Sutra 7. Saa Na Kaamayamaana Nirodharoopatwat.
(Bhakti (supreme love) is not of the nature of lust (desire),
because it is of the form of renunciation.)
Saa: it that
(i.e. Bhakti described as Paramapremarupa in Sutra 2)
na: not
Kaamayamaana: of the nature of lust;
Nirodharoopatwat: being of the form of renunciation.
Bhakti is not led by desires, because it finds expression
in the inhibition of all desires. The inhibition of all desires is not a total
annihilation or extinction of all activities.
Kaamayamaana: It means “of the nature of Kama”. “Kama” is
not only sexual lust but desire in general.
Kaama is love for
objects (which are not connected to Bhagavan) which when consumed by any of the
senses gives us pleasure. It is well known and self-explanatory.
We have
something we really enjoy doing or consuming, we consume it or do it and we
feel happy. This is Kaama.
Bhakti
is love for Bhagavan. This love may be present due to different reasons. One
possible reason (and popular, perhaps) is that the mind finds peace if it
believes in the presence of a benevolent protector of oneself who is
all-powerful and all-knowing and all-forgiving.
This belief is strengthened by
a number of experiences that one may have and the life of persons who have
moral, ethical and spiritual purity.
This
peace calms the mind, and a calm mind
is the source of happiness in itself.
Bhakti may also arise due to the understanding that Ishwara is in the form of
everything one loves, i.e., in and through all the underlying sense-objects of
Kaama, it is only Bhagavan that exists really.
In an earlier post, we have dealt with the flow of Kama and how the flow can be reversed to attain Moksha.
Let us revise the same in an earlier manner now.
- Man's life is filled with Kama, Love for objects as explained above.
- All objects, all human beings - everything is matter created by God and man spends several births in pursuit of Satisfaction / Happiness by running after all objects created by the God.
- Along side, he is also spending some time for pursuing God in every birth.
- At last, there comes a birth where, man, after getting tired of the "temporary happiness" that he gets out of all worldly objects, turns towards the source of all those objects- GOD.
(Swami, pointing out at few Ex students who served Swami 24/7 by being with Swami, serving Swami in every possible way and said in a discourse- "while the entire world comes to me for fulfilling their desires for worldly objects and pray to me to fulfill such desires, these are the boys who said- Swami, you are serving the world tirelessly, we just need one thing in our life, to Love you and to serve you)
(In the Navavida Bhakti, when the state of Saakhyam is reached where the Bhakta sees and experiences God as his friend, the Bhakta says, by being God's friend itself, if it is so wonderful, then How would it be when I exist as God Himself - this thought takes him to the last culmination- ATMA NIVEDANAM)
- If the objects in this world can give some happiness for some moments and all / many such objects put together can give a higher satisfaction for a longer time, then the devotee now turns to God and wonders, "If I desire and reach the source of all these objects, the God Himself, then will it not result in ever lasting happiness, ever lasting bliss??".
- Thus, Love for Objects or Kama also ultimately culminates in Love for God only.
Whereas, in this sutra, we are taking about SA NA KAMYAMAANA - i.e., Sage Narada talks about the one who has already crossed the above flow of Love for Objects and has reached SA - The Parama Prema Rupa, God!!!.
Then, How such a Bhakta can ever indulge in Kama - whether sexual or any other objective pleasure????
Continued..........
Love.
