The Concept of Yogī and Bhogī
The Supreme Lord here reveals the principle behind birth of Yogīs (Practitioners of Spiritual Discipline) and Bhogīs (Cravers of Material Desire), and how because of both, His creation goes on.
(Below is the revelation as extracted from Māḻikā, given by Śrī Guru Lord Jagannātha in Oḍiā; translated and summarised into English for the benefit of Mankind)
Original Transliteration
āneka suta ye kahe sāra ।
ye buddha deva ra kathā gīra ॥1॥
yāhā ṭi kahu thilā rahi ।
śuṇuthilu ṭi bhāvagrāhī ॥2॥
eka eka ye udāharaṇa ।
āmbhe ṭi rakhichu boli jāṇa ॥3॥
sabhiṅku ehā ye nuhem̐ sātha ।
dei ye caḻāu āmbhe patha ॥4॥
āmbhara ḻīḻā re ehā suta ।
ghaṭu thāe ṭi aneka ॥5॥
epari eka eka thāi ।
yadi bā āmbhe ni yogāi ॥6॥
tebe ki rahiba sṛṣṭi jāṇa ।
sṛṣṭi hoiba samāpana ॥7॥
teṇu ṭi eka eka hoi ।
āmbhe ṭi udāharaṇa dei ॥8॥
rakhichu bhu maṇḍaḻare jāṇa ।
teṇu ṭi cālichi līḻā māna ॥9॥
sabhiem̐ bhogī ṭi hele kahi ।
yogī ṭi hebe kehi nāhim̐ ॥10॥
yogī ṭi nohile boli sāra ।
yogī ki bhogī ye hebā gīra ॥11॥
yogī ye bhogī hele kahi ।
bhogī ye yogī kāhim̐ thāi ॥12॥
yogī bhogī ra kathā māna ।
kāhim̐ ye hoiba varṇana ॥13॥
eṇu ṭi yogī bhogī sāra ।
rakhichu āmbhe ṭi bheda gīra ॥14॥
yogī ku bhogī re miśāile ।
bhogī ku yogī re vicchedile ॥15॥
hue ṭi yāhā boli jāṇa ।
tāhā ṭi āmbhara varṇana ॥16॥
phaḻa ṭi hue dekha kahi ।
ye dvitiya kathā ṭi ethe thāi ॥17॥
āmbhara līḻā māna ।
tahim̐re gṛhasta hebā jāṇa ॥18॥
rakhichu ānanda citta dei ।
re suta jāṇibu ehā tuhi ॥19॥
emanta hoile līḻā māna ।
kheḻu ye āmbhe madhye puṇa ॥20॥
e ḻīḻā kheḻā ṭi boli kahi ।
rāhasa ḻīḻā ṭi aṭe ehi ॥21॥
mohara pāda re matti dei ।
seva ye sarve bhāvagrāhī ॥22॥
ehi ye ādeśa boli jāṇa ।
ehi ye nirddeśa abā jñāna ॥23॥
yemanta maṇucha maṇa rahi ।
hasi kahilu bhāvagrāhī ॥24॥
Śaraṇaṃ
▾English Translation
▾ Another son as did tell
▾ About that Lord Buddha’s tale,
▾ All that he was saying here
▾ I, thought insister, did hear.
▾ One rarely as example
▾ I have kept as principle.
▾ For all, this way not being apt
▾ I keep them in other path.
▾ This, o’ son, in my play hence
▾ Many many time happens.
▾ Again at certain instance
▾ If I give no providence,
▾ Will the creation sustain?
▾ Rather it will end in vain.
▾ Thus from time to time such one
▾ I as example have shown
▾ On this very earthly realm
▾ Hence still going on is my game.
▾ One all if Bhogī become
▾ Yogī none then will become.
▾ As Yogī if none adorn
▾ Should Yogī then Bhogī turn?
▾ If Yogī become Bhogī
▾ Bhogī how’ll tell from Yogī?
▾ Of Yogī Bhogī tales then
▾ Where will be described again?
▾ Among Yogī Bhogī hence
▾ I have kept the difference.
▾ Yogī at ease in Bhogī is added
▾ But Bhogī when from Yogī dissected
▾ Know the result conclusion
▾ Is but here the description.
▾ The fruit of my discourse see
▾ Is here that second story.
▾ In Puruṣottama’s play
▾ As a householder to stay
▾ I have ordained filled with bliss
▾ O’ son, you will know of this
▾ This way if such the play goes
▾ I myself play among those
▾ This play game by name is known
▾ Dance of divine love alone.
▾ In my feet keeping all thoughts
▾ Serve me – the knower of hearts.
