Narada Bhakti Sootras

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The Art of Loving the Lord

“THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE”

Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course

List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence:

Text TITLE OF TEXT Text TITLE OF TEXT No. No. 1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa 2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti 3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda 4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad 5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- ) 6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad 7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad 8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text) 9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam 10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5 11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad 12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sootras 13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad 14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sootrani (Tips for Happy Living) 15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad 16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation) 17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Pujya Gurudev 18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41 Mandukya Upanishad 19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam 20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah 21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras 22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari 23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge

A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities. This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace the Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion.

– The Author, 8th September, 2019, Birthday Anniversary of Swami Sivananda

Om Namah Shivaaya!

Text 35

|| lÉÉUSpÉÌ£üxÉÔ§ÉÉÍhÉ || NARADA BHAKTI SOOTRAS “The Art of Loving the Lord” Composed by Devarishi Narada Muni, Son of Brahmaji

Reflections by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the Series of 18 Lectures by Swami Swarupanandaji, Director-Acharya of Chinmaya International School, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, delivered at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai February 24th – March 4th, 2013

Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda SERVE  LOVE  GIVE  PURIFY  MEDITATE  REALISE

Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda (ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan in Durban, South Africa) Email: [email protected]

About This Edition: Web Edition: 8th September, 2019, Sacred Birthday of Sri Swami Sivananda Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & Supportive Subsidiary Texts

Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas.

Personal Dedication

1. To my Late Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love;

2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj (1932-2019) the Late President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort;

3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation;

4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do.

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NARADA BHAKTI SOOTRAS

“The Art of Loving the Lord”

Narada Bhakti Sootras “The Art of Loving the Lord”

CONTENTS:

Introduction: “Divine Love as Taught by Narada” 5

CHAPTER ONE PARA-BHAKTI SWAROOPAM (Sootras 1-24, 24 No.) 8 “The Nature of Supreme Devotion”

1.1 Overview of Para Bhakti (Sootras 1 – 6) 9 Sootra 1: The Text Begins 9 Sootra 2: Nature of Para Bhakti – A. Supreme Love 10 Sootra 3: Nature of Para Bhakti – B. Immortality 10 Sootra 4: The Fruits of Para Bhakti 11 Sootra 5: External Signs to Recognise Perfection 12 Sootra 6: Internal Signs to Recognise Perfection 12

1.2 An Anatomy of Para Bhakti (Sootras 7 – 14) 14 Sootra 7: Absence of Desire Due to Renunciation 14 Sootra 8: Renunciation is Consecration 15 Sootra 9: Two Principles in Consecration 15 Sootra 10: a. Unification Explained 16 Sootra 11: b. Indifference Explained 16 Sootra 12: On Conforming to Scriptures 18 Sootra 13: Danger of Contradicting Scriptures 19 Sootra 14: On Conforming to Social Customs 20

1.3 Definitions of Bhakti (Sootras 15 – 24) 21 Sootra 15: Variations in Definition 21 Sootra 16: According to Sage Vyasa 21 Sootra 17: According to Sage Garga 22 Sootra 18: According to Sage Shandilya 22 Sootra 19: According to Sage Narada 23 Sootra 20: Here Are Examples 23 Sootra 21: The Gopis of Vraja 24 Sootra 22: Case of Flawless Devotion 24 Sootra 23: Case of Flawed Devotion 25 Sootra 24: The Flaw in Flawed Devotion 26

CHAPTER TWO

PARA BHAKTI MAHIMAA (Sootras 25-33, 9 No.) 27 “The Greatness of Supreme Devotion”

2.1 The Superiority of Para Bhakti (Sootras 25 – 27) 28 Sootra 25: Bhakti Compared With Other Paths 28 S 26 & 27: Why is Bhakti Superior? 29

2.2 Bhakti is its Own Reward (Sootras 28 – 33) 30 Sootra 28: View 1 – “Knowledge Alone is Needed” 30 Sootra 29: View 2 – “Both Knowledge and Bhakti are Needed” 31 Sootra 30: View 3 – “Bhakti Alone is Needed” 31 Sootra 31: View 3 – Affirmed by Examples 32 Sootra 32: View 3 – Examples Explained 33 Sootra 33: View 3 – The Conclusion is Declared 33

