The first verse of the Chatur-Shloki characterizes those devoted to Krishna as buddha (enlightened) and bhava-samanvitah (infused with emotion). These two describers point to a healthy balance of the head and the heart. 

Such a balance is elusive because the head is driven by reason, whereas the heart is driven by emotion. Those who are rational often overlook how things feel to others and even to themselves, whereas those who are emotional often relegate reason to an inconsequential backseat. 

Left to themselves, reason and emotion consider different things to be of the foremost value. Uniting them, Gita wisdom reveals the object of foremost value to be the supreme reality, Krishna. He is the perfect object for reason: contemplating him can provide the greatest intellectual fulfillment. And he is the perfect object for emotion: loving him can provide the greatest emotional fulfillment. In him the head and the heart can find a healthy synergy. 

This synergy is further facilitated by Krishna’s being all-pure: connecting with him purifies us of the inner forces that misdirect our rational and emotional faculties. Freed from such misdirection, both the head and the heart can clearly discern their ultimate interest to be Krishna. 

Is the balance of the head and the heart a pre-decided ideal that we all have to conform to? No; it varies from person to person. Gita wisdom acknowledges our individuality, for we all are parts of the supreme individual, Krishna (15.07). This implies that the balance of reason and emotion that works for us will also be individual; it is what enables us to excavate and express our innate nature, thus becoming the best we can be. 

One-sentence summary:

Devotion synergizes the head and the heart by providing both a common object of foremost value: Krishna, who removes our impurities and unleashes our individuality.

Think it over:

  • Why is the balance of the head and the heart elusive?
  • How does devotion facilitate the balance of the head and the heart?
  • How does this balance relate with our individuality?

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10.08: I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.

How devotion balances the head and the heart

To know more about this verse, please click on the image