The Value of Kindness in Bhakti According to Vyasa’s The...

Vyasa’s The Bhagavad Gita, written between 300 B.C.E. and 300 C.E., is regarded as the eternal message of spiritual wisdom from ancient India. Lord Krishna discusses with Arjuna the types of discipline that men should possess, particularly devotion, or bhakti. The purpose of this essay is to show that Krishna’s teaching of bhakti in The Bhagavad Gita entails that one should exhibit kind behavior at all times. Kindness is necessary in the practice of bhakti, and those who devote their utmost faith to Krishna will be granted religious salvation, as shown in the Seventh and Twelfth Teachings. The Bhagavad Gita has also found its place in Hindu culture, and Krishna’s teaching of bhakti influenced Indian society as a whole. In the Seventh Teaching of The Bhagavad Gita, Krishna goes more in-depth on discipline as was discussed in his previous teachings. Krishna explains to Arjuna that devotion, or bhakti, is a discipline that â€Å"involves the performance of discipli ned action (karma)† (Vyasa, 157). Bhakti entails action done for the greater good, which leads to salvation in the end because of one’s compassion. Compassion is kindness to all living beings especially when they are in distress, and those who exhibit compassion are thus qualified to attain association with the Supreme Lord and his devotees. Vyasa’s emphasis on the â€Å"disciplined man of knowledge† is significant in that he is a rare being who is â€Å"set apart by his singular devotion [to Krishna]† (75). This emphasis signifies