CHAPTER THREE

GAUNA APARA BHAKTI (Sootras 34-45, 12 No.) 35 “The Beginnings of Devotion”

3.1 Development of Gauna Bhakti (Sootras 34 – 37) 36 Sootra 34: Sadhana: The Hymns of the Rishis 36 Sootra 35: Sadhanas 1 & 2: Renunciation & Detachment 37 Sootra 36: Sadhana 3: Loving Service 37 Sootra 37: Sadhana 4: Hearing Lord’s Glories 38

3.2 Grace in Gauna Sadhana (Sootras 38 – 42) 39 Sootra 38: Grace of Saints & God 39 Sootra 39: The Rarity & Influence of Saints 39 Sootra 40: Grace Obtained By Grace Alone! 40 Sootra 41: Solving the Riddle of Grace 41 Sootra 42: Sadhana is for Grace Alone 41

3.3 Beware of Evil Company (Sootras 43 – 45) 43 Sootra 43: Shun Evil Company 43 Sootra 44: It Causes Utter Ruin 44 Sootra 45: A Ripple Becomes a Tsunami! 44

CHAPTER FOUR

MUKHYAA APARA BHAKTI (Sootras 46-55, 10 No.) 46 “The Higher Sadhanas of Devotion”

4.1 Crossing Maya in Bhakti (Sootras 46 – 50) 47 Sootra 46: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 1-3 47 Sootra 47: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 4-7 47 Sootra 48: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 8-10 48 Sootra 49: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 11-12 48 Sootra 50: Crossing from Gauna to Mukhyaa Bhakti 48

4.2 Love Inexplicable (Sootras 51 – 55) 50 Sootra 51: Divine Love is Inexplicable 50 Sootra 52: Like Taste to the Dumb 50 Sootra 53: Bhakti is Rare to Find 51 Sootra 54: Describing the Indescribable 51 Sootra 55: THAT Alone! 52

CHAPTER FIVE

GAUNA-MUKHYAA BHEDA (Sootras 56-66, 10 No.) 53 “Differentiating Lower from Higher”

5.1 Breakdown of Gauna Bhakti (Sootras 56 – 60) 54 Sootra 56: Three Types of Gauna Bhakti 54 Sootra 57: Gradation of the Three Types 56 Sootra 58: Easily Recognised & Attained 57 S 59 & 60: Reasons Why Bhakti Needs No Proof 57

5.3 Stepping into Mukhyaa Bhakti (Sootras 61 – 66) 59 Sootra 61: A. Facing the Miseries of the World 59 Sootra 62: B. No Need to Abandon Good Activities 60 Sootra 63: C. Never Entertain Temptations 61 Sootra 64: D. Never Give Room for Pride 61 Sootra 65: E. Sublimate All Negative Tendencies 62 Sootra 66: F. Transcend the Whole Realm of Duality 63

CHAPTER SIX

MUKHYAA BHAKTA (Sootras 67-75, 9 No.) 64 “The Devotee at the Higher Stage”

6.1 Ready for “Take-Off” (Sootras 67 – 69) 65 Sootra 67: Definition of the Mukhyaa Bhakta 65 Sootra 68: The Benevolence of the Mukhyaa Bhakta 66 Sootra 69: Sanctifying Power of the Mukhyaa Bhakta 67

6.2 The Bhakta’s Grand Vision (Sootras 70 – 75) 68 Sootra 70: Seeing God in Everything 68 Sootra 71: Everything Gets Sanctified & Blessed 69 Sootra 72: Eyes of Bhaktas See No Distinctions 69 Sootra 73: Equal Vision Explained 70 Sootra 74: Avoid Vain Disputes 70 Sootra 75: Diverse Views Are Never Reconcilable 71

CHAPTER SEVEN

MUKHYAAT PARA BHAKTI (Sootras 76-84, 9 No.) 72 “From Higher to Supreme Devotion”

7.1 Checkpoints to Para Bhakti (Sootras 76 – 80) 73 Sootra 76: A. “Obey the Scriptural Injunctions” 73 Sootra 77: B. “Beware of the Wastage of Time!” 74 Sootra 78: C. “Maintain a Firm Ethical Foundation” 74 Sootra 79: D. “Be Free from Mental Anxieties” 75 Sootra 80: E. “Realisation Comes as Lord’s Blessing” 76

