Investing in a Relationship

From every angle of vision, bhakti-yoga is the most lucrative investment one can make in life. Material investments always fall short of our expectations. Often times, the promises of material pleasure fail to manifest, and even when they do, the experience is limited, temporary and tied together with undesirable tag-ons. Thus, we look towards the spiritual alternatives for better prospects. Amongst the various disciplines of spiritual connection, there is a progressive yoga ladder, upon which bhakti-yoga is considered the peak practice. Why so?

Return – what is the return? What’s in it for me? Bhakti-yoga gives one the most powerful and intimate connection with God, allowing one to experience the unparalleled joy of a personal relationship with the divine. Imagine someone was to describe a cake to you. You could ascertain something by hearing about it, seeing it, touching it and smelling it. Only by employing the tongue to taste it, however, would you truly appreciate its speciality. In the same way, bhakti-yoga allows one to fully experience the higher taste of pure love of God, unattainable through any other means.

Rate – when will I get it? How long will it take? Various yoga processes require long periods of time to perfect. Bhakti-yoga, on the other hand, gives one spiritual elevation at an incredibly swift rate. Sukadeva Goswami offers the example of Maharaja Khatvanga, who attained that perfection in a moment. Success and progress in bhakti-yoga is simply dependent upon the seriousness and sincerity of the practitioner. Compare walking up a staircase to taking the express elevator. Not only do you reach the top, but you do so with maximum efficiency.

Reachable – is it a complicated process? Do I have to follow a host of rules and regulations? Practicing bhakti-yoga doesn’t require a super intellect, capacity for austerity, piety from previous lives, or any other material qualification. It is an offering from the heart that is open to everyone and anyone, regardless of age, gender, caste, creed or qualification. The various accounts in the Srimad-Bhagavatam show the incredible variety of personalities that attain perfection in bhakti-yoga, despite seeming disadvantages in material qualification.

Reappear – have I missed my opportunity? Is it too late? Bhakti-yoga can be adopted and perfected at any time in life. Opportunities will keep reappearing. Sukadeva Goswami was purified in the womb, Dhruva Maharaja in his youth, Dhritarastra in his old age, and Ajamila on the brink of death. Due to the open opportunity of bhakti-yoga, at any point in life the living entity has the power to say “This is not how the story is going to end.” Bhakti-yoga is the ever-present ‘get-out-clause’ which helps one to escape material attachment and reawaken their love for Krishna.

Reliable – is there any risk involved? What if I don’t perfect it? The effects of any endeavours in bhakti-yoga remain with the living entity life after life. If we progress 2% on the journey, in the next life we begin from the point of 2%. There is no futility in any endeavour – every act renders permanent benefit. Furthermore, since the practice is so joyful and natural, even if it somehow emerges as a fabrication, we still have nothing to regret. Srila Prabhupada, whose life was completely dedicated to Krishna in all respects, was once challenged: “What if Krishna doesn’t exist?” Prabhupada unhesitatingly replied that he wouldn’t have lost anything, because if life is ultimately a mad race for immediate enjoyment, then the process of Krishna consciousness simultaneously provided him the most pleasurable life in the here and now.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam goes on to unequivocally establish that bhakti-yoga is not simply the practice that we adopt for progress, but also the perfection that we seek. Pure devotees are even ready to reject liberation (moksa) if it fails to grant them an opportunity for devotional service (SB 3.29.13). Bhakti is thus consistently celebrated as the Srimad-Bhagavatam’s highest value and the ultimate goal of life.