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.