Bhakti Wisdom

Sincere devotees must know how to deal with the world around them if they wish to evade avoidable disturbances.

We all have been given a certain type of body and the mind according to our activities in the previous births.

Desires to engage in a particular activity is part of the “deal” we receive when we enter into a new body.

Those desires force us to act in a certain way which results in developing a particular type of skills and talents.

If we engage our body, mind, and all the skills we received, in the service of the Lord, that is called yukta vairagya, accepting whatever is favorable in this world for spiritual advancement.

In the spring of 2015, I was blessed to spend time with a sadhu who helped me to understand the true meaning of yukta vairagya.

I was given service to wash his clothes, serve prasad, and do other menial services for him. My service also included traveling with him to the house programs and other events where he would give classes and seminars.

Once whilst hearing the class from him at the end one lady asked him a question: ”Dear Maharaj I’m old, my body is in so much pain, I can’t do any service for devotees, what should I do in this hopeless situation?”

This lady was in her late sixties and had many health issues. For years she rendered service to the devotees and the temple but due to her old age, she felt sad that she can’t do any service.

Sadhu carefully listened to the question and after a few seconds of silence, he answered: “ You are in the best situation because you can do the highest service for devotees without any distraction. Pray for devotees!”  

Sadhu continued to explain;

“When you pray for devotees you must concentrate and pray with genuine feeling. By doing so you will help devotees, please Krishna, and purify your heart as well.”

The old lady was fully satisfied with the answer and her understanding of her life situation changed. From being depressed because of not having service she became super excited by constantly looking for the opportunity to serve devotees by praying for them. 

Soon when devotees found out about her new service they loaded her with a list of names to pray for!

Whilst observing the exchange between the sadhu and old lady I was impressed.

Yukta vairagya literally means connected renunciation.

A saintly person can reconnect us with the Lord by teaching us how to engage everything favorable in devotional service.

A few days later whilst helping the sadhu to pack the luggage for his departure I asked him questions about my service. He didn’t answer but before leaving the temple he thanked me for my services and with a mystical look in his eyes he quietly said: “you can also pray!”

Ananta Gopal Das

30 January 2021