Fruits of bhakti

Bhakti Infuses Knowledge

JKP Literature

24 Apr 2025 • 12 min read

We have a natural inclination to gather knowledge

Some of us might start our day with devotion or exercise, but most of us can relate to waking up to the social media apps and the news. We have a natural inclination to gather knowledge, be it current affairs, arts and sciences, fashion, epics, history, religion or any of the unending list of topics there could be. In fact, every soul has this inborn urge to become all-knowledgeable right from infancy. Even a baby observes others and mimics them!

With advancements in technology there are hundreds of ways to gather information such as newspapers, whitepapers, audio books, religious texts, lectures, internet, social media, podcasts, visiting places and so on. One would think this would fulfill our desire to know it all.

However, that quest for knowledge is still as unsatiated as ever.

Ever wondered why we seek knowledge? And no matter how much we know, why are we never satisfied?

Vedas provide the answer -

अमृतस्य वै पुत्राः
amr̥tasya vai putrāḥ

“All the individual souls are the progenies of God”. God is ever-lasting, all-knowing (i.e. omniscient), and ever-blissful. Every part wants to be whole. We are an eternal part of God; being a part of God it is natural that we all want to be omniscient.

We are unaware of our relationship with God due to the influence of Maya, and therefore we (jeev) don’t know the reason for this quest (1). Yet, our innate nature guides us right from the moment of birth. Even an infant starts observing people and even before becoming a toddler, the child has already been imitating others. Though each of us has spent most of our lives in pursuit of knowledge, our keen self-assessment reveals that our knowledge does not equal to even a drop of the vast ocean of knowledge. Be it the medical field, astrology, sciences or any other field for that matter our knowledge is far from being perfect. To quench that thirst of knowledge we learn a myriad of topics from various sources. Yet, let alone being quelled, the quest doesn't seem to even abate.

So metaphorically speaking, in the pursuit of finding water (knowledge) we are digging shallow holes in many places but have not hit the water (goal) even once.

In the pursuit of finding water (knowledge) we are digging shallow holes in many places but have not hit the water (goal) even once.

So, will this desire to know everything remain unfulfilled forever?

Shri Maharaj Ji says, “No. It is possible to become omniscient like God”.

So, should we be more diligent in studying on our own?

Can Self Study Bestow Omniscience?

In quest of knowledge, if one were to start self-study, then based on one's sanskar (subtle impressions from past lives) or interests at present, one tends to pick and choose topics of personal interest. And that content may or may not be conducive to spiritual growth.

That self-study can be of materials from 2 sources.

materials created by material beings (krit granth)
materials created by divine beings (smrit granth and vinirgat granth)

Self Study of Krit Granth

Knowledge of the material realm is called apara vidya.

No book written by a material person can encompass all that there is to assimilate. This is because the material intellect has limited knowledge. That is why all productions of material mind is called krit granth and every such creation has four flaws -

bhrama - confusing something for something else,
pramada - carelessness or inattention of the mind,
vipralipsa - hiding the reality; to hide one's factual defects,
karnapatava - Incomplete knowledge results in mistakenly considering one object to be another.

Two things to keep in mind about this knowledge are -

Even if one were to accumulate this knowledge over infinite lifetimes, yet it will never be complete.
This knowledge does not purify the mind. Hence the material afflictions keep tormenting the jeev.

It is pretty evident that study of krit granth cannot grant the absolute knowledge one wants to attain. That is why consuming material topics is considered to be a form of kusang. Also, putting effort into acquiring this knowledge takes away time and effort which could have been invested in acquiring everlasting knowledge.

However, acquiring apara vidya is imperative to sustain this material body(2). And human body is the only way to attain the goal (3). So attaining apara vidya is essential. Still, it would be wise to limit acquisition of this type of knowledge to only that extent which is needed for physical sustenance. Acquiring any more than that will prove detrimental to spiritual progress.

Self Study of Divine Scriptures

The other sources of information are smrit granth (स्मृत ग्रन्थ) which the books written by God-realized saints, or the Vedas. Only Vedas are called vinirgat granth (विनिर्गत ग्रंथ). Many people do self-study of these divine scriptures. However,

श्रुति पुरान बहु कहेउ उपाई । छूटै न अधिक अधिक अरुझाई ।।
śruti purāna bahu kaheu upāī । chūṭai na adhika adhika arujhāī ।।

“Shrutis and Puranas recommend different ways to remove our ignorance. Since the methods may often appear contradictory, reading about all the different paths, may further entangle our already confused mind, instead of providing clarity” and therefore, self-study of scriptures is also considered a form of kusang.

