All Attainments without Bhakti Are Dishes Prepared without Salt
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 82
Doha 85 · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Rama adds knowledge, discrimination, detachment, realized wisdom, and virtues rare even among sages. Today, he says, I will grant them without doubt. Ask for whatever pleases your heart.
Love deepens in Bhushundi as he listens, but a quiet recognition appears. The Lord has named every form of happiness and attainment, yet has not spoken of giving his own bhakti. Without devotion, all virtues and pleasures are like a table filled with dishes from which salt has been forgotten.
Color, fragrance, variety, and nourishment may remain, but the savor that unites the meal is absent. What use are enjoyments without bhajan? Bhushundi turns away from powers and liberation, not because they are false gifts, but because none carries the taste his heart seeks. He asks the generous knower of hearts for grace and love, preparing to name the single boon before which every other treasure becomes secondary.
Bhushundi lets every golden dish pass and asks for the one grain of devotion without which the feast has no taste.
Read the passage from the Manas
ग्यान बिबेक बिरति बिग्याना। मुनि दुर्लभ गुन जे जग नाना।। आजु देउँ सब संसय नाहीं। मागु जो तोहि भाव मन माहीं।। सुनि प्रभु बचन अधिक अनुरागेउँ। मन अनुमान करन तब लागेऊँ।। प्रभु कह देन सकल सुख सही। भगति आपनी देन न कही।। भगति हीन गुन सब सुख ऐसे। लवन बिना बहु बिंजन जैसे।। भजन हीन सुख कवने काजा। अस बिचारि बोलेउँ खगराजा।। जौं प्रभु होइ प्रसन्न बर देहू। मो पर करहु कृपा अरु नेहू।। मन भावत बर मागउँ स्वामी। तुम्ह उदार उर अंतरजामी।।
Jnana (knowledge), viveka (discrimination), virati (detachment), and vijnana (realized wisdom), these divine qualities rare even for munis (sages) in this world. Today I shall grant them all without any doubt. Ask whatever pleases your heart and mind. Hearing the Lord's words, I became filled with even deeper anuraga (love) and began to reflect in my mind. The Lord spoke of giving all forms of happiness, but He did not mention giving His own bhakti (devotion). Without bhakti, all virtues and pleasures are like many dishes prepared without salt. What use are pleasures without bhajan (divine worship)? Thinking thus, I, the king of birds, spoke. If You, O Lord, are pleased to grant me a boon, then bestow Your kripa (grace) and sneha (love) upon me. I ask for the boon that pleases my heart, O Master. You are generous and the Antarjami (knower of all hearts).