Slokam 10

Sri Bhattadri mentions in this slokam that the Gopis did not mind the pranks played by the Paramathma.  In fact He says that they were not distressed either that the butter was stolen.  Sri Bhattadri points out  very appropriately,  that the Paramathma probably had stolen their hearts as well and submerged them into ecstatic raptures. 

The implication of this slokam is very deep. Lets look at it from the point of view that the Paramathma controls everything including our thought and action.  So the Paramathma can make us feel happy or otherwise, at any moment.  However, what He does do is to give us independence. He puts us through a series of events,  and lets us work through a self sustaining process of maturing and evolving our outlook.  In other words,  the Paramathma can change and control anyone or anything. Yet that would defeat the very purpose of creation. The very purpose that the Paramathma endowed us with so many attributes and teaches us about the universe and our place in it,  are all meant to make us self sustaining and self evolving creatures.  We are meant to sustain ourselves with no dependance. The sustainer is development of Bhakthi in the Paramathma. So the Paramathma is taking us step by step down the pathway of life,  and initiating us into the requirements of what lies beyond mortal existence.

Many times, when we fall, the Paramathma intervenes to set right the balance, as in the Kurukshetra war,  where the Panadavas are clearly outnumbered by the Kauravas. We are expected to minimize the need for His intervention in our internal battle with the Asuras within us. We can do this when we are immersed in all His teachings,  when we acquire the required attributes,  and most importantly have set our consciousness and minds to be fixed on Him without deviation.

Gnanam, Bhakthi  and Karma paths are inter-twined.  The paths cannot exist in isolation. Bhakthi is the recommended path for Kaliyugam.  In all three paths, the objective is to attain knowledge of thesself.

The attainment  of knowledge of the self through the path of gnanam essentially is attained by intellectual process of tapas, analysis,  arranging all observed phenomena, mentally in a sequence of cause and events.

The karmic path seeks to reach the destination through the path of performing one’s duties without seeking rewards or fruits of action. We attain knowledge of the self through practice of tyagam, or self-sacrifice and selflessness.

Bhakti is the unflinching devotion towards the Paramathma through demonstration of dedication in good, bad and indifferent times.

Practice of Gnanam requires extended periods of  isolation which is not available or affordable for every one of us in the Kaliyugam. The discharge of   expectation of reward in a world where competition is the basis of survival, may not be feasible.

Bhakthi is practiced by endless nama sankeerthanam and doing Japa by repeating the names of the Paramathma.  The practice of Bhakthi in the Kali Yugam will be severely tested by the environment of Kaliyugam.  Many around us may seemingly progress in the material world while we may appear to lag.  We must stay dedicated, with a commitment that looks only to seek basic necessities and nothing else.  It is not an easy challenge because we do not live in isolation.  In an isolated situation the mind will not make any comparisons. However,  in an active environment,  we will be pointed to others who have experienced “immense” success in the material world. We must carry on without ever being drawn into this meaningless chase of wealth.  What is given to us must be accepted with a genuine feeling of complete acceptance with no longing or feeling of having been denied, whatsoever.

May we ever live in the realization that it is the Paramathma that lives in and activates every pore of our body, mind and consciousness.