We are always striving to strike a balance in our daily lives. A balance between work and family, a balance between family and friends, a balance between our hobbies and chores are some examples. But how about in Spirituality? Is there a balance one can strike between Knowledge and Devotion, and how do you strike this balance? Om Swami answers this question beautifully by explaining Knowledge and Devotion, and how the two are on opposite spectrums.
There are two types of Knowledge. The first type - is gathered by listening and is not experiential, it's more like an illusion of knowledge, it's basically just information. The second type - which is true knowledge, is acquired after contemplation and the consciousness having experienced effects of it. Great saints like Kabir and Ramakrishna Paramahansa spoke from this true knowledge -- because true Knowledge arises automatically through devotion. To balance Devotion and Knowledge, one has to increase their devotion, and their knowledge will automatically increase.
Om Swami ends the discourse with a deep insightful message by saying, in actuality, Devotion and Knowledge cannot be compared. One is gained and the other earned, one happens from the heart and the other from the mind. Devotion and knowledge are like apples and oranges - when they cannot be compared, then how can there be a balance?
Pearls of Wisdom from this talk:
1. Focus on Devotion, then you will automatically acquire Knowledge
2. Knowledge gained just through listening is an illusion of Knowledge
3. Devotion and Knowledge are incomparable
If you enjoyed this video and would like to explore the topic further, here's a blog post by Om Swami:
"The path of bhakti is not as arduous as dhyana, meditation. However, it requires complete surrender if you want to experience the truth with bhakti alone. Combined with the practice of dhyana, bhakti flourishes very quickly and yields amazing results." https://os.me/devotional-service/
BREATHE / SMILE / LET GO
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