7.2 Attainment of Para Bhakti (Sootras 81 – 84) 77 Sootra 81: Para Bhakti = Jivanmukti = Realisation 77 Sootra 82: APPENDIX – The Eleven Modes of Bhakti 78 Sootra 83: BIBLIOGRAPHY – The Bhakti Acharyas 79 Sootra 84: PHALA STUTI – Narada’s Parting Assurance 80

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NARADA BHAKTI SOOTRAS

7 CHAPTERS (84 Verses in Total)

“The Art of Loving God”

OVERVIEW OF THE TEXT

THE DIVINE TEXT OF Narada begins with Para Bhakti, the state of Supreme Love for the Lord. To enter a text at this very high point is like beginning one’s studies at PhD level without first having gone through class one! Rishi Narada must have had a reason for beginning in this way, but for us students, this gives us a good reason to reflect on the overall structure and plan of this text.

The Structure of Narada Bhakti Sootras The term Bhakti is used in this text for both the goal as well as for the means to the goal. The former is the highest level of Devotion called Para Bhakti, which is equivalent to God-realisation. It is the tip, the peak, or the mountain-top of Bhakti. The latter is Apara Bhakti, which is the route to this peak. Para Bhakti is the mature stage or culmination of Bhakti, while Apara Bhakti is the pre-mature stage or progression of Bhakti. Chapter 1 expounds the ultimate Goal called Para Bhakti. It sets our bearings right and makes certain that we understand what the aim of Bhakti is. It may be seen from a subjective or an objective perspective, i.e. from a transcendental or an immanent point of view. The former is termed in this text as Anirvachanam, or “indescribable, beyond the expression of words”. The latter describes the same state as captured by our thoughts, words and deeds. It puts in words that which is beyond words. Chapter 2 extols Para Bhakti as a superior spiritual state compared to other states attained through other disciplines. All spiritual seekers are shown to partake of the Path of Bhakti at the culmination of their respective Paths. That is because Bhakti is nothing short of Non-Duality as upheld in Vedanta philosophy, or Nirvikalpa Samadhi as held by the Yogis. However, Para Bhakti has to be nurtured and developed during the Apara Bhakti stage. The Apara stage involves effort and is a gradual process of growth. It is divided in this text into two parts, namely Gauna and Mukhyaa Bhakti (also called Vaidha and Raga respectively), i.e. initial phase and the final phase. Chapter 3 describes the initial phase, Gauna Apara Bhakti, “the beginnings of Bhakti”, when various disciplines are practised by which the devotee nurtures devotion in his heart. Chapter 4 describes the final phase of development, Mukhyaa Apara Bhakti, when the devotee is almost reaching the goal of Para Bhakti. Chapter 5 makes a clear differentiation between the Gauna and Mukhyaa types of Bhakti. It shows with great clarity what differentiates the two stages.

Final Stage: PARA 1. The Goal of Life BHAKTI = 2. Union With God Supreme Devotion The GOAL of Bhakti 3. God-Realisation

APARA Advanced Stage: MUKHYAA BHAKTI BHAKTI = Preliminary Stage: The MEANS to GAUNA BHAKTI Develop Bhakti

THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF NARADA BHAKTI SOOTRAS

In Chapter 6 the Rishi puts the polishing touch to the Mukhyaa Bhakta and brings out the highest qualities by which a Bhakta can be recognised. The gtrand vision that the Bhakta has to develop is described in glowing terms. Finally, Chapter 7 makes the ultimate leap from the Mukhyaa to the Para Bhakta. It is the step of illumination in the Bhakta. All the checkpoints are noted so that there is no doubt as to who the enlightened Bhakta is and what he represents in spirituality.

