Sunday, May 6, 2018

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 89

Sutra 84. Ya Idam Naaradaproktam Sivaanusaasanam Viswasiti sraddhatte Sa Bhaktimaan Bhavati sa preshtam labhate sa preshtam labhate iti.

[He who believes and has faith in this auspicious teaching expounded by Narada becomes endowed with Bhakti and realises the most beloved Lord, attains the most beloved Lord.]

Ya: who
Idam: this
Naaradaproktam: recited by Narada
Sivaanusaasanam: auspicious teaching
Viswasati: believes
Shraddhate: practises with faith
Sah: he
Bhaktimaan: possessed of devotion
Bhavati: becomes
Preshtam: the most beloved Lord;
Labhate: realises, obtains
Sa: He
Prestham: the most beloved Lord
Labhate: attains
Iti: thus.


This is the Phala Sruti. What is got is the most beloved Lord. Preshta is the object of Love. It is used here as a synonym for the highest goal of human life. 

Iti- thus. This word marks the end of the treatise.

Narada now describes the fruit of devotion. He says that he who believes, respects and practises these holy teachings originally laid down by the first Teacher of Bhakti, Lord Siva, enunciated and elaborated by Devarishi Narada, attains God in the form of the “Beloved.”
  
"Preshtam Labhate"  or "the devotee attains his object of desire / love" is repeated twice in this  sutra. 

This is in line with the upanishad verse in Brahmananda Valli in Taittiriya upanishad which says that when one discovers / realizes Brahman as Sathyam, Jnanam and Anantam in the cave of his heart, along with the realization of Brahman, all his desires are at once fulfilled!!!

So, in the repetition of the line twice, perhaps, the hidden lesson for the Bhaktas who reach to this last verse of the sutra is as under:-

"When, in divine Love, absorbing and practicing and living as the essence of the sutras in this Bhakti treatise, one realizes his Loving God within his heart (1st preshtam labhate), along with that, he attains / gets all the objects of his desire (2nd preshtam labhate), where, the key or the punch expression taught by the author to a few in the taittiriya upanishad session is - "along with realization of God, all his desires are also attained simultaneously and at once - PROVIDED ---- ANY DESIRE IS STILL LEFT OUT UPON REALIZING GOD".

Chinmaya concludes this sutra with these lines, as though emerging from Lord supreme
“Though I am never loath to grant salvation,
I hesitate indeed to grant pure love,
He who wins pure love, surpasses all,
He is adored by men,
He triumphs over the three worlds”


Glory to the Lord ! Glory to Sage Narada !

Glory to all Saints, Bhaktas, Bhagavatas and Mahatmas and all realized masters, Glory to the path of Divine Love !


Om Tat Sat ! Om Santi, Santi, Santi !