4 TYPES OF DEVOTEES

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In the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 7, Verse 16), Lord Krishna describes four types of devotees (bhaktas) who worship Him:

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THE FOUR TYPES OF DEVOTEES

Type	Sanskrit Term	Description	Motivation
1. The Distressed	Ārta (आर्त)	Those who turn to God in times of suffering, crisis, or pain	Seeking relief from immediate difficulties; prayer born from desperation
2. The Seeker of Wealth	Arthārthi (अर्थार्थी)	Those who worship God desiring material prosperity, success, or worldly gains	Seeking fulfillment of desires; transactional devotion
3. The Curious/Seeker of Knowledge	Jijñāsu (जिज्ञासु)	Those who approach God with intellectual curiosity, wanting to understand truth and reality	Seeking wisdom, understanding the nature of God and existence
4. The Wise/Enlightened	Jñāni (ज्ञानी)	Those who worship God with complete knowledge of His true nature; love God for God's sake alone	Pure devotion without any personal agenda; divine love (prema)

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KRISHNA'S VERDICT:

All four are noble - Krishna honors all who turn toward the Divine, regardless of their initial motivation. Even those who come seeking relief or wealth are on a spiritual path.

But the Jñāni is supreme - Krishna says in verse 7.17:

"Of these, the wise one (jñāni) who is ever steadfast and devoted to Me alone excels. I am exceedingly dear to the jñāni, and he is dear to Me."

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THE PROGRESSION:

This teaching reveals a spiritual evolution:

1. Ārta → Crisis drives you to God (fear-based)
2. Arthārthi → You see God as provider (desire-based)
3. Jijñāsu → You seek to understand God (curiosity-based)
4. Jñāni → You love God as your very Self (love-based, non-dual)

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ADVAITA PERSPECTIVE:

From Advaita, the jñāni represents the devotee who has realized non-duality:

• Recognizes that devotee and Divine are ultimately one
• Worship becomes Self-recognition rather than supplication
• Love flows without any sense of separation or transaction
• This is para-bhakti (supreme devotion) merged with jñāna (knowledge)

TAGLINE: All paths to God are honored, but the one who loves God as their own Self—having transcended all seeking—is dearest to the Divine.