Therefore, neither krit granth nor smrit granth can grant us the knowledge that we seek. We are now at an impasse of how to quench our thirst for ultimate knowledge.

From the discussion above, it is evident that the material mind has serious limitations therefore it cannot learn all about the material world.

Vedas say

यस्मिन् ज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवति
yasmin jñāte sarvamidaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati

“attain that knowledge after knowing which nothing else remains to be known”.

With a material mind one can't even know all material information, then it should be of no surprise that with a material mind, one cannot know anything at all about the divine realm. And Vedas instruct us to "know that after knowing which nothing else remains to be known".

This seems to be the way to attain omniscience. But HOW do we do that? Out beloved Guru is the Jagadguruttam. He has described this HOW using the using evidence from the scriptures. Please read on.

The only way to attain Omniscience

For attaining every goal there is a prescribed method. For becoming omniscient also there is a means prescribed in the Vedas. This will be revealed in the rest of the article.

So,

Who can impart that knowledge?
What is that knowledge?
How to attain it?

Who can impart that knowledge?

As with anything else, only those who have the unlimited knowledge can impart it. And given that material mind cannot learn all the material knowledge so, it is obvious that unlimited knowledge cannot be imparted to a material mind.

So it is evident that those who have the unending knowledge can give it only in a mind that is capable of holding it. Which means the mind should also be divine.

Scriptures say only God and genuine God-realized saints have that divine knowledge. It is a divine law that God won’t come Himself to impart the knowledge. So, there is no other way to get it except from saint (4). Saints grace jeev and jeev avails that grace to the extent of their own surrender unto the genuine saint.

What is that knowledge?

That knowledge is Brahma-Supreme God. Every part wants to become whole. Being a part of God, jeev wants to know God, realize Him with all his senses (gyanendriyan, karmendriyan). Once jeev realizes God then the quest for knowledge ends. Gita has referred to Shri Krishna as Gyan. He is not just gyan, He is the knowledge(ज्ञान), the knowledgeable (ज्ञाता) and the one who needs to be known(ज्ञेय).

वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् || गीता 15.15
vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo vedāntakr̥dvedavideva cāham || gītā 15.15

"I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedas, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas."

What to do to attain that knowledge?

So far, we have answered 2 questions. Who can give and what needs to be given. And we also, found that the unlimited divine knowledge can only be given in a divine mind. We have a material mind. So, now the question arises how to make the mind divine so that we can receive that knowledge?

There are 3 paths (karma, gyan, bhakti) stated in the Vedas for spiritual upliftment. Out of those paths only bhakti can bring God and jeev face to face.

The first step on the path of bhakti is to surrender to a genuine saint (5).

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्वदर्शिनः ॥ गीता ४.३४
tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā ।
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninastatvadarśinaḥ ॥ gītā 4.34

Shri Krishna said, "Submit to a God-realized saint and inquisitively ask questions. The words of the Guru will clarify your spiritual doubts and give you true wisdom."

When one approaches a Guru with humility and attitude of inquisitiveness, the Guru imparts tattva gyan (6) , which means imparts the essential information that is needed to perform Sadhana Bhakti. The extent to which we put that tattva gyan into practice stays with us as sanskar (subtle impressions in the mind) beyond the present life. So, in our next life we will start from that point onwards. For example, before death you put 10% of tattva gyan into practice, that goes in God's spiritual records of the jeev. Then, in the next life God will bestow that 10% surrender upon the jeev. Therefore, the jeev would start at 10% (not 0%). This is how little by little jeev accumulates bhakti and one day reaches the goal of complete surrender.

Everyone has put different amounts of tattva gyan into practice that is why everyone's extent of surrender to Hari-Guru varies significantly e.g. Tulsi, Soor, Meera etc. had done a lot of bhakti in their previous lives therefore a little impetus was enough for them. Whereas others need to do a whole lot more than that to walk on the path of bhakti.

The important thing to always keep in mind is that our kriyaman karma are more potent than our sanskars. If one were to firmly resolve to attain God realization in the present life itself, then that strong resolve will drive the jeev to invest enough time and effort into learning to do Sadhana Bhakti [13]. That will in turn result in realizing more grace which will result in doing more bhakti and the cycle will continue. This cycle of bhakti and grace makes it is possible to attain God (and thus infinite knowledge) in this very lifetime.

