Jnana or Bhakti?

Delightful moments around Amma

A Jnani or a Bhakta?
A couple of friends (Chitra and Jayashree) were having a discussion that slowly progressed into an argument. One of them believed in the path of knowledge while the other was a supporter of devotion. It was the jnani vs the bhakta.

The jnani argued that "maya" or delusion attacks even an advanced spiritual aspirant causing him to fall away from the path. In response the bhakta said that a person on the path of devotion, because of their attitude, will have less trials and tribulations. For example, she argued, the devotee holds on to God helplessly always think you are everything and I am nothing whereas the jnani has the belief that everything is within me. For the bhakta, the attitude that "I am nothing" will eventually result in the ego being wiped out, but for the jnani, since he believes that "I am the Self", at every step, the chances of developing the ego are more. The path of the Jnani is more arduous since every trace of ego has to drop before the goal can be reached. To get there, the Jnani's ego will receive a lot of blows and he has to walk on the path with the sole strength of his dedication.

The jnani however was not satisfied. "You mean to say that God favors a bhakta more than a jnani. Impossible," she said. Defiantly the bhakta said, " When I get a chance I will ask Amma".

Sure enough, Amma gave her an opportunity that same day.

After explaining the details the bhakta asked, "Amma can you give the verdict for this argument?" Amma simply smiled at first and continued with her darshan. She then turned to the bhakta and said, "God is not partial and showers His grace equally on all. A jnani is like a child who sits on the floor drinking milk from the bottle. A bhakta is like a child who sits on his mother.s lap and feeds on her milk. The mother has to hold this child from falling off the lap". The bhakta smiled interpreting Amma's words to be in favor of her argument. But Amma continued, "the mother will still watch over her child sitting on the floor with the same amount of care and attention".