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of these the Lord creates an endless variety of things. Seeing this,
we experience many contradictory emotions of good and bad. If we are
transcending these wishes to attain true peace, we should try and
catch hold of the maker of them all, and, become friends with him.
It is only when we come to know Him that we can escape the delusion
which causes division and attachment.
4. In the Seventh Chapter, the
Lord has thrown open the beautiful mansion of bhakti, the
powerful vikarma, the effective means, for knowing Him. To
attain purity of mind many vikarmas are prescribed, like yajna
and dana (sacrifice and gifts), japa and tapa
(prayer and penance), dhyana and dharana (meditation
and concentration). These means I should compare with washing soda
and soap. But bhakti is the water. Without water these other
things are useless; but even without these, water can cleanse. If we
had them too, it would be as if sugar fell into milk by accident.
If in yajna-yoga, dhyana
and tapa the heart does not enter, how can purity of mind
result? It is the involvement of the heart that is bhakti. Bhakti
is essential to all kinds of effort. It is the universal method. If
a trained nurse, attending on a patient, has not the bhavana,
the mental attitude of service, how could it be true service? If a
bullock is strong, but is not inclined to draw the cart, he will
hang his head and lie down or even overturn it in a ditch. In work
without heart, there is neither strength nor satisfaction.
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