INTRODUCTION TO RISHI NARADA

THE FOLLOWING INTRODUCTION given in class is mainly sourced from Pujya Gurudev Chinmayanandaji’s book on Narada Bhakti Sootras, which was our class text. “The term Sootra means ‘string’ – the string on which the arguments and thoughts are strung together to become an enchanting garland of ideas. Sootras are explanatory statements, and in their depths, they also have exploratory functions. The philosopher not

6 only explains things, but also explores the possibilities of wiser ways of living and brings to the student the greater wisdom that equips him for a more efficient life.” Sootras are the format used to explain all the six schools of philosophy in Indian thought. In Vedanta, we have the Brahman Sootras, while the Mimamsaka has the Dharma Sootras. Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sootras to explain the system of Yoga, and the Jaimini Sootras explain the Vaiseshika philosophy. Following this pattern, the Narada Bhakti Sootras were written by Deva-Rishi Narada. Having 84 terse Sootras on Devotion, they elaborate on the Supreme Love for God as the prime means to attain spiritual illumination. Narada is well-known for many reasons: “It is his job to propagate the Path of Love. The very name, ‘Narada’ means ‘one who gives knowledge of the Supreme Brahman’. He helps Dhruva; protects Prahlad’s mother. On the other hand, he plays upon the weaknesses of devotees and makes them suffer, e.g. he advises Kamsa to kill the children of Devaki; persuades Ravana to get himself entangled in Bali’s tail! It was Narada who invented the most perfect musical instrument, the Veena.” Although it cannot be proved that Narada wrote these Sootras, he is credited for them due to his great work in promoting the Path of Devotion. It was Narada who influenced Sage Vyasa to write the Srimad Bhagavatam, an epic on Divine Love. “The Path of Devotion runs through the entire spiritual traditions of the Aryans as a glimmering stream of golden effulgence, panting in ecstacy, singing in joy and weeping with satisfaction.” It is said that while in the celestial regions, Narada was once infatuated by the dance of Rambha. His Father, Brahmaji Himself, cursed him to take birth on earth in a family of low caste. Hence, on earth he was born to Shakuntala, a servant girl in the household of Rishi Kanvar. His association with Rishis purified him of his curse. Due to this experience, he could “fully sympathise with the passions and weaknesses of human beings.”

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PARA-BHAKTI SWAROOPAM

CHAPTER 1 (Verses 1-24, 24 No.)

The Nature of SUPREME DEVOTION

1.1 OVERVIEW of Para Bhakti

(Verses 1-6, 6 No.)

Sootra 1: The Text Begins

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1 atha atah bhaktim Now, therefore, the doctrine of BHAKTI or Supreme vyaakhyaasyaamah. Devotion, we shall expound.

1a Athaato: This in Samskrit is Atha Atah, “Now, therefore”. The Brahma Sootras and the Dharma Sootras begin in the same way. The Yoga Sootras begin with just Atha. Many pages of explanation are given on these two words in commentaries by the saints, but it is not the scope and purpose of this book to present something too scholarly. We aim only to get the essential message of the text across. “Now”, i.e. ‘following upon the past’. What past brought us to the present now? In this terse manner all the pre-conditions which have to be met by a seeker who wishes to follow the Path of Bhakti are meant. For any spiritual path, certain basic conditions have to be met, just as an entrance examination has to be written before one gets admission into a university. The entrance requirements for Bhakti Yoga are not as stringent as they are for other spiritual paths. Basically, there are two requirements: 1. FAITH : A firm faith in the Grace of God; and 2. ASPIRATION : An aspiration to be freed from the endless cycle of births and deaths, which implies being done with the life of sensual pleasures. Even iliteracy and ‘untouchability’ or birth in a low caste are not barriers on this path. Sri Narada, when he went to his Guru, Sanatkumara, was asked what he already knew. He gave a long string of the degrees he had achieved - it was a most impressive CV that he produced, with over ten degrees! But his Master told him that all that was only a name. How much would that have deflated anyone! But Narada was very serious about his study. He listened to his Master, and humbly accepted his judgement. And soon he himself shone as an accomplished saint. “Therefore” is meant to cover all the reasons which made Narada write this beautiful book of Sootras. The most prominent reason was Narada’s own conviction in the efficacy of Bhakti to lead a seeker to the highest Goal, without any other means to supplement it. He also believed that it is the easiest path to follow for the Age of Darkness in which the world was plunging during his time, and in the thick of which we are presently living. Strangely, Narada also believed it could be practiced by all creatures. We read of Gajendra the elephant devotee in the scriptures. The monkey hordes in the Ramayana are well-known. Jambavan was a bear, but a great devotee of the Lord, and so was Jatayu, the eagle who tried to save Mother Sita. How much more would man be qualified to practice Bhakti!

