Children, some people ask if fear has any place in the path of devotion, and if bhaya-bhakti (devotion accompanied by fear) is unhealthy. Though there is no place for fear in the fullness of devotion, bhaya-bhakti certainly helps a beginner progress on the path of devotion. The Lord of the Universe dispenses the fruit of every action to every being.
He protects the virtuous and punishes the wicked. The devotion of one who knows that God punishes evil deeds will contain both reverence and a slight tinge of fear. This fear will kindle discernment in him, thus enabling him to keep away from wrongdoing and give him the strength to walk the right path.
Bhaya-bhakti is not like the fear a slave has towards his master; it is rather a student’s respect for his teacher, and a child’s innocent love for his mother. Such ought to be our attitude towards God. A child loves his mother and knows that she is his protector. At the same time, he also knows that if he does some mischief, his mother will not hesitate to punish him. Therefore, his love for his mother is tinged with fear. It is this fear that saves him from many dangers and misdeeds.
A child’s whims and fancies can tempt him to do wrong. The fear of scolding and punishment from his mother, however, steers him clear of trouble. At the same time, it never hinders his love for his mother. On the contrary, it fosters healthy spiritual growth.
Children often study well because of fear of punishment from the teacher. It helps them overcome laziness and acquire knowledge. By the time they reach higher grades, they are no longer dogged by such fear as they would have gained the necessary discernment by then. They will have only reverence and obedience to the teacher. Most devotees have such an attitude towards God.
As the devotee progresses on the path of devotion, bhaya-bhakti evolves to prema-bhakti (loving devotion). In prema-bhakti, there is not even the slightest trace of fear. Out of love for the lord, the devotee receives even punishments from God joyfully. All the latent tendencies that incite him to doing wrong are washed away by the fervor of his devotion. A true devotee forgets everything else and becomes like a baby resting in the lap of his loving mother.
Parabhakti (supreme devotion) is pure Vedanta. A true devotee sees everything as pervaded by God. A devotee says, “Everything is pervaded by God.” A Vedantin says, “Everything is pervaded by Brahman.” Both are one and the same.
That ‘I’ which fills the whole universe is the real ‘I’. When the awareness that ‘I am not the body, I am the Self’ awakens, we will understand that nothing is different from Brahman. At that time, we will know through experience that everything is ‘I’ alone.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian