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XXIV] Kapila's philosophy in the Bhāgavata-purāṇa
mind is dislodged from the sense-objects to which it was attached1. When through such excess of emotion one's mind becomes disinclined to all other objects, and thus there is no object of meditation, the mind is destroyed like a flame extinguished, and the self, returning from the conditions imposed upon it by the transformations of the gunas, finds itself to be one with the transcendent and the highest self2. Devotion is said to be of four kinds, sāttvika, rājasa, tāmasa and nirguna. Those who want God's grace and are devoted to Him in order to satisfy their personal jealousy, pride or enmity are called tamasa, those who seek Him for the attainment of power, fame, etc. are called rajasa, and those who are devoted to Him or who renounce all their karmas and their fruits to Him through a sense of religious duty or for the washing away of their sins are called sättvika. But those who are naturally inclined towards Him without any reason save deep attachment, and who would not desire anything but the bliss of serving Him as His servants, it is they who may be said to possess the nirguna devotion (bhakti). But this nirguna devotion must manifest itself in realizing God as pervading all beings: devotees of this type would consider all beings as their friends, and with them there is no difference between a friend and a foe. No one can claim to possess this high devotion merely by external adorations of God; he must also serve all humanity as a friend and brother3. Thus either by yoga methods of self-purification and concentration of the mind on God and His super-excellent qualities, or by a natural love for Him, one may attain the ultimate wisdom, that the one reality is God and that individual selves and their experiences are but mere reflections in prakṛti and its transformations.
It may however be pointed out that even the first method of yoga
1
evam harau bhagavati prati-labdha-bhāvo bhaktyä dravad-hṛdaya utpulakaḥ pramodāt autkanthya-vāspa-kalayā muhur ardyamānas tac capi citta-baḍiśam śanakair viyunkte. muktāśrayam yan nirvisayam viraktam nirvānam rcchati manaḥ sahasa yathā'rciḥ ātmānam atra puruṣo'vyavadhānam ekam anvikṣa'e prati-nivṛtta-guna-pravāhaḥ. yo mam sarveṣu bhuteṣu santam ātmānam iśvaram hitra'rcam bhajate mauḍhyad bhasmany eva juhoti saḥ aham uccavacair dravyaiḥ kriyayotpannaya'naghe naiva tuşye'rcito'rcāyām bhūta-grāmāvamāninaḥ.
29
Ibid. III. 28. 34.
Ibid. 111. 28. 35.
Ibid. III. 29. 22, 24.
