When a person pins faith in God and prays Him, the bhakthi in him develops
Ravana was a great Vedic scholar. Hiranyakasipu was performing severe penance
The start of great works begins with good words like ‘Tapaswadhyaya’ in Sri Ramayana and ‘Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre’ in Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Dhrutharashtra feels dejected over this because this is Dharmakshetra — a place of righteousness — and he says whereas my sons are unrighteous, wicked, evil-minded, no place for them here and they may be destroyed. But still out of sheer attachment, love and affection, Dhrutharashtra is fond of them and expects them to win in the battle.
When a person pins faith in God and prays Him, the bhakthi in him develops. The person will inculcate good qualities, worship Him continuously and derive His blessings
Should we then learn vedas, sastras undertake penance, give charity and practice such other deeds or can practising of bhakthi alone be enough? The learning of Vedas/Sastras, practising of penance/giving away charity and all other acts without bhakthi may yield results not lasting for long. They may not develop the very bhakthi. But practising of bhakthi may make a person get all the above good deeds.
Ravana was a great Vedic scholar. Hiranyakasipu was performing severe penance. Karna was known for charity. But they all did these without bhakthi. So they were bereft of His blessings and slayed. Arjuna did not learn Vedas like Ravana nor did he undergo such a severe penance as Hiranyakasipu. He was not known for charity as Karna either. But the unshaken faith and the deep devotion that Arjuna had with Lord Krishna enabled him conquer in the war. Lord Krishna made Arjuna seat along with him in the chariot.
The Bhagavad Gita is considered as Brahma Vidya coeval to Upanishads. It dwells in more about liberation from attachment, desires and worries. Through learning of the Bhagavad Gita, we can remove the hurdles standing in the practice of devotion. It is all the effect of good deeds done by a person over various births previously and through the effect of doing such good deeds in this birth also, the person develops bhakthi in him, practice continuously and derive His blessings, said Sri Krishna Premi swamigal in a discourse.