Surrender your mind to Guru. He will grace you with the knowledge to do sadhana and will finally bestow divine knowledge.

So, if you want to know everything that there is to know then don’t procrastinate in following Guru's instructions until tomorrow. Following Guru’s instruction is a lot easier and will grant the goal. On the other hand, on one's own accord acquiring all the knowledge in all the scriptures and material sciences is impossible and our experience also validates this conclusion.

So, we should assimilate only one point - surrender your mind unto a real Guru. Which means, once you are sure that you have found a genuine saint then suspend all doubts and surrender to Guru (6)(7) like an innocent child and then he will bestow his entire knowledge upon you (8). The moment you surrender 100% he won't spare a moment. He is eagerly watching you to grace you with infinite life, infinite knowledge and infinite bliss.

It is our habit of procrastination in surrendering the sole cause of our continued ignorance.

Saints have many ways to bestow knowledge upon a deserving jeev, by looking, embracing etc. Like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave that gyan by hugging. History reveals that saints have granted that knowledge in numerous ways. The thing to note is that the knowledge is infused in the surrendered soul by the Guru. Omniscience is NOT self acquired.

Presently, it might seem difficult to understand “how” that knowledge can be revealed in the heart, since doing so is beyond our ability and comprehension. After God realization we will get that ability and will understand how it is done.

How to be Child-Like and Yet Survive in the World?

You might be concerned that if I unlearn all the craftiness to become simple hearted like a child, then people will take advantage of me! Then how will I survive in this world? This is a good question and it has a two fold answer. In the worldly matters one has to continue to use apara vidya and be very clever so no one can dupe us. Even while doing so, one has to be simple hearted like a child in front of God and Guru.

And what if I am not so clever that no one can dupe me?

Well, fear not. Surrender your antahkaran God. On the path of bhakti God supports the jeev according to the extent of surrender (9). Upon perfection of Sadhana Bhakti, Guru reveals divine knowledge in the heart of the aspirant (also called God realization), after which nothing else (material or divine) remains to be known. In other words, one becomes omniscient.

Bhagavat provides evidence that Dhruva was a 5 year old child. You might have seen the literary capabilities of 5 year old children. They are not much. When God appeared in front of him, Dhruva had no words to sing God’s glories so he stood there speechless. Then God touched Dhruva with His Shankh (Conch Shell) and Dhruva became Omniscient and Dhruv sang Vedic shlokas to worship Him. Similarly, Prahlad became a king at 5 years of age. Despite being so young he was a wise king (10).

Even at such a tender age they became so proficient because after God realization God bears 100% yogakshem (11) of that jeev for eternity. Therefore, anyone who wants to harm the surrendered jeev would first have to defeat God. Remember what happened to Durvasa when he tried to punish King Ambarish (12)? No one is equal to God, so there is no question of defeating Him. That's why no one can ever cause any harm to any jeev after God realization. Jeev remains full of infinite knowledge and bliss for eternity.

Conclusion

Think of it this way - So far we have tried gathering knowledge for uncountable lifetimes without much success. Worse still, the knowledge has not given us the bliss we seek, instead our modus operandi has resulted in the same misery over and over again.

Why not try something different this time? God is the knowledge, the knowledgeable and the one who needs to be known. So, this time around, be wise and do bhakti. Focus all of your resources to increase your extent of surrender to Hari-Guru. That will prepare the receptacle where that divine knowledge can be bestowed. When the mind is fully clean, Guru will make it divine. As the divine mind is ready to hold the divine knowledge, Guru will impart that divine knowledge in it.

Undoubtedly, earnestly doing bhakti of Hari-Guru is the easiest and the ONLY way to fulfill that innate, deep yearning for complete knowledge which we have had since eternity.

💡

जो हरि सेवा हेतु हो, सोई कर्म बखान।
जो हरि भगति बढ़ावे, सोई समुझिय ज्ञान॥
- जगद्गुरूत्तम स्वामी श्री कृपालु जी महाराज
भक्ति शतक-66
“That work which is done in devotion to God is the real karm; and that knowledge which increases love for God is real knowledge.”
Devotion not only helps us to know God, it also makes the devotee godlike, and hence, Shri Krishna states that the devotees attain His nature.
- Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Maharaj
Bhakti Shatak