VIRODHI BHAKTI AND SAI BABA

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3. VIRODHI BHAKTI AND SAI BABA

 

BY B.V.N.SWAMY

 

In the last issue, under the caption" Is Sai to broken?" two

instances were mentioned of devotees getting violently angry with the

object of their worship., Sai Baba and breaking his image. In both

the cases, the devotion of the image breakers was revived or

strengthened, as the result probably of Sai's conferring benefit that

had been withheld for a time. Sai Baba being a kind Mother granted a

blessing even after the devotee broke away from him or her (for

really there is no Sex in God) in high dudgeon. This is true Motherly

Love.

 

This is the basis of "Satyagaha" which is always successful (whether

violent or non-violent) within groups where strong love prevails

between the members. The question arose whether success justifies the

use of violence, and the answer has been given that momentary success

in gaining the desired object is a very petty matter which can not

counter balance the dreadful evil results of violent iconoclastic

frenzy. Amongst the evils are the danger of the bad example being

freely followed and iconoclasticism becoming the raging fashion among

large numbers as also the positive harm to the individuals concerned

in allowing Rajas and Tamas to predominate and engulf all Satwa, so

as to bring one to a spiritually lower level. The success in the

above mentioned cases might perhaps have been attended by a strong

wave of repentance which would naturally wash off the evil vasanas of

Anger, Irreverence, & c,. and if that be so, the second evil

mentioned above has been averted in these cases. This naturally lead

us to consider the subject of Virodhi Bhakti.

 

People believe that all Bhakti devotion must be characterized by love

and consider hatred as the exact opposite Bhakti. They can as easily

think of Virodhi Bhakti as of Black Whiteness. Yet Srimadh Bhagavata

which may be regarded as our Bhakti Sastra says: -

 

That is why the term Vyree Bhakti is in common use. The cases of

Ravana, Kamsa, and Hiranya Kasipu are cited as instances of such

Virodhi Bhakti. Several of us would rather regard these cases as

instances of violent poisonous hatred getting into a previously

healthy Loving system which might have naturally killed out all Love

or Bhakti except for the special grace of God that checks effects of

the poison by strengthening the reserve power of power of revival of

health that every organism possesses within certain limits. The

hatred is undoubtedly poisonous but by Divine grace the old Love is

not destroyed but only temporarily clouded or muddled. Just as

perennial and powerful spring or artesian well may thrust out

thousands of ounces or even maunds of poison poured on it. It is this

analogy that would induce one to refuse the name Bhakti to hatred,

which is entirely foreign to its nature. But the analogy is not exact

by reason of the peculiar nature of Jivas which lead some to consider

hatred as negative electricity applied to one side of the Jivas

producing by induction the opposite of it Viz., positive Electricity

or Love in another side. Arguments by analogy are often attended with

great danger and so we might avoid discussion of the prosperity of

the name Virodhi Bhakti and at least out of regards for Srimadh

Bhagavatas accept its classifications and labels in this matter and

proceed to consider (1) whether during the currency of continuance of

any one's hatred to Baba, God or other personality, there are any

means of nothing if it is really a case of Bhakti and if it will end

in restoration of the love that should characterise Bhakti and (2)

secondly, if there are no such means, what steps o attitude the

person concerned and his well wishers should adopt.

 

(Adopted from Sai Sudha Feb 1944)