Sunday, February 25, 2018

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 21


Sutra 9. Tasminnananyata Tadvirodhishooda - seenatha cha. 

(Nirodha also means single-minded devotion to the Lord and indifference to all that is antagonistic to the same)

Tasmin: in Him, in that 

Ananyata: single-heartedness, identification, complete unification 

Tadvirodhishu: in respect of what is opposed to it

Udaseenata: indifference

cha: and.

In this verse, two expressions of a true Bhakta in his advanced stage in Bhakti / love for God assume paramount significance.

1) ANANYATA

Anya means "other". When a prefix "AN" is added to anyata, then the expression becomes "NO OTHER".

It means, Nothing other than God.  This stage is reached after years of single pointed devotion / love towards God.

Let us understand the significance of this "Single pointed" in 2 stages in Love for God.

When we go for trekking, we often find that the path is steep, it is slippery and once we slip, we may fall down in the deep valley. 

How much we are focussed in this situation to be careful not to slip and fall down in the valley??

Similarly, in the early stage in Devotion / love for God, we need to be highly focussed towards God, focus our mind towards God because we know heart of heart that the same mind can take us away from our focus and we can easily slip down in our spiritual path to the deep valley of this glittering world.

However, what happens when we have gained expertise in trekking

Our feet swiftly trek the path and we are quite at ease. The focus is spontaneous and we do not have to take any effort, we don't have to be extra cautious. 

We then are like those people residing in those mountain huts, who can actually run up / run down with ease, without any worry of slipping / falling down.

This is the state of a Bhakta / True lover of God who is intoxicated in God's love (Mattah Bhavati).  His mind can no more jump to any desire / any object in this material world. 

He does not have to deliberate and exercise caution / control / restraint on his mind. His mind is now fully focussed or rather merged in God consciousness. 

This explains the state of "ANANYATA", None other than God.

2) UDASEENTA - Indifference towards worldly objects.

This essentially flows from the first - Ananyata.

Lord Krishna says, “An Udaseen (indifferent man) is dear to me.” Chapt. XII — 16. 

Chinmaya exemplifies this with a lucid example 

" A couple with his son go to the Bazaar.

The child's focus is on the toy displayed in a shop

Wife's focus is on a beautiful saree displayed in a saree shop.

Husband's focus is on a Blazer / Tie displayed in a shop.

The husband may be totally indifferent to toy and saree. Wife may have nothing to do with the blazer and the toy. The child has no cognizance to the blazer and tie.

Thus, each one of the three, since he / she / that child is focussed on their own point of interest, they are indifferent to the other two objects".

Whereas a Lover of God knows only God and only his love for God and is indifferent towards the whole world. No saree / No blazer / No toy / Nothing in the world attracts him any more.

Udaseenata is purely a mental state. Queen Chudalai was a perfect Udaseen, though she reigned a dominion but her husband Sikhidwaja was attached to his begging bowl and walking stick though he lived in a forest.

A man may be attached to even a  fountain-pen he owns, whereas a king like Janaka may be a perfect Udaseen though he is amidst luxuries. Living as a King, he was totally indifferent to his throne, his palace and all the luxury he enjoyed!!

Thus, udaseenta is the state of a Bhakta, whether he is in forest or in busy city, whether he is a sanyasi or a grahastha, whether he is a CEO or a cobbler!!!

Love.