Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 88

Sutra 83. Ityevam vadanti janajalpanirbhayaa ekamataa kumaara vyaasa suka saandilya Garga Vishnu koundilya seshoddhava aruni bali hanoomad vibheeshanaadayo bhakta- achaarya.

[Thus, the teachers of devotion Sanatkumara. Vyasa, Suka, Saandilya, Garga, Vishnu, Koundillya, Sesha, Uddhava, Aruni, Bali, Hanuman, Vibheeshana etc., proclaim unanimously in this strain, without fear of the carping criticisms of men.]

Ityevam : in the manner described above,

Jana Jalpa Nirbhayaa: fearless of the prattle of people

Ekamatah: of unanimous opinion. Kumara, Vyasa, Suka, Sandilya, Garga, Vishnu, Kaundillya, Sesha, Uddhava, Aruni, Bali, Hanuman, Vibhishana and others Bhaktacharyaa: teachers of devotion

Vadanti: say, declare.

The names given above are of the highest personalities in the realm of devotees, who held the same view as the Rishi Narada on this subject.

They are not afraid of being criticised by anyone, because they have the inner conviction of spiritual experience.

Giving the reference of other principal teachers of the path of Bhakti, Narada strengthens his own point of view.

Kumara is Sanatkumara who was Guru of Narada. He is constantly engaged in the Japa of the Mantra, “Hari Saranam” (Refuge to Sri Hari). He is the prince among Bhaktas. He is one of the pioneers in the path of devotion.

Sandilya, the author of Sandilya Sutras is an Acharya in the path of Bhakti.

Garga is an ancient Rishi. He obtained knowledge of the 64 Vidyas from Siva Himself as a result of penance and worship. He performed the Namakarana ceremony of Sri Krishna. He knew Sri Krishna to be Parabrahman. He is a great authority on astrology. His teaching is recorded as Garga Samhita.

Maharishi Vishnu was a reputed author of Smriti. He was ever absorbed in meditation. 

Lord Sesha is engaged day and night in singing the praises of Sri Hari through his thousand tongues. He is the teacher of servant-sentiment, Dasya Bhav.

Uddhava was the most intimate friend of Sri Krishna. 

Aruni is Nimbarcharya who brought forth the idea of Radha-Krishna Love. 

Bali was he very embodiment of the sentiment of self-surrender. Moved by his devotion Lord Hari had to undertake the duty of a watchman at his gate.

Hanuman is the greatest devotee. He had Dasya Bhav.

Vibheeshana gained the friendship of Lord Rama through Hanuman. All these Acharyas of Bhakti have established the supremacy of Bhakti through the examples of their lives.

This Sutra indicates that Bhakti is a practical method of approaching God which has been adopted with success by a good many devotees placed in different stations in life, that this treatise is a compendium of their views written by one who himself has practised what he preaches and that it is worth while to follow and profit by the teachings of these disinterested Masters of Bhakti.

With one more concluding Sutra, we will come to the end of this wonderful  work - Narada Bhakti Sutra 

Love.