19. He, on whose heart is
impressed this purushottama-yoga, he alone can perform true bhakti,
"sa sarvavid bhajati maam sarvabhav ena bhaarata." "Knowing all, he worships me, O Bharata, with all his being."
Such a man, though he is a jnani, remains a pure bhakta. Where there is knowledge; there is love too. Knowing
the Lord and loving Him are not two different things.
If we have the knowledge that the karela (the bitter gourd) is
bitter, then we have no love for it. There may be one or two exceptions; but whenever bitterness is
experienced, we feel disgust. The moment we hear of sugar-candy, our tongue waters, love for it wells up. But with the Lord,
to know Him and to love Him are the same. But can one compare the sweetness of the Lord's form with so
common a thing as sugar-candy? The moment we have the knowledge of the sweet Lord, the same instant love
for Him springs in our heart.
The birth of knowledge and the birth of love are not two different events. There is no
point in the discussion whether there is room for bhakti in advait, Jnanadev says, "Only know Vitthal.
This is bhakti this is jnana."
Bhakti and jnana are two names of the one thing.
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