Love is blind and only faith matters
Love is often said to be blind, while faith is seen as the light that guides us. But what happens when faith itself becomes blind, and love gets tangled in a web of expectations and desires? In the Bollywood-style romances we adore, love is portrayed as an all-consuming force, oblivious to flaws and reason. Yet, true love—prem—is something else entirely. As the Bhagavad Gita (3.37) reminds us, love in its purest form is free from attachment and selfish desires. Blind faith (andhi shraddha), on the other hand, is a dangerous game. It can lead us down a path where we think we’re moving toward salvation, but in reality, we’re just chasing illusions.
श्री भगवानुवाच काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः । महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥ 3.7 ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.
The Problem with Blind Faith
Kabir, the great mystic poet, captured the absurdity of blind faith in his timeless verses:
माटी का नाग बनाके पुजे लोग लुगाया। जिंदा नाग जब घर में निकले ले लाठी धमकाया।। जिंदा बाप कोई ना पूजे मरे बाद पुजवाया। मुट्ठी भर चावल लेके कौवे को बाप बनाया।।
These lines hit hard, don’t they? They expose the hypocrisy of worshipping lifeless idols while ignoring the living beings around us. We revere the dead but neglect the living. We create rituals and symbols to feel closer to the divine, but in doing so, we often lose sight of what spirituality is really about. Blind faith becomes a way to avoid thinking, a tool to control people. And this is where many religions falter—they promise rewards after death, keeping us stuck in a cycle of waiting and hoping. But spirituality? That’s a different story. It’s about being present, about using the intellect (buddhi) that the divine has gifted us. It’s about breaking free from the illusions of the mind and the traps of blind faith.
The Mind’s Illusions and the Web of Maya
Wherever you are, be there fully. Sounds simple, right? But the mind, with its varying levels of intelligence (IQ), is constantly weaving intricate webs of illusion (maya). People often turn to devotion (bhakti) as an escape, a way to avoid the hard work of thinking deeply. But here’s the catch: the same mind that creates these illusions is the one you’ll need to use to break free from them. And let’s be honest—thinking is exhausting. When you’re single, you crave the love of a partner. When you’re married, you long for liberation (moksha). The subject keeps changing, but the duality remains, and so does the energy we waste chasing one thing after another. True liberation doesn’t require you to leave your home or renounce the world. If salvation is meant for you, it will find you wherever you are. But for that, you need faith—real faith. Unfortunately, in today’s world, faith has been drowned out by the noise of social media and endless distractions. Spirituality is like a game of cat and mouse. You have to catch it yourself. No amount of reading books or listening to others will help if you don’t apply what you learn. But beware of the ego—it’s a sly, cunning force. It will whisper in your ear, “What nonsense is this? Why waste your time on spirituality?” It will try to convince you that Kabir’s wisdom or the Gita’s teachings are outdated. But remember, the problem isn’t the wisdom—it’s the ego.
Love Without Attachment
Love changes as we grow older, doesn’t it? That’s because it’s often tied to attachment (moh). As children, we experience the love of a mother, a father, friends, and teachers. But this love is almost always accompanied by a desire for something in return. That desire is moh. True love begins when you remove moh from your relationships. The day you can love your friends, your spouse, or even God without expecting anything in return, you’ll experience what pure love really feels like. But let’s be real—this is a lifelong journey. Even I haven’t been able to fully achieve it, though I try. The pull of maya is strong, and I often find myself caught in its traps. But here’s the thing: abandoning your loved ones for the sake of a little wisdom is foolishness. Money, relationships, prestige, and even experiences will all fade away eventually. But the pain of losing people—of being disconnected from them—is the hardest to bear.
The Ego and the Illusions of Modern Life
Even the most enlightened among us struggle with the ego. Take the example of a spiritual guru from IIT Bombay. He renounced everything but couldn’t let go of his IIT degree. Why? Because the ego clings to achievements and identity. And in today’s world, maya has a new weapon: social media. It’s a dangerous tool, one that even the wisest struggle to resist. This is why concepts like renunciation (vairagya) feel outdated in today’s world. The world is moving toward even greater illusions, with artificial intelligence poised to create new layers of maya. The best we can do is to witness it all with love and detachment, watching the grand play of life unfold.
The Final Word: Faith, Love, and the Mind
At the end of the day, it all comes down to faith. Maybe the amrit (nectar of immortality) is truly being distributed at the Kumbh Mela, and millions are attaining liberation. Who knows? Anything is possible in the divine play of maya. But I, for one, will continue to use the intellect that God has given me. Blind faith isn’t the answer, but neither is blind skepticism. The key is balance—faith guided by wisdom. And as for love, it’s the purest force in the universe, but only when it’s stripped of attachment. The journey to pure love and true faith is long and challenging, but it’s the only journey worth taking. So let’s walk this path with open hearts and sharp minds, witnessing the illusions of life while staying rooted in the truth. After all, life is a game of cat and mouse. The only way to win is to play it with love, awareness, and a little bit of humor.