Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 4

Sutra 1. Athatho Bhaktim Vyakhyasyaamah.

Now, therefore, we shall expound Bhakti (devotion).

Atha: now

Athah: therefore

Bhaktim: (the doctrine of) devotion,

Vyakhyasyaamah: (we) shall expound.

Atha means now. It is sometimes used in the sense of sequence. It is a word that is used when a subject is begun to invoke the Divine blessing and for the proper closing of the work undertaken. 

It also implies completion of the preliminary conditions. An aspirant cannot take to the deep study of philosophy and spiritual practice without preparation, without proper qualifications.

The aspirant must be endowed with aspiration, faith, devotion, tolerance, patience, perseverance, forgiveness, mercy, serenity, cheerfulness, courage, non-violence, truthfulness,  purity or  Brahmacharya, spirit of self-less service, dispassion, renunciation and one-pointed mind. This is the preparation for the love of God.

The aspirant should have faith in the grace of God. He must have intense desire to attain god realisation. He must have deep interest in the study of scriptures. He must have faith in the scripture and in the capacity of the Teacher. He must have the capacity to understand. He must be free from disabilities and must have all possible opportunities and favorable circumstances. Then alone he is fit to practise Bhakti. Then alone he will he profited.

Atha: Now: indicates that Narada Rishi is now entering into the exposition of nature of Bhakti and the means of attaining it, after having already expounded the other cults and disciplines of Karma, Jnana, etc.

Athah therefore, alludes to the reasons that prompted Narada to propound the Bhakti Sastra, viz.. Bhakti itself leads to God-realisation and escape from samsara. It is the easiest path. It can be followed by any one. It is a help to those who aspire for Jnana. Even Jnani like Sankara, Madu Sudhana, Suka Dev took to Bhakti after realisation to enjoy the sweetness and loving relationship with God. Narada himself likes Bhakti most and is eager to share his bliss of love with others.

Continued........

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 3

One reason for studying Narada’s Bhakti Sutra is just that, i.e, we need it as an essential sadhana . Secondly, bhakti, properly understood, is not simply intense tapasya as it is depicted in puranic stories.

In the study of Narada’s Bhakti Sutra, we will see inseparability of bhakti and jnana . We will see the deeper and more profound meaning of bhakti ; more than devotion to God or divine love. At its highest level, bhakti is enlightenment!

It is important to understand that bhakti is not a gradual process that progresses from desire (kama, which is romantic love or sexual attraction) to emotional love (prema) to bhakti. Although, all three have some element of love, they are all completely different from one another. 

A good way to understand any absence of a continuum among the three is to consider the metaphor of a seed (kama) giving rise to a tree (prema) and the tree bearing a fruit (bhakti). 

Although the tree arises from the seed, and the fruit from the tree, the tree and the seed are very different and so are the tree and the fruit. Tree is not a bigger form of the seed and the fruit is not an intens e form of tree. 

Similarly, bhakti is not an intense form of conventional or emotion based love and emotional love is not physical love or sexual attraction. Physical love is rooted in the physiology of the body like desire for food and water. Emotional love, as between a husband and a wife or between parent and child is located in the mind.

Bhakti, in its highest form, referred to as “parama prema” (supreme love), transcends love; it is limitless and infinite love. No matter how intense the conventional love is, it’s not bhakti . 

Continued....

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 2

Bhakti Yoga is the one Yoga which directly appeals to the feelings of man. Apara Bhakti is lower Bhakti. It is a premature stage in devotion. Mature stage of subjective experience is known as Para Bhakti. 

The devotee has ineffable inner experience of unsurpassing bliss and illumination. He has God-realisation.

There are two stages in Apara or lower Bhakti. The first stage is called Gauna or secondary ; the second stage is Mukhya or primary. 

In Gauna Bhakti there is the influence of Rajo Guna; in Mukhya Bhakti there is influence of Sattva Guna. The mind is calm and serene.

Meditation becomes firm and steady. The devotee is in the presence of God. He is conscious of duality.

In Para Bhakti the devotee attains the full grace of the Lord, knowledge and full illumination. He merges in the Lord; he loses his identity. He becomes one with the Lord.

Your happiness depends upon the nature of the object on which you set your heart. The only true object of love is the Lord who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient and all-merciful.

Love of God or devotion is more a practice than a

philosophy. Devotion dethrones the ego and enthrones the Lord in its place. 

The climax of love is the love of God. Service of the saints, association with the saints, study of Bhakti literature, charity, self-restraint, humility, Japa, Kirtan, praver — this is the preparation for the love of God. 

ORIGIN OF NARADA BHAKTI SUTRAS

Sri Veda Vyasa was staying in his hermitage of Badarikasrama. One day Narada went to the Ashram in the course of his wanderings. Sri Vyasa welcomed the Rishi with due rites and said, 

“Man seeks freedom etc. But without devotion it is dry. Devotion does not lead directly to the goal. Knowledge bestows freedom, etc. But without devotion, it is dry. Devotion is the only way for attaining salvation. All the others have importance only in so far as they are auxiliary to it. I humbly ask you to explain to me the virtue of devotion.”

Narada said, “Your disciple Jaimini has already discussed

about action (KARMA) in the PurvaMimamsa. You have yourself completed the enquiry of the problem of knowledge in the Uttara-Mimamsa.

Now you have taken up the problem of devotion. Its full explanation will be given by you in your Srimad Bhagavatam. I shall explain Bhakti in the form of Sutras.” 

So saying Narada delivered a discourse on devotion in 84 aphorisms.

The collection of these Sutras forms a short treatise, known as "Narada-Bhakti Sutras".

Love.