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.

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 87

Dear All, 

Let us continue further on the previous sutra which says,

"[Bhakti, or Divine Love, though in itself one only, manifests itself in the following eleven forms: 

(1) Love of the glorification of the Lord’s blessed qualities,

(2) Love of his enchanting beauty, 

(3) Love of worship, 

(4) Love of constant remembrance, 

(5) Love of service, 

(6) Love of Him as a friend, 

(7) Love of Him as a son, 

(8) Love for Him as that of a wife for her husband, 

(9) Love of self-surrender to Him, 

(10) Love of complete absorption in Him, 

(11) Love of the pain of separation from Him.]".

1) Guna maahatmya Aasakti  (Glorifying Lord's blessed qualities)

In this, the devotee's smouldering Love Divine is constantly fed by the repeated remembrance of the glories and virtues of the Lord.

Narada, Vyaasa, Sukhdev are the devotees who pursued this mode.

2) Roopa Aasakti (Love of his enchanting beauty)



Attachment to Lord's divine form is a path by which devotees reached the highest experience in their spiritual path. 



3)  Love of worship

Constant performance of ritual and worship of the Lord Sree Narayana is a beautiful example of this form of devotion.





4)  Smarana Aasakti (Constant remembrance) 

Prahlada and Dhruva travelled in this path of constant remembrance of Lord. Through their never ceasing remembrance of the Lord, they realized God as Supreme Love.


5)  Dasya Asakthi ( Serving the Lord)

Devotion can also be reached by the unquestionable, reverential devotion of the servant to the master, maintained in the pure heart of the seeker. Hanuman and Vidhura lived this path.

6) Saakhya Aasakti (Loving Lord as friend)

Attachment to the Lord as a friend is yet another path. The attitude of Arjuna, Sudhaama and kuchela fall under thus category.



7) Vaatsalya Aasakti (Parental Love)

The devotee may also reach the great state of supreme love through the devotion of Parental Love. Kausalya, Yasoda, Devaki are those who loved the Lord as their child.




8) Kanta Aasakti (Loving Lord as spouse)

As a beloved it is an attitude of relationship between devotee and the Lord. This is a path wherein the devotee considers herself to be the Lord's beloved, like the eight queens of Krishna, like Sita approaching Lord Rama.

9) Atma nivedana Aasakti (Self surrender)

Complete surrender to the Lord, ready to give one's life, one's very existence to the Lord is indeed a way by which devotion can be invoked, maintained and developed. 

Out of all the 11 mode of Love explained in this sutra, this is the pinnacle and the ultimate stage.

In all other modes or most of the other modes, we can see a duality between the Bhakta and the Bhagawan. 

In Atma nivedanam, the devotee's ego is totally annihilated and the nivedanam is the highest one where, the SELF or the ATMAN (Devotee's real identity) is offered or it merges with BRAHMAN ( Real identity / existence of God).

10) Tanmayata Aasakti (Total absorption in lord)

In this path, Bhakti is developed by constantly trying to feel one's essential oneness with Him without any distinction such as creator and creature, Devotee and the Lord etc. 

Sanat kumara, Yagna valkya are few such beings who travelled in this path.

11) Parama viraha Aasakti 

The devotee feels burning anguish of separation, remembering the Lord constantly in Lord's absence. 

This is the feeling of Gopis of Brindavan when Krishna left Brindavan. 

Thus, according to the nature of each  devotee, the devotee expresses his / her devotion in one's own unique way.

Love.

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 86

Sutra 82. Gunamaahaatmyaasaktiroopaa sakti poojaa sakti smaranaa sakti daasyaa sakti sakhyaa sakti vaatsalyaa sakti kaantaa sakti aatmanivedanaa sakti tanmayaa sakti paramavirahaa sakti roopaikadhaapyekaadasadha bhavati.

[Bhakti, or Divine Love, though in itself one only, manifests itself in the following eleven forms:

(1) Love of the glorification of the Lord’s blessed qualities,

(2) Love of his enchanting beauty,

(3) Love of worship,

(4) Love of constant remembrance,

(5) Love of service,

(6) Love of Him as a friend, 

(7) Love of Him as a son,

(8) Love for Him as that of a wife for her husband,

(9) Love of self-surrender to Him,

(10) Love of complete absorption in Him,

(11) Love of the pain of separation from Him.]

Ekadha: of one way, of one kind

Api: Even

Gunamaahatmyaasakti: love for glorifying the divine attributes

Roopaasakti: love of divine beauty

Poojasakti: love of worship

smaranaasakti: love of remembering

Daasyaa-sakti: love of service

Sakhyaasakti: Love of God as a friend

Vaatsalyasakti: love of God as that of a child

Kaantaasakti: Love of God as that of a wife

Aatmanivedanaasakti: love of self-surrender

Tanmayaasakti: love of complete absorption in Him

Paramavirahaasakti: love of the pain of separation from Him

Rupa: in the form

Ekaadasadha: of eleven forms

Bhavati: becomes.

First of all, the devotee serves the Lord as a servant serves his Master. Then he approaches Him nearer and behaves towards Him as a friend does towards a friend. The relationship is then felt to be more closely personal. 

Therefore, the devotee rises higher and manifests parental affection for the loved one, as a father to his son. Lastly the little remaining remoteness between them disappears altogether. The two become one in spirit. 

The devotee develops all the marks of a beloved wife’s love for her beloved husband. In Atmanivedan or complete self-surrender, there is complete self-absorption. 

He feels the Living presence of God anywhere and everywhere and permanently loses himself in the Lord.

You can know you love the Lord when you feel you cannot live without Him.

The purpose of the life of a devotee is to lose all sense of distinctive personality and be dissolved in the Lord like camphor in the fire.

Narada and Vyasa, Sukadeva, Kakabhusundi, Sesha, Suta, Saunaka, Sandilya, Bhishma, Prithu, Parikshit and Janamejaya delighted themselves in singing the glories of the Lord.

The Gopis of Brindavan, the Rishis of Dandakaranya were naturally attracted by Sri Krishna's enchanting personal beauty.

Ambarisha, Lakshmi, Prithu, Bharata spent whole time in worship.

Prahlada, Dhruva, Sanaka in remembrance.

Hanuman, Akrura, Vidura in service.

Uddhava, Arjuna.. Sudama and Guha had the attribute of friendship.

Sridama, Rukmini and Satyabhama loved Sri Krishna as a husband and

Dasaratha, Kausalya, Devaki, Nanda, Yasoda, Kasyapa, Aditi, Manusatarupa, as their son. 

Bali, Vibhishana, Hanuman, Ambarisha, Sibi did complete self-surrender to the Lord.

Sanatkumar, Suka, Sanaka and Yajnavalkya immersed themselves in His Bliss (Tanmayasakti).

Uddhava, Arjuna, Gopis and Radha experienced anguish of separation. Each one is characterised by a predominant attitude. All these eleven forms of Bhakti are possible for the same Bhaktas during different moods.

Viraha is the highest manifestation of love. It is a common characteristic of all devotees, because it is in the very nature of intense love that it cannot bear separation. This is one of the supreme tests of devotion in Sutra 29. This stage of love is typically manifested in Radha and the Gopis when they were separated from Sri Krishna.

If all these forms of attachments cannot be developed together, you can select one or two sentiments and cultivate love for God accordingly. Love is fundamentally one. Therefore, no distinction of higher and lower should be made among devotees, according to the difference of sentiment cultivated by them.

All these eleven types of divine love were found developed among the Gopis.

Continued...........