Reading Response Week Ten

Bhagavad Gita Ch. 11-12

The two chapters in BG, Divine Splendor and Way of Love, that we read for today paralleled themes I have been reading in another book, The Way of the Pilgrim. The way of the Pilgrim is a 19th century Russian work that follows a pilgrim who is journeying across the country to find out how to follow Paul’s call to “pray without ceasing”. The pilgrim knows that prayer without ceasing will lead him to understand and communion with God more. This parallels this passage in Divine Splendor,

“Neither knowledge of the Vedas, nor austerity, nor charity, nor sacrifice can bring the vision you have seen. But through unfailing devotion, Arjuna, you can know me, see me, and attain union with me” (11.53-54)

Just as Khrishna informs Arjuna, the pilgrim prays out of his love for God and through his ceaseless prayer and devotion, he beings to know God. The pilgrim says,

“When I began to pray with the heart, everything around me became transformed and I saw it in a new and delightful way. The trees, the grass, the earth, the air, the light, and everything seemed to be saying to me that it exists to witness to God’s love for man and that it prays and sings of God’s glory”

This experience that the pilgrim had is comparable to the experience Arjuna had when he was allowed to see Khrishna is his true form. Arjuna described all the images he saw such as fiery suns, infinite arms and mouth, every living creature, glittering array of colors, etc., when he communed with the true nature of Krishna. But Krishna knows that it is difficult to create undying devotion, and suggests that it be learned by a habit,

“If you cannot still your mind in me, learn to do so through the regular practice of meditation” (12.9)

Discipline of meditation will bring about devotion and love of the Supreme being. The more Arjuna meditates, the more he will learn to focus on Khrishna and be devoted to him only. This idea was also in the Way of the Pilgrim when the pilgrim was first learning how to pray. His first elder would not let him make any prayers from his heart until he was ready. Thus, he told the pilgrim to first say the Jesus prayer three thousand times a day, then six thousand times, then twelve thousand times, until he felt incomplete when he was not saying the prayer. At this point, the pilgrim was ready to make prayers from his heart and to know God. Discipline had lead to devotion. 

I think this idea is an interesting way to know God. My impression growing up was that devotion and love of God was supposed to spontaneously come to you after reading the Gospel. But I think it is much more complex than that. It requires much more work than that and I think that is why the ancient churches were so liturgical. In the last few weeks, I have begun the practice of the Jesus Prayer and I am excited to see how this discipline will help me to know God better.