The Jnani and the Bhaktha are the most important characters that dominate the spiritual field. Both are in search of God in their own inimitable ways. Their ways, of course differ significantly. Jnani is concerned with the formless Absolute while the Bhaktha is a votary of the Divine form that is dear to him. Jnani is more intellectual, alone, and removed from the din and dust of our humdrum life. The Bhaktha is very much in the midst of society exhibiting his inordinate love for his fellow beings. To a certain extent, the Jnani is selfish since he is interested in his own salvation or Mukthi. On the contrary, the Bhaktha is selfless and visualizes the omnipresent and omnipotent God in every living being. The Jnani is learned, scholarlly and egotistic. The Bhaktha is innocent, ignorant and selfless and loses his ego in the service of people in whom he sees the manifestation of the Supreme. His forte is purity, unselfish love for everyone in society. The Jnani is aloof, reserved and may be far from the madding crowd but the Bhaktha is very much on the ground and among the members of society. Is the Jnani a Bhaktha himself? Can we say that the Bhaktha is also a Jnani? It is bhakti that mellows and transforms itself into Jnana or Knowledge! The devout Bhakta is metamorphosed into a Jnani
The Jnani and the Bhaktha differ entirely in their approach to God and realization. The Jnani's approach can be termed as “ markatakisora nyaya.” The young one of the monkey strongly clasps its mother during transit. If it is careless and lets go the hold on its mother it falls down and is hurt. The Jnani has to depend on his own strength and effort to attain salvation. He cannot expect help from others. The Bhaktha's method is called “ marjarakisora nyaya. But the kitten runs no such risk. The mother carries it from one place to another safely. The aspirant or the Bhaktha who follows the path of Love resigns himself entirely to His mercy with perfect confidence. God, now, takes over all the responsibilities of His dear devotee! The Jnani is conscious of his ego. He says, “ Aham Brahmasmi”—I am He, I am that pure Atman. But that ahankara is absent in the Bhaktha. He declares that all these are His glory! God realization can happen in one of these attitudes.1 All this am I. 2 All this art thou. 3 Thou art the Master and I am the servant. It is believed that one becomes a Jnani if he is born with the spirit of Siva! He thus believes that Brahman alone is real and this world is unreal or false. “ Brahma Satyam Jagan mithya”. Faith and devotion never fail in one born of the spirit of Vishnu!
Jnani's knowledge runs in one direction only. The universe, to him , is a dream. He resides always in his own Self. But the Love of the Bhaktha is multidirectional. It has its ups and downs. He laughs, weeps, dances and sings in ecstasy. He desires to live in and experience God's presence. He wants to be a part of the ocean of bliss and move like a ' block of ice' dancing in water tossing up and down. The Bhaktha, according to the Puranas, is separate from God. Man is separate from God. The body is considered as the vessel. The mind, the intellect, and the ego constitute the water in the vessel. According to Sri RamaKrishna, Brahman is like the sun reflecting in the water. The Bhaktha thus recognizes the different manifestations of the Divine. But for the Jnani, Brahman alone is real and everything else is Maya or illusion like a dream. Ego is like a stick on the surface of the sea of Brahman. The stick divides the water into two. If the stick is removed there is one undivided sheet of water. Sage Narada and others were Jnanis but they took to the path of Bhakthi for the good of the world. Sri RamaKrishna says, “ Jnana is like a man and Bhakthi is like a woman. Knowledge has entry only up to the drawing room of God. But Love can enter His inner apartments”. Jnani is similar to the husband who is not allowed freely in the zenana. But Bhaktha is like the darling child who can enter the inner apartments freely uncha okllenged.
The temperamental difference between the Jnani and the Bhaktha is well brought out in the following incident. A Jnani and a Bhaktha were moving along a forest when they saw a tiger suddenly. The Jnani, as usual, said, “ There is no reason why we should flee: the Almighty God will certainly protect us. The Bhaktha remarked, “ No, brother, no, let us run away. Why should we trouble the Lord when we can accomplish a thing by our own exertion?”
The Jnani and the Bhaktha differ entirely in their approach to God and realization. The Jnani's approach can be termed as “ markatakisora nyaya.” The young one of the monkey strongly clasps its mother during transit. If it is careless and lets go the hold on its mother it falls down and is hurt. The Jnani has to depend on his own strength and effort to attain salvation. He cannot expect help from others. The Bhaktha's method is called “ marjarakisora nyaya. But the kitten runs no such risk. The mother carries it from one place to another safely. The aspirant or the Bhaktha who follows the path of Love resigns himself entirely to His mercy with perfect confidence. God, now, takes over all the responsibilities of His dear devotee! The Jnani is conscious of his ego. He says, “ Aham Brahmasmi”—I am He, I am that pure Atman. But that ahankara is absent in the Bhaktha. He declares that all these are His glory! God realization can happen in one of these attitudes.1 All this am I. 2 All this art thou. 3 Thou art the Master and I am the servant. It is believed that one becomes a Jnani if he is born with the spirit of Siva! He thus believes that Brahman alone is real and this world is unreal or false. “ Brahma Satyam Jagan mithya”. Faith and devotion never fail in one born of the spirit of Vishnu!
Jnani's knowledge runs in one direction only. The universe, to him , is a dream. He resides always in his own Self. But the Love of the Bhaktha is multidirectional. It has its ups and downs. He laughs, weeps, dances and sings in ecstasy. He desires to live in and experience God's presence. He wants to be a part of the ocean of bliss and move like a ' block of ice' dancing in water tossing up and down. The Bhaktha, according to the Puranas, is separate from God. Man is separate from God. The body is considered as the vessel. The mind, the intellect, and the ego constitute the water in the vessel. According to Sri RamaKrishna, Brahman is like the sun reflecting in the water. The Bhaktha thus recognizes the different manifestations of the Divine. But for the Jnani, Brahman alone is real and everything else is Maya or illusion like a dream. Ego is like a stick on the surface of the sea of Brahman. The stick divides the water into two. If the stick is removed there is one undivided sheet of water. Sage Narada and others were Jnanis but they took to the path of Bhakthi for the good of the world. Sri RamaKrishna says, “ Jnana is like a man and Bhakthi is like a woman. Knowledge has entry only up to the drawing room of God. But Love can enter His inner apartments”. Jnani is similar to the husband who is not allowed freely in the zenana. But Bhaktha is like the darling child who can enter the inner apartments freely uncha okllenged.
The temperamental difference between the Jnani and the Bhaktha is well brought out in the following incident. A Jnani and a Bhaktha were moving along a forest when they saw a tiger suddenly. The Jnani, as usual, said, “ There is no reason why we should flee: the Almighty God will certainly protect us. The Bhaktha remarked, “ No, brother, no, let us run away. Why should we trouble the Lord when we can accomplish a thing by our own exertion?”
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