1b And with that, the expounding of the great text begins. The subject is Bhakti, as opposed to Jnana in Vedanta and Action in Karma Yoga. The student would do well to remember that the human being is built of all three components – the heart, the head and the hands. All have to grow in unison and harmony. In a cup of tea, Actions are the water, Jnana is the milk, and Bhakti is the sugar. When all three ingredients come together, we can enjoy a delicious cup of the “tea of Life”!

Sootra 2: Nature of Para Bhakti – A. Supreme Love

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2 saa tu asmin Regarding Bhakti, indeed, parama prema roopaa. A. it is of the nature of Supreme Love in God.

2a The word we are concerned with is Bhakti. A definition is that which uniquely identifies the substantive word. The uniqueness lies in, i) describing a thing’s essential nature; and ii) excluding from it everything that is not it. In this verse the essence of Bhakti is given. It is left for us to deduce what is excluded from it. 2b Supreme Love is the nature of Bhakti. The opposite of Supreme Love would usually be taken to mean that which we normally consider to be love in our world of relationships. This we know can have a very refined side to it, but mostly it is of a very selfish type. We “love” that or those who give us happiness. That is the condition attached to ordinary love. It is conditional love. Supreme Love is that which is “unconditional”. It is love for love’s sake. In our relationship to God we aim for this unconditional type of love. If we truly feel that all living beings are also forms of our “God”, then that unconditional love will extend to all the people in our life and also to all animals and birds. It all depends on what concept we have of “God”. As we go into this text, our idea of God will become more and more profound and all-encompassing. The ultimate extent of this expansion leads us into the next Sootra . . .

Sootra 3: Nature of Para Bhakti – B. Immortality

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3 amrita svarupaa cha bhavati. and B. its intrinsic nature is that of Immortality.

3 Amrita: “Immortality.” This word means different things to different people. We first list all the peculiar ideas of immortality which human beings have. i) Some desire immortality at a physical level. The fear of death reveals the deep desire each one has to live forever in one’s body. But this is not possible. ii) Others imagine an immortality that comes through fame, by which we can be remembered for all time to come. This also is not the type of Immortality meant here. A Bhakta considers name and fame of one’s ego as ephemeral as the body. 10

iii) Some imagine heavenly life to be immortality, for that is how the scriptures portray it. However, this is also not possible. Heavenly life depends on the merits one has accumulated, and when that is exhausted, one has to return to the earth plane. What can true Immortality be? If we look closely at this word, it will reveal something very sublime to us. That which has no birth and no death is immortal. And what can have no birth and no death? Logically, the only answer to this is the Infinite. So Immortality gained by total identification with the Supreme Infinity is true Immortality. That is what the Bhakta attains at the culmination of Bhakti. This is a key definition of the nature of Bhakti. It permits no narrowness of vision, no sectarian conflict, no boundaries. God is said here to be the Infinity that envelops everything created or not created. The God of the true devotee is Infinite in nature. That is whom he worships, even though in the early stages of devotion he may use a limited outer form or symbol. Both inter-religious as well as intra-religious conflicts are ruled out by this Sootra. If these conflicts persist in the name of religion, then it means the God that is being worshipped is a false enlargement of one’s own Ego. It is of the same nature as the Ego, and therefore can never be Infinite.

Sootra 4: The Fruits of Para Bhakti

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4 yat labdhvaa, pumaan Gaining this Bhakti, man (derives these benefits): 5 siddhah bhavati, i) He realizes his state of perfection; amritah bhavati, ii) He attains immortality; and triptah bhavati iii) He becomes completely contented (satisfied).

4 We keep in mind that we are in the context of an overview of the whole subject of the highest order of Bhakti. Of what benefit is it to us to strive for Supreme Love in our life? 5 There is a threefold benefit, as there are three fundamental urges in man: i) Perfection: All men wish to be without any flaws. Perfection is something that is an inherent urge in man. Its attainment is one aspect of the culmination of Bhakti. ii) Immortality: All desire to live forever. This has been discussed in the previous Sootra. No one wishes to die; this is seen in the fear of death. iii) Contentment: All desire to possess as much as possible, thinking that it will bring them contentment. But possessions become a measure of one’s ego, and there is no end to that. Hence, possessions fail to bring contentment. Only all-encompassing Bhakti succeeds in bringing the virtue of permanent contentment or satisfaction. The above sounds like an advertising campaign for Bhakti. All adverts seek to create in the mind of the buyer a desire for the product advertised. In Bhakti, this is not the case. The devotee is motivated by pure love for the Lord. There is nothing selfish about it.

