism?
- How does devotion help us engage with the world with a changed vision?
- Contemplate how your practice of devotion can better harmonize you with the Lord and your current place and purpose in the world in service of the Lord.
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11.33 Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasācī, can be but an instrument in the fight.
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