Bhakti: Loving Attentiveness, Not Grasping Effort

When we look at effort, we are looking at—in this case, I realize how that line is confusing. What is being tried to be conveyed is that sense of striving, the sense of grasping. That is not what Bhakti is. The sense of remaining in that loving attentiveness of God's presence, that's what Bhakti is, you see. Now, it may seem like it is effort to come to that remaining in loving attentiveness, and that is fine, but the essence over there is we're not trying to force God to stay in our heart. You see, we're not trying to compel because we are doing the practice so well, or we're doing it so regularly, or we're doing it with so much effort that we will now compel God to put His grace on us. That's not the idea.

The idea is that—let's examine it through the lens of human relationship. You see, if you found someone came to Satsang, you see this man has come for the first time and you felt like you really want to make friends with them. So, suppose now you really want to make friends with him. Now, if you just force him, "No, you sit with me, I'm holding your hand, I'm not leaving you," then after a while, he will start to wonder, you know, what's happening? You see, just give me some space. But what is the way to grow in even a human relationship? It is to provide it that care, that loving attentiveness, that listening to what they are saying, responding. You see, not just wanting to talk all the time. All of these things are natural in human relationships also. The same principle has to apply in our relationship with God also.

You see, so it is not a forcing. It is not trying to show how powerfully we are doing the practice or with how much effort we are doing it. It is to basically come to a point where we are being present to Their presence. You see, in the human way, and then present to His presence in our heart, you see. So, whatever is required to be done to bring us to that loving attentiveness, that amount of effort is fine. But remember that that effort is an effort in letting go, not an effort in grasping. You have to let go of the false, and that feels like effort, you see, but that is not the effort that we are talking about. So, sweetness is that tender loving care, that loving attentiveness to God's presence instead of the trying to grasp or effort to get Him.