Sootra 5: External Signs to Recognise Perfection

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8 yat praapya , Having attained that (state of Perfect Bhakti described above): 9 na kinchid vaanchhati, i) he does not desire anything; na shochati, ii) he never grieves; na dveshti , iii) he never hates; na ramate , iv) he never delights in any (external) thing; na utsaahi bhavati. v) and he finds no urge for sense enjoyment.

8 How does one tell whether he has attained Para Bhakti? This verse covers the outer signs of such a lofty state of perfect Bhakti. 9 These five signs are a result of the three fruits of Bhakti already mentioned above: i) No Desire – this arises from the state of total contentment. The devotee, being completely satisfied by the Love of God, desires nothing further. ii) No Grief – this arises from the state of perfection. The entire being is centred on the Divine Being, which is perfect in every way, giving no cause for grief. The natural state of pure Existence is to be free from all grief. The more one lives in his individuality, the more grief he encounters in the world. iii) No Hate – this arises from Immortality, wherein one is one with all beings. As the devotee feels that he himself is the other person, he cannot hate anyone. iv) No Indulgence – the devotee, anchored in inner Bliss, has his senses well- controlled not to run after objects of sense pleasure. v) No Craving – The absence of sense indulgence is not a state of suppression. There is no inner craving also, for sensual pleasure. This is due to the mind being fully controlled in addition to the senses.

Sootra 6: Internal Signs to Recognise Perfection

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10 yat jnaatvaa , Having known (the state of Perfect Bhakti), 11 mattah bhavati , vi) he becomes like one intoxicated; stabdhah bhavati , vii) he becomes silent; aatmaa-raamah bhavati viii) and he revels in the Self (alone).

10 The internal signs of Para Bhakti are now described. This was just touched upon in the last item of the previous verse under ‘conquest of the mind’. 12

11 Due to the conquest of the mind, the following signs are seen in the devotee: i) As One Intoxicated – ‘Intoxicated’ carries with it a sense of being “mad” in comparison to worldly standards. The drunkard is tipsy only in relation to the sober man; his fellow drinker thinks that he is normal! Even so, the devotee is mad to a person who has no idea what devotion is. ii) Silent – The mind, which leads one to outer expression in the form of gossip and chit-chat, is not present in the devotee. Hence, the latter revels in silence. He has no desire to engage in ordinary conversation. iii) Revels in the Self – As the devotee’s attention is drawn further and further within, he eventually reaches a realm within himself which is his Atman, the Self, where he finds complete fulfillment. In that deep recess within, he revels. That revelling is beyond anyone’s understanding as there is no outward cause for it. It is important for us to understand that all these signs, both external and internal, arise spontaneously in the devotee due to no other Sadhana than purely bearing in his heart a Love Supreme for the Divine alone. Everything else happens by the Grace of the Lord. This is the most striking difference between Bhakti Yoga and other means of attaining Self- realisation. The devotee desires nothing, not even liberation. Everything is heaped upon him only by the “Grace of the Lord.”

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1.2 ANATOMY of Para Bhakti

(Verses 7-14, 8 No.)

WE NOW COME TO eight verses which go into the very bones and tissues of Divine Love. The outcome of this section is that we learn to grasp exactly what Para Bhakti is composed of. We get a deep insight into its very anatomy. In these verses we see the scientific side of Rishi Narada coming through. We discover that Bhakti is no blind intoxication of love, but arises from following well-defined, universal principles of spiritual life. These verses should put to bed all our ill-informed ideas such as, i) devotion is a construct of one’s mind and emotions; or ii) that it does not follow any laws and so anything under the sun could pass for devotion. Such misconception get cleared once and for all by a proper study of this section.

Sootra 7: Absence of Desire Due to Renunciation

xÉÉ lÉ MüÉqÉrÉqÉÉlÉÉ ÌlÉUÉåkÉÃmÉiuÉÉiÉç | 7 - 1.07 s¡ na k¡mayam¡n¡ nirµdharÀpatv¡t | 7 - 1.07

(In this state of Para Bhakti, or perfect devotion just described): 1 saa na kaamayamaanaa, There can be no element of Desire, nirodhah roopatvaat. because its very nature is that of RENUNCIATION.

