Why our mood matters in our bhakti practice  – Suppose we meet someone whose words or gestures convey that they don’t want to be with us. Once we sense their feelings toward us, we too will want to end the meeting as quickly as possible. Even if we have something important to tell them and even if we desire and strive to tell it to them, their reluctance and resentment will reduce their ability to hear us. 

Krishna too feels similarly when we don’t want to be with him while meeting him through our bhakti practice. The Gita’s Chatur-Shloki (10.08-11) stresses this point when explaining how the devoted can relish  the Lord’s reciprocation. After describing what the devotees do for the Lord (10.08-09) and before describing what the Lord does for the devotees (10.10-11), the Gita links the two sections through a vital describer of how bhakti is to be practiced: priti-purvakam (with affection). 

Why is this describer vital? Because affection opens our heart to the Lord’s reciprocation, which often comes in the form of the insight to appreciate and relish him more (buddhi-yoga). However, if we don’t practice affectionately, our heart won’t be sufficiently open to relish or even receive Krishna’s reciprocation. 

Instead of affection, if someone practices bhakti out of some negative emotion, that will close their heart to Krishna. If they are motivated by, say, fear because they conceive God as vengeful or wrathful, they won’t be able to sense his love, leave alone savor it. Or if they are motivated by, say, guilt because their family or society makes them feel bad if they don’t practice bhakti, then too they won’t be able to notice Krishna’s inner manifestations or benedictions. 

One-sentence summary:

To relish Krishna’s reciprocation through bhakti-yoga, practice it with affection, not with negative emotions such as fear or guilt 

Think it over:

  • What are the two sections of the Chatur-Shloki? How are they linked?
  • Why does the Gita state that bhakti needs to be practiced with affection?
  • Do you sometimes practice bhakti with negative emotions? How can you make your motivating emotions more positive?

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10.10: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.  

Why our mood matters in our bhakti practice

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