Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 1

Dear All,

Swami Says 'A true devotee is one who understands the principle of unity and acts accordingly. Non-dualism is true devotion. Share your love with others without any expectation. Love everybody only for the sake of love. When you extend your love to others, you can attain the state of non-dualism. The love that you experience at physical and worldly plane day in and day out is not true love at all! True love is that which is focused on one form, one path and one goal. It is a great mistake to divide love and divert it in different directions. Love is God. God is love. Live in love."

(Divine Discourse 13.4.2005)

Author had been thinking about the next theme for few days. It then came from within to present Devotion as LOVE in the next theme.

Thought of Narada Bhakti Sutra came instantly.  So, we will, together, immerse in the nectarine song of Love, Narada Bhakti Sutra in days to come.

Swami Sivananda writes in his introduction to this song of Love thus:-

DEVOTION

The path of Bhakti consists of a gradation of steps. The desire for release from the evil of mortality and the sufferings is its starting point. Para Bhakti or Higher devotion is its goal. It is Para Bhakti that leads to Mukti .

Subsidiary to Para Bhakti, Ekanta-bhava, whole hearted devotion, there are various forms of devotional states, 81 in number.

Illiterates, females, outcastes — are all equally competent to follow the path of devotion. Desire for release or Mumukshatwa is the minimum qualification.

An objector says, God is far above the power of comprehension of man. How, then, can one cultivate devotion to Him ?

Live in the company of saints. Hear the Lilas of God. Study the sacred scriptures. Worship Him first in His several forms as manifested in the world. Worship any image or picture of the Lord or Guru. Recite His name. Sing His glories. You will develop devotion.

According to some Jnana is instrumental in the cultivation of Bhakti, while others say that they are mutually dependent. But Narada says that Bhakti is the fruit or result of itself.

Devotion is the highest sentiment. Narada has dealt with the subject from the point of view of sentiment alone. Whereas the Bhakti-Mimamsa of Sandilya is an enquiry into the philosophy of devotion.

The two treatises are companions. They supplement each other.

When the devotee grows in devotion there is absolute self-forgetfulness. This is called Bhava. Bhava then grows into Maha-Bhava wherein the devotee lives, moves and has his being in the Lord. This is parama-prema, the consummation of love or supreme love.  

By fixing the mind on the Lord through love, hate, fear, friendship many have attained God-realisation, e.g., the Gopis through love, Kamsa through fear, Sisupala through hate, the Vrishnis through relationship.

Continued........