Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 32

Sutra 20. Astyevamevam.

(There are such and such instances. Examples do exist of such perfect expression of Bhakti. So it is.)

Evam evam: such and such, thus and thus (Udaharanam: example)

Asti: exists, there is.

The next Sutra will illustrate the view of Narada.

Bhakti is exactly as described in the foregoing aphorism.

Sutra 21. Yatha vrajagopikaanaam.

(As for instance, in the case of the cow-maids of Vraja or Brindavan.)

Vrajagopikaanaam: in the case of the Gopis of Vraja; the cow-maids of Vraja or Brindawan.

Although there have been great devotees like Sri Suka, Uddhava, Valmiki and others, Narada mentions the illiterate women of Vraja, as examples of the highest devotion. They played with Sri Krishna and identified themselves with Him in complete devotion.

They cared not for family tradition, reputation and personal comfort in order to live in perfect devotion to Lord Krishna. They said, “Wherever we look, we find Shyama in the dark rain cloud, in the black pupils of our eyes, in the dark Tamal tree leaves, in the blue waters of Jumna, in the blue sky etc.”

Pure, divine love definitely exercises a levelling influence. It removes all inequalities and brings the lover and the Beloved on the same level. It results in the fusion of personalities.

The Gopis were the crest-jewels among the devotees of the Lord. The love of the Gopis to the Lord cannot be adequately described in words. They dedicated their bodies, minds, possessions, souls, and their all to the Lord. They always sang the Lord’s glories with their voices choked with emotion.

Lord Krishna spoke to them, “You have cut all domestic ties for my sake. I cannot repay the debt of yours by serving you even for the life time of a celestial being. Please relieve Me from this liability out of your own generosity.”

The Lord says, “The Gopis have given themselves up to me, their heart and soul. They think that I am their life. They have abandoned all their closest relatives for my sake. I ever support those who cast aside all worldly pleasures for my sake.”

(Bhagavat X-46 chapter, verse 4. )

Th Gopis surrendered all their actions at the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. They experienced acute agony if they missed His presence even for a moment. When they heard the sweet, melodious flute of their beloved they left their houses while milking the cows. 

With minds absorbed in Krishna they rushed forth to where their lover was, without taking notice of each other. They gave up their household duties, with clothes and ornaments all in disorder, they hurriedly went to Krishna. 

Dear All,

Throughout the posts under this theme, it is experienced that the author mentions / writes something on a post and finds that in the next sutra / within the next few Sutras, the same subject is being dealt.

Yesterday, he had to write on the Gopis when the subject was "Vyakulta" and today, he finds the Sutra itself is on the Gopis!!!

All His will!!

For understanding the divine love which Gopis had for their Krishna, one has to exist as / in the state of a Gopi heart of heart / one has to reach that state of Ananya prema towards God, otherwise, the love of Gopis portrayed in Rasa Leela can never be understood by human beings with perverted mind.

If one looks at the Rasa Leela as a sport between a male and many females, then he / she has not even understood 0.1% of the divine love Gopis had for Krishna.

For them, Krishna was not a male and they were not female.

At the peak of their Prema for Krishna, they had lost their identity as female totally, they forgot that they were human beings, that they were in Brindavan, that it was a moon light, that Krishna was a male, that they were sporting with Krishna. 

All that existed was LOVE in its SUPREME ESSENCE.

With a human mind which discriminates between male and female, which recognizes the biological / physical attractions / sex etc between a male and a female, the divine love of Gopis for Krishna can never ever be known or experienced!!

Love.

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 31

Sutra 19. Naradastu tadarpitaakhilaachaarata tadvismaran Paramavyaakulateti.

(But Narada is of opinion that the essential characteristics of Bhakti are the consecration of all observances and activities through complete self-surrender to the Lord and extreme anguish in the event of forgetting Him.)

Narada: Devarshi Narada;

Tu: however, in distinction from others

Tadarpitaakhilaachaarata : the state of one who has consecrated all observances and all activities to the Lord through Self-surrender

Tadvismarane: In the event of forgetting Him

Param Vyakulata: extreme anguish

Iti : thus  

Is such a climax ever attainable ? Yes, certainly. It is not at all an impracticable ideal, because there are instances.

Narada has in the above three Sutras given us the ideas of Vyasa, Garga and Sandilya. In this Sutra he is giving his own opinion .

Sutra 16 refers to devotion in actions, 

Sutra 17 to devotion in speech,

Sutra 18 lays stress on devotion in mind. 