▾ Know that this is an order
▾ Else instruction consider
▾ As you feel, such way obey
▾ Smiling, I, thought urger say.
Amen
Summary:
Yogī is one who is practises Yoga (oneness) to be in union with the Supreme. Bhogī on the other hand is one who indulges in the experience of the Indriyas (Ten Senses) controlled by the Mānas (mind).
(1-3) Many Mahāpuruṣas and Sadgurus born from time to time preach the path of the divine. Leading as example themselves, they show the way of absolute truth. There are indeed many Yogic paths that lead to the same destination of experiencing Sat-Cit-Ānanda (Truth, Consciousness and Bliss) and ultimately result in liberation from the otherwise unending cycle of birth and death.
(4-5) While some may be able to grasp the concept of Yoga (Oneness) through Karma (Action), some may seek the same through Bhakti (Devotion) and some experience it through Jñāna (Knowledge). There are numerous other terminologies, definitions, divisions and branches of Yoga – all leading to the same point of oneness. However, for everyone to become Yogī is not a fit path in His play, so the Lord keeps them as Bhogīs. This happens time and again in the Lord’s play, for the creation to go on.
(6-7) The Lord says, however, from time to time if He does not interfere by making an exemplary Yogī, will the creation sustain itself? The beautiful creation rather will become dull and end.
(8-9) Hence, from time to time, although rarely, Yogīs are born to preach the path of the divine becoming great examples themselves, and hence His game is still going on.
(10-12) If everyone would become Bhogī and indulge in the experience of their senses, then there will be no one left to become Yogī and experience the Supreme. The Lord then asks, if there is no one as Yogī, should the world stay filled with only Bhogīs? And if all Yogīs become Bhogīs, then how will the distinction between Bhogīs and Yogīs be understood?
(13-14) If the world is completely filled only with either Yogīs or Bhogīs, then where will be the tales of Yogīs and Bhogīs be described? Hence, the Lord, for His play of creation to continue has kept the difference between Yogīs and Bhogīs.
(15-17) It is easy for a Yogī (who practises oneness of thought) to turn into a Bhogī (who indulges in the experience of senses and mind). But turning of a Bhogī into a Yogī with complete renunciation is a task that is very difficult to achieve. That second story of renunciation is being described here, as had happened in the case of Sākyamuni Gautama Buddha, who was also one of the twelve births of Lord Jagannātha as Sadguru in Kaḻi Yuga (On-going Age of Ignorance).
Similar to Buddha, Viśvāmitra gave up His life as a King to become a sage, and after undergoing severe austerities for years, became a Brahmaṛṣi (Sage of the Highest Order).
(18-19) However, the Supreme Lord says that for those who are involved in the play of Puruṣottama, there is no restriction in practicing life as a householder. The Lord ordains them to stay in a bliss filled state, as they see the Lord everywhere and in every action. They do all activities like Bhogīs would do, but their sole focus is the Lord’s feet – a trait that Yogīs have. They are neither Bhogīs who are indulged in the senses, nor Yogīs who have followed the path of complete renunciation, but they on the other hand practise to stay like a droplet of water on the Lotus leaf.
(20-21) In such way when one surrenders, living in the world like a Bhogī yet with sole focus like that of a Yogī, the Supreme Lord Himself plays with them. This play is called the Rāsa Līḻā (Play of Aesthetics), the divine dance of love and spiritual union between the Jivātma (Soul of Being) and Paramātma (Soul of Supreme), as had happened between the Gopī Gopāḻa (Cowherd Boys and Damsels) and Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Dvāpara Yuga.
(22-24) The Lord at the end advises that the best path in the present age is to quit wondering about who or what is a Yogī and Bhogī, and surrender all thoughts and actions onto Him, serving His lotus feet, experiencing pure bliss, irrespective of which path one chooses. One may accept this as an order from the Supreme Lord considering Him as their Guru, else as an advise from the Supreme authority, either way, such surrender would lead to the Supreme.
Disclaimer:
The Divine Revelations extracted and presented here in their original and uncorrupted form have made heavy incorporation of Chanda (Poetic Metre and Crypt), have multiple meanings and ingrain deep symbolism which make them very difficult to understand. While the same Sūkti (Divine Revelation) may also be understood and interpreted differently by different seekers and teachers of Spiritualism, all paths lead to the same goal towards realisation of Brahma (the Ultimate Truth).
The above Translation and Summarisation is a humble attempt by members of Hari Parivār to interpret and explain the original extraction in context of the Supreme Lord Jagannātha’s prescribed path of Bhāva (Emotion), Bhakti (Devotion) and Prema (Love).
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