VIRODHI BHAKTI AND SAI BABA by Narasimha Swamy

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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, This magazine can be read at the magazines

section of www.saileelas.org)