Devotion to God in thought, word and deed is very essential for a truly spiritual life. Narada says that there cannot be real devotion unless there is complete self-surrender in every aspect of our life.

When the devotee lives solely for his Lord then he is a real Bhakta. 

It is this mental condition that truly represents supreme devotion or Para Bhakti. Complete self surrender is the prime characteristic of Bhakti.

Tu: This is introduced to indicate the difference between the previous definition of Bhakti and what Narada says.

In self-surrender there is the effacement of the ego. Any selfless work performed without egoism, with the attitude of self-surrender has a real place in devotional or spiritual life. It is a real offering to the Lord. God is pleased immensely.

The devotee gets parama-vyakulata when he forgets his beloved. Lord Gouranga, Mira and the Gopis of Brindawan exhibited this sign. This is Viraha-agni (pain from separation of the Lord). 

This feeling can hardly be described in words. It has to be felt. It breaks the heart of the devotee. 

The anguish / Vyakulta of Gopikas when they could not see Krishna after being with the Lord for some time in the Rasa Lila, described by Swami Sivananda, is the epitome of Vyakulta and a part of the same is reproduced below.

Sri Suka said: At the sudden disappearance of the Lord, the damsels of Vraja (Vrajanganas) became disconsolate. As they were not able to find Him, they were greatly distressed like the she-elephants which miss their leader. 

Their hearts began to burn in the fire of separation. Their hearts had been so much taken up by the gestures, piercing glances, delightful conversation, sports and frolics and movements of Sri Krishna, that they began to act like Him in a variety of ways. So they imitated His deeds and even called themselves Krishna.

“In gait, smiles, looks, way of talking, movement and the like, they all behaved like Sri Krishna. They exhibited in themselves His deportment and graceful activities. They completely identified themselves with Krishna, each one saying to the other, ‘I am Krishna.’

“They all sang loudly together His praise and searched for Krishna from forest to forest. They enquired of the trees, the whereabouts of the best of Purushas, who, like ether, is present inside the hearts of all beings and also in the outside world.

“They said, ‘O Asvattha, O Plakshya, O Nyagrodha, have you seen the son of Nanda, who has just disappeared stealing our hearts with His lovely smiles and glances?

‘O Kuruvaka, O Asoka, O Naga, O Punnaga, O Champaka! Did Balarama’s younger brother, whose very smiles put down the pride of proud women and drive away the anger of offended damsels, go this way?

‘O blessed Tulasi, so intensely attached to the feet of Govinda! Did you see thy most beloved Achyuta who always bears thee with the bees on His person?

‘O Malati, O Mallika, O Jati, O Juthika! Have you seen Madhava who has gladdened you with the touch of His hands?

‘O Chuta (mango tree), O Priyala, O Panasa, O Kovidara Asana, Jambu, Arka, O Asoka, Bilva Bakula, Amra, Rasala, Kadamba, Nipa, O you other trees! You who live for the sake of others and dwell near the banks of the holy Yamuna, tell us where Krishna is, point out to us the way which Krishna has followed.

‘O Earth! What great austerity hast thou performed that thou shinest now with thy hair standing on end and enjoyest the joy of being touched by the feet of Keshava? Is thy joy caused by the touch of the Lord’s feet at present, or was it caused by the tread of Trivikrama on Thy surface or was it caused by the embrace of the Lord when He had assumed the form of a boar?

‘O deer, O friend! Did Achyuta pass this way with His dearest lady giving joy to your eyes with His graceful face and limbs? It seems He did so, because here blows the fragrance of the garland composed of the Kunda flower of Krishna, which has been smeared with the saffron on the bosom of His beloved lady when He had embraced her.

‘O trees! Did Balarama’s brother go this way with His one arm on the shoulder of His beloved one and a lotus in the other, followed by the intoxicated bees on the Tulasi? Did He accept your prostrations with His loving glance?

‘O friends! Let us ask these creepers which twine round the branches of the trees, their Lords. They are certainly touched by His fingers. Hence they thrill with joy.’

They wandered here and there. They were fatigued in their search for Krishna. They developed a still deeper stage of divine love. They perfectly identified themselves with Lord Krishna and began to imitate the various sports of the Lord. One of them acted as Putana, while another played the part of Lord Krishna and sucked her breast. One identified herself with a cart, while another crying as infant Krishna gave a kick with one foot and overturned the cart.