1 At the very outset, Rishi Narada is eager to tell us about the very foundation of true Devotion – namely, Renunciation. The founding principle of Bhakti is renunciation – renunciation of one’s entire individuality and all its ramifications. The renunciation of the whole ego-based personality is needed. This is the big difficulty in the “easy path” of Bhakti Yoga! Of course, this need not frighten us from this beautiful Path. There is plenty of provision made to accommodate the beginner as we shall see in Chapter 3. Bhakti is a journey that takes one from individuality to universality, a long journey indeed. The painful process of discarding the ego is done in a “painless operation”. This is the beauty of Bhakti Yoga.

Renunciation is Common to All Spiritual Paths The heart of spirituality lies in renouncing our ego-sense, for it is the root cause of our alienation from God. Nature intended it only to be a safeguard to help us to interact safely and meaningfully with the world and other people. But when it is allowed to overstep its limits, it becomes a monster that divides us from others and makes us see the world as a field for enriching our narrow personality. Hence, renunciation of the Ego is one of the must do’s in spiritual life, in any country, any religion, any culture. The operation of removing the ego was called ‘Egodectomy’ by 14

Swami Sivananda. It has to be done, whatever path one follows. In Bhakti Yoga, the operation may be a little less painful than in other paths, but it is there nevertheless. The Path of Bhakti is said to have no pre-qualifications except love for God. This does not exempt it from “egodectomy”. It simply means that the Bhakti Sadhana can be started by anyone, and as one progresses along the path, the ego naturally drops off. In the path of Jnana Yoga, the student has to pre-qualify by having established himself in Sadhana Chatushtaya. This means that he has to reach a state where he has gained mastery over his mind before he can begin the Sadhana of Jnana Yoga or Vedanta. In Karma Yoga, the seeker is expected to renounce all desire for the fruits of his actions before qualifying himself to be called a Karma Yogi. That is the minimum qualification. It presupposes that the seeker has well understood the futility of all selfish activities that are aimed at pleasure, in the world or in the after-worlds. In Bhakti Yoga we have already seen that a basic requirement is that one has to develop some relationship with God, and that relationship is taken to its ultimate state. In that process all defects in one’s personality are renounced bit by bit. The ultimate point reached by all Yogas is the same – union with the Lord as one’s own Self, in the depths of one’s own being.

Sootra 8: Renunciation is Consecration

ÌlÉUÉåkÉxiÉÑ sÉÉåMüuÉåSurÉÉmÉÉUlrÉÉxÉÈ | 8 - 1.08 nirµdhastu lµkav£davy¡p¡rany¡sa¦ | 8 - 1.08

2 nirodhah tu (bhavati), This renunciation is, indeed, 3 vyaapaara nyaasah loka-veda. a consecration of all activities, secular and sacred.

2 This Sootra takes our understanding of Renunciation a little further. Renunciation is broken up into its components so that we can more easily understand what it is. 3 One would imagine that this breakdown would be a string of things that have to be given up. But, strangely, there is no mention of anything to be given up. It is actually very well described as the “total surrender to God or Consecration of all our activities.” These activities are widely defined as being both secular as well as sacred. The focus on “activities” aligns this definition very closely to Karma Yoga, the science of Action. Indeed, ‘actions’ can be both physical and mental. Bhakti Yoga begins with Karma Yoga. From the very beginning we have to grasp that the different Yogas are not watertight compartments. They are strands interwoven into ONE spiritual path.

Sootra 9: Two Principles in Consecration

iÉÎxqÉ³ÉlÉlrÉiÉÉ iÉÌ²UÉåÍkÉwÉÔSÉxÉÏlÉiÉÉ cÉ | 9 - 1.09 tasminnananyat¡ tadvirµdhi½Àd¡s§nat¡ ca | 9 - 1.09

4 tasmin ananyataa In consecration: i) There is unification; all that is “other than” tad virodhishu or contrary to the Divine, (is renounced); and 5 udaaseenataa cha ii) there is complete indifference to it.

