Page:Classical Poets Of Gujarat.pdf/25

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

18

such a difficult or contemptible lot. It would no doubt. be good—good in itealf amd good for the building up of Bhakti—if the Bhakta bed amoral sense; but morality was not his indispensable eondition; as caste was a merely social appendage of the physical body, morality was no- less a mere social institution. The Bhakta may live in the midst of his institutions and yet attain the felicity of ‘Bhakti. When be has realised the ideal of Bhakti, he would cease his connections with worldings and their moralities and immoralities. The higher morals were held to be sure to follow the atéainment of the higher ideal of religion. It was from this standpbint that even the Bhakta prostitute of Brij was allowed to stand oaan equal level with the Bhakta of purer morals. Immorality, like other social conditions, was held to grow upon man from his surroundings, and Bhakti was enough to clear off all its soums. To God Bhakti alone is dear, and Bhakti alone is the religion of this corrupt age of Kaliyuga. Men and women, people of all castes, people of all moralities, are united to join in the chorus of Bhakti where God stands in flesh and blood to receive them in his presence and to emancipate them.

Where was this God in flesh.andblood? The answer was: “You bave to see Him with your mind’s eye only—His image will float before you in the kindliest form you wished: He knows your wishes.” The woman thus got her Mata or mother-ggddess who in Gujarat, is