Another lady imitated the acts of the Daitya Trinavarta and carried another lady who acted the part of infant Krishna. One Gopi began to crawl like baby Krishna dragging the feet jingling sounds. One Gopi, acted as Sri Krishna and another as Sri Balarama. Many others acted as cowherd boys. One acted as Vatsasura and another as Bakasura. One struck at another who acted as Vatsasura and another at some one who acted as Baka.

One like Krishna shouted for the cows at a distance calling them by their names and played as it were upon the flute. Other Gopis applauded her with ejaculations of ‘Well done, well done.’

A gopi whose mind was absorbed in Krishna placed her arm on the shoulder of another lady and began to walk and said to the others present, ‘I am Krishna: behold my graceful gait.’ Another Gopi said, ‘O people of Vraja, do not be afraid of this rain and storm. See I am providing you with shelter.’ So saying she imitated the act of uplifting the Govardhana hill, by lifting up her upper cloth with one hand.

One Gopi said, ‘O cowherds! Behold this terrible forest conflagration. Shut your eyes soon. I shall quickly bring about your welfare.’

One Gopi climbed on the shoulder of another, placed her feet on the other’s head and said, “O wicked serpent; get away; do you not know that I have been born as a chastiser of the wicked?’

“One Gopi acted the part of Yasoda, and tied another who acted as Sri Krishna to a third, who stood for the wooden mortar and said, ‘Here I find the thief who has stolen the butter after having broken the pot.’ The Gopi who acted the part of Sri Krishna covered her face with her palms and began to tremble like one in fear."

Dear readers,

Can the anguish on being away from Lord be described in any better manner??

Ultimately, all this anguish, on attainment of God, culminates in supreme attainment and then it is all Silence!!!. Have we not read how Mattah leads to Stabdha and then ultimately to Atma ramo Bhavati in an earlier post??

Love.

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 30

Sutra 18 . Atmaratyavirodheneti Sandilya.

(The sage Sandilya thinks that it must be without hindrance to the enjoyment of bliss in the Atman )

Atmarati-avirodhena: without hindrance to the enjoyment of bliss in the Atman

Iti : Thus

Sandilya : sage, 

(to be understood as Sandilya Manyate:, Sandilya thinks).

The sage Sandilya holds that it must be without being opposed  the delight in the Atman.

This is a difficult verse at the surface level. Let is try to understand the verse clearly.

Sage Vyaasa has explained Bhakti as attachment to God.

Sage Garga has explained that Bhakti is getting immersed in talks of / on divine Lord.

What Sage Sandilya explains here is the ultimate attainment in the path of devotion.

The sage, as though, points out that all Pooja, all rituals, all immersing in glory of God, all so called emotions towards God, should ultimately culminate in finding the God within, merging with God and attainment of / experience of ultimate Bliss / Ananda.

Without reading this verse, Author,  in the previous post also, had written on the significance of all rituals / incense sticks / mala / alter etc. and was upheld with a concluding line that all this should elevate the devotee to a higher level and he should not get stuck up with these props and these rituals for ever.

Sage Sandilya means exactly the same in this verse.

To be more clear, all the joy, all the inner experience which happens when a devotee visits a Sai centre, immerses himself when someone renders a nice bhajan, when a devotee visits any temple / any place of worship, closes his eyes when the Aarti is performed or, to be very precise, when Swami comes for darshan and approaches a devotee, something happens to him deep within, the devotee does not exist with his body, his mind, his intellect at that moment, the devotee does not exist as an individual, the devotee is not conscious of his physical existence and it is his soul which has touched the universal soul that is SAI. The tears that roll over is proof that the soul has touched the soul.

ALL SUCH EXPERIENCES ARE NOT THE EXPERIENCE OF HIS MIND BUT AT ALL SUCH MOMENTS, HIS SOUL / HIS SELF / HIS ATMAN IS AWAKENED AND THE JOY OR BLISS EXPERIENCED IS THE JOY / BLISS OF THE SELF / SPIRIT / ATMAN.

This particular verse and its commentary requires  deep contemplation especially for those who have not actually thought of their experience in their devotion in the way it is explained in this verse.

Love.

PS - It is precisely due to the truth revealed in this verse / sutra that it is recognized that Bhakti in its true sense MUST culminate in Jnana.

i.e., Bhakti, though has the background of duality with Bhakta separate from Bhagwan, when it is in its purest and most intense state, must and does end the duality between the devotee and the God and culminates in Non Dual State where, the individual spirit / soul / atman of the devotee merges with the universal spirit / soul / Brahman!!!.

Love.