Some people think there are four kinds of bhaktas, the suffering (ārta), the needy (arthārthī), the inquisitive (jijñāsu), and the wise (jñānī). This is not true. None of these four are bhaktas. Let’s look at the source of this idea to see what it really says. It is from Bhagavad Gītā, Chapter 7, Text 16 – which is part of a segment that spans from texts 15 to 19.

In 15, Krishna defines four types of “Ill-doers” (duskṛta). Then, in 16, he contrasts them with four types of “good-doers.” (sukṛta). The four types of people mentioned in 16 (the suffering, the needy, the inquisitive, and the wise) are four types of Karmī (“doers”). They are the good type of Karmī (sukarma – sukṛta), contrasted with the bad type outlined in the previous statement (15, duskarma – duskṛta).

What makes them “good”? The bad Karmī mentioned in 15 all share the quality of having very little knowledge about who and what they really are. Their actions are therefore beneficial only to a very limited, “self”-centered self concept. The good Karmī mentioned in 16 share the opposite quality, they all have some amount of knowledge about who and what they are. Therefore their self-concept is integrated with other selves, and with the Root and Master Self (paramātmā). Thus their self-efforts (karma) includes some amount of worship of God (bhajan).

In text 17, Krishna clarifies that of these good doers, the wise (jñānī) unique. They are not actually karmī like the other three. They are a class on their own, “Jñānī,” people who have significant comprehension of who and what they really are.

The other three types tend to gradually progress towards Bhakti by virtue of their good deeds (sukṛti), but the Wise (jñānī) progresses much more rapidly to Bhakti by virtue of their wisdom (jñāna). There is a significant qualitative difference between the worship (bhajan) offered by the three good-doers, compared to the worship offered by the wise. The wise have little or no ulterior motive in their worship. Contrast that with the other three, who worship only in exchange for relief (ārta), favors (arthārthī), or knowledge (jijñāsu). Those who already have knowledge need nothing else. Therefore their worship is constant (nitya) and on the basis of love (priya), not want.

In 17 and 18, Krishna expresses how unique the Wise are, and how much he cherishes them. In 18, specifically, he notes that the type of worship (bhajan) done by a wise person (jñānī) leads to a goal far superior to the blessings bestowed to good-doers. He says he “gives himself” to these jñānī. He establishes a direct, intimate relationship with them (ātmaiva). This is the point at which they are considered Bhakta (bhakta literally means “one who shares.” The one who shares Bhagavan’s being is a bhagavat-bhakta).

In 19, Krishna clarifies one of the central, recurring themes of Bhagavad-Gīta: Love is an evolution of Knowledge (jñāna evolves into bhakti), just as Knowledge is an evolution of Action (karma evolves into jñāna). He explains that it takes a great deal of time for Jñāna to evolve and mature into Bhakti, (bahūnām janmanām ante, jñānavān māṁ prapadyate). It is, therefore, exceedingly rare for any individual to nourish this chain of evolution all the way to this pinnacle (sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ).

This is the complete section, though the conversation of course tapers off gradually in the next few texts. Hopefully now it is clear that the four types of people (suffering, needy, curious, and wise) are not “devotees” or “bhaktas.” It is important to understand this because if we dont, we will mistake “religion” for bhakti.

Source Text

Sanskrit Nagari

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: । माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: ॥१५ ॥

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन । आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ १६ ॥

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते । प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: ॥ १७ ॥

उदारा: सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् । आस्थित: स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् ॥ १८ ॥

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते । वासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ: ॥ १९ ॥

Sanskrit Alphabetic

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ; māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. [15]

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ su-kṛtino ’rjuna; ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha. [16]

teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate; priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ. [17]

udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tv ātmaiva me matam; āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā mām evānuttamāṁ gatim. [18]

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate; vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. [19]

English

15: The four ill-doers [the unintelligent, uncivilized, illusion-stolen-intellectuals, and meglomaniacs] do not defer to me.

16: The four good-doers [suffering, needy, curious, and wise] do worship me.

17: The wise is different from the other three, their devotion is sincere and constant. They are as dear to me as I am to them.

18: They are kind to everyone. They think of everyone as themselves [and thus I think of them as me]. They attain the ultimate sense of union with me.

19: After many lifetimes, they give themselves to me, knowing, “Vāsudeva is everything.” Such Mahātmā are extremely rare.