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Chieko Boteler

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Aug 2, 2024, 7:52:58 PM8/2/24

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The Bhakti Shatak is an ocean of divine knowledge where the essence is drawn from many Vedic scriptures including the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Brahma Sutra, and the Bhagwatam. As the title suggests, it contains 100 priceless gems to enable the spiritual aspirant to develop devotional sentiments toward God and make progress on the spiritual path. Composed by Jagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj in only ten days, it is a phenomenal text that provides the meaning of each verse to make it easier to understand the philosophical tenets.

Shree Maharajji has said that the Bhakti Shatak is like the Mansarovar of Braj where we are like the swans who absorb the sweet ras of divine love. The sweetness of the Braj Ras is incomparable because in Braj, the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna sheds His almightiness and becomes one of us. It is here that the Gopis make him dance for buttermilk or put little balls of cow dung on His face as a measure of the amount of work done in exchange for butter. This happens only when the devotees are totally selfless with not an ounce of selfish desire, not even for liberation. The land of Braj is where love dominates. All the residents in Braj are devotees of Shree Krishna who practice Raganuga Bhakti (i.e., loving devotional sentiments not dictated by rituals) instead of Vedic Bhakti (i.e., ritualistic, often devoid of devotion).

These verses inspire us to gain that divine knowledge of God that will help us to advance on the path of spirituality. It is important to reflect on the basic questions like: Who is God? What is my relationship with God? What is the purpose of my life?

The Bhakti Shatak starts by establishing the foundation that God, inclusive of Shakti and Shaktiman, are one even though they assume infinite forms to accomplish their infinite missions. Shakti and Shaktiman are the sources of infinite divine powers. However, for our purpose, which is to develop deep devotion for God, Shakti and Shaktiman are best worshipped in their sweet and loving form as Radha and Krishna.

Radha Rani is the divine energy or Shakti and it is Her compassionate grace that connects individual souls to Shree Krishna. This is the reason that rasik saints worship Radha Rani. She is the topmost devotee of Shree Krishna. Lord Krishna is the soul of all souls but Radha Rani is the soul of Shree Krishna. All Her shaktis manifest in various forms such as Mother Parvati, Durga, Mahalaxmi, etc. Thus, we should not discriminate between Shakti and Shaktiman in the same way as we do not differentiate the flower and its aroma, or heat and the fire.

The message behind this knowledge is that we have forgotten our true identity, thus we identify with the body. Due to this foundational mistake, we keep running after worldly pleasures but do not find permanent happiness anywhere. Our soul is divine, which is why it does not relish material pleasures. So, even though the jeeva, God (i.e., Brahm), and Maya reside in the same location, the jeeva has separated from God, that is, the consciousness is turned away from God, overpowered by Maya. Maya Shakti is like the darkness that makes us forget that only divine bliss will make us eternally happy. The only way then to find our way toward God is through bhakti of devotion.

We all have a tremendous opportunity to savor the bliss of sweet, sublime, and blissful verses of the Bhakti Shatak narrated by Swamiji at the Spiritual Retreat & Family Camp from July 4 to 10, 2023.