bhakti revealed

Verse 4.3: That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

As with most things of value, there is a price to pay for getting the "real deal". For material things, that price is often money. However, to truly understand bhakti, the price is something a little different - it's the price of faith and relationship.

That's what we hear Krsna say to Arjuna today. Krsna is saying, "I am revealing this science of bhakti yoga to you because you are my friend."

That in essence sums up the secret to successfully practicing bhakti yoga - staying in the association of and developing real and genuine friendships with bhakti yogis.

Often we've described how bhakti yoga is not something that can be learned from books and texts alone. That's because....

Bhakti requires guidance because it is a transformation of heart and attitude.

Such a transformation occurs more quickly when one is in the company of those whose hearts and attitudes have changed. However, it requires that we make an investment of time and faith in developing relationships with such persons. The hearts of the great bhakti yogis are soft as butter since they are actively trying to live a life of compassion, gratitude and service. However, as with any treasure, they guard that bhakti with great attention and care.

For most of us, our best friends are those that we have spent a lot of time with since it is only then that both sides start trusting each other and start to speak from the heart. Similarly, the heart of the bhakti yogi is revealed when a relationship based on respect and affection is established.

For anyone who wants to get to the heart of bhakti, the best way to do so is by securing a place in the heart of a bhakti yogi.

friend

Verse 2.2: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the value of life. They lead not to higher planets but to infamy.

I've always felt that the Gita is all encompassing in its knowledge. Not only does it teach anyone who is interested the deeper aspects of who and why we are here in this material world, but it also teaches us very fundamental aspects of human interaction. Despite the fact that Krsna is God, he is also Arjuna's friend. Although we may not be able to relate to having a relationship with God, everyone can relate to having friends.

Krsna here is showing us how to be an exemplary friend. First he started off by simply listening to Arjuna and now he is posing questions to Arjuna. He doesn't call him a fool outright and put him down, but instead asks Arjuna to provide him with answers. As was mentioned in yesterday's post, God helps those who genuinely call out for help.

Arjuna hasn't still come out and asked for Krsna's help. He is still talking to Krsna as a friend and so Krsna is relating to Arjuna as a friend.

This is the beauty of having a relationship with Krsna. We can have whatever relationship we desire be it in friendship, servitude, parental, amorous or even neutrality. We don't even get to choose the type of relationships we get to have with people here in the material world, but with God, there's a choice!

That's why Krsna is following Arjuna's lead and speaking to him as a friend. And what a beautiful example of friendship this is! Krsna is treating Arjuna as an equal and therefore instead of providing him with answers, instead Krsna asks Arjuna to explain to him what's happening. The relationship dynamic will change soon, and so it's important to take note of the relationship now so that we'll be able to understand the difference once it changes to that of a teacher and student.

God is your friend, so take the time to reveal your heart to him today. He already know's what's inside, but the simple act of actually making the time to tell him will serve to help deepen your relationship with him!

true friendship

Verse 1.24: Sañjaya said: O descendant of Bharata, having thus been addressed by Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa drew up the fine chariot in the midst of the armies of both parties.

Today we get a chance to understand what true friendship is all about. Here, we see Krsna, not just God, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, taking instructions from his good friend Arjuna.

If you think about it, it's kind of wild. How often do we see someone who is influential and powerful taking a submissive role happily and voluntarily? Mind you, this is not a paid position! It's almost unheard of these days. Instead we have the experience of seeing anyone who has or is in any position of power hanging on to it for dear life and making it known to anyone who will listen to them.

It goes to show that one who is truly powerful, as Krsna is, has no qualms about letting go of that title. Krsna is so personal. He doesn't allow qualities such as power, fame and wealth to act as stumbling blocks or barriers in his relationships with others. Krsna is not about the external, he's all about the internal.

What a wonderful person Krsna is. He genuinely cares. That's the only motivation he has for, wait for it, serving Arjuna. That's what relationships and friendships should actually be centred on - service.

But what does service really mean? We see advertisements of different companies boasting that they provide the best service and hear of royalty having servants. Is that what service is all about? Being surrounded by false indicators of service where money is a prime driver, it's easy for us to be shocked when we hear how the bhakti texts describe that our natural inclination is to serve.

And that's exactly what we see here. Krsna is taking the position of a servant for Arjuna. He is his charioteer. Make no mistake, taking on the role of a charioteer is not very prestigious and in a battle can be extremely dangerous. So why is he doing it then? Because he is showing all of us that he is the friend of one who loves him. It's not a one-sided relationship where we're tiny and he's the man in charge.

This relationship we can all re-invest in with Krsna is one of love and closeness. As we continue through the Gita, we'll get a chance to see how much Krsna loves Arjuna. Personally, I've always found the relationship of Krsna and Arjuna to bring solace to my heart. It demonstrates without a doubt that Krsna cares and he's our friend.