VIRODHI BHAKTI AND SAI BABA

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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.

 

 

Source Sai Sudha Feb 1944