Disinterested bhakti - its varieties and fullness

13. We have seen the sakama bhakta, the devotee with a motive. We now turn to the nishkama bhakta, the disinterested bhakta. Even of this bhakta there are two kinds - the partial and the whole. Of the partial devotee again, there are three kinds. The first is the restless devotee. They seek the compassion of the Lord, sobbing and crying and restless for Him, like Namadev.

They are eager, sorrow-stricken, desperate and agitated; thinking, "When shall I taste the nectar of the Lord's love, when shall I embrace Him and fulfill my life's purpose, when shall I throw myself at His feet and be one of the blessed?" They look in every action for truth, sincerity, yearning and love.

14. The second kind are the seekers of wisdom. There are not many such in our country today. Such a devotee of truth would attempt again and again to climb Gaurishankar and perish in the attempt; he would go in search of the North Pole and after writing down his discoveries on a piece of paper, and sealing it in a bottle which he leaves floating on the waters, he dies. He would descend into the womb of a volcano. We Indians today are terribly afraid of death.

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