Ramakrishna

God cannot be realized through mere scholarly reasoning. One is able to realize God just through love. Ecstasy of feeling, devotion, love, and faith – these are the means.

The bliss of worship and communion with God is the true wine, the wine of ecstatic love. The goal of human life is to love God, Bhakti is the one essential thing.

What is needed is absorption in God – loving Him intensely. The 'Nectar Lake' is the Lake of Immortality. A man sinking in It does not die, but becomes immortal. Some people believe that by thinking of God too much the mind becomes deranged; but that is not true. God is the Lake of Nectar, the Ocean of Immortality. He is called the 'Immortal' in the Vedas. Sinking in It, one does not die, but verily transcends death.

- Sri Ramakrishna

Mata Amritanandamayi

“The common expression is ‘I love you.’ But instead of ‘I love you,’ it would be better to say, ‘I am love — I am the embodiment of pure love.’ Remove the I and you, and you will find that there is only love. It is as if love is imprisoned between the I and you. Remove the I and you, for they are unreal; they are self-imposed walls that don’t exist. The gulf between I and you is the ego. When the ego is removed the distance disappears and the I and you also disappear. They merge to become one — and that is love. You lend the I and you their reality. Withdraw your support and they will disappear. Then you will realise, not that ‘I love you,’ but that ‘I am that all-embracing love.’

- Mata Amritanandamayi

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........