Now we go a further step. What does Consecration involve? What does it mean to consecrate all our actions? This Sootra first splits Consecration into its two components: 4 i) Unification: This is the positive part which attaches us to the Lord. 5 ii) Indifference: This the negative part which detaches us from the world. The two components together make up the whole process of Consecration or surrender of oneself to the Lord. This consecration, as defined above, forms the process of Renunciation. Each of these two components is now explained further . . .

Sootra 10: a. “Unification” Explained

AlrÉÉ´ÉrÉÉhÉÉÇ irÉÉaÉÉålÉlrÉiÉÉ | 10 - 1.10 any¡¾ray¡³¡¯ ty¡gµnanyat¡ | 10 - 1.10

6 anya aashrayaanaam tyaagah Abandoning all other supports – 7 ananyataa. (this is) complete unification in the Lord.

Unification is the first aspect of Consecration or Renunciation. Here the principle that applies is that all inputs to the devotee are seen as coming from the Lord. 6 The devotee takes all his support, his strength, his dependence, his authority, etc, from the Lord alone. On no other thing does he depend. Seen another way, this can also mean that whatever support the devotee receives, he sees it as coming from the Lord alone. Implied in this statement is renunciation of all that props up the Ego. In ordinary life, we take support under our parents early in life. The devotee sees in his parents the hand of his beloved Lord at work. Similarly, in every other support in life, the devotee sees the hand of the Lord. 7 By holding the above unified attitude, the devotee attaches himself solely to the Lord. How does this translate in practice? Unification, when taken to its logical conclusion, gives one a strong moral foundation in life. The devotee never swerves from truth under any circumstances. He is not tempted to compromise on the truth due to any outer dependence or support. No person or situation can deflect him from his adherence to the truth (to the Lord). The devotee’s allegiance is to the Lord, first and foremost. In Him alone do all other supports find their place in his life. Someone who develops this attitude to the fullest, comes to have sole dependence on the beloved Lord and on no other person or organization. All else has secondary authority in his life. God holds primary authority over him. The spiritual value of unification is that the devotee achieves Chitta Ekagrata or one- pointedness of mind. This is half the achievement of Consecration.

Sootra 11: b. “Indifference” Explained

sÉÉåMüuÉåSåwÉÑ iÉSlÉÑMÔüsÉÉcÉUhÉÇ iÉÌ²UÉåÍkÉwÉÔSÉxÉÏlÉiÉÉ | 11 - 1.11 16

lµkav£d£½u tadanukÀl¡cara³a¯ tadvirµdhi½Àd¡s§nat¡ | 11 - 1.11

8 loka vedeshu In matters both secular and sacred, 9 tad anukoolaacharanam to perform only acts that are pleasing to the Lord – 10 tad virodhishu udaaseenataa. and shun those that are hostile to Him, is Indifference.

Indifference is the second aspect of Consecration. Here the principle that applies is that all outputs from the devotee are seen as going to the Lord. 8 Activities or outputs from an individual are inevitable. They cannot be avoided in life. They may be of two types: of a secular nature or of a spiritual nature. In both cases the output is dedicated to the Lord. This means two things: 9 i) Only those acts are performed which are pleasing to the Lord. Implied in this is that there can be no likes or dislikes interfering in the decision as to what do. The only factor that determines the action done is that it must please the Lord. In this way, the Ego is kept out of reach of the action. Normally we would minimise our activities by doing only those actions which boost our ego. This makes our actions selfish. Selfless acts are avoided. But in Indifference, this approach is reversed. The actions are minimised by doing only selfless actions, and omitting all acts that arise from selfishness. 10 Why are selfish acts to be avoided? Because they are “hostile” to the Lord. They displease the Lord. Selfishness points away from the Lord; selflessness point towards the Lord. Therefore, nothing that opposes the Lord is to be entertained. The energy that is saved by selectively choosing our actions in the above manner, is then channeled towards building up our relationship with the Lord. The devotee does all in his power to please the Lord alone, with every thought, word and deed. This is Indifference, referring to indifference towards all other kinds of acts.

SUMMARY SO FAR

Let us summarise the five verses of this section so far: They lay down the fundamental principles upon which the edifice of Bhakti is built up. We began with Renunciation as the foundation of Bhakti. Renunciation was seen as a Consecration of all our activities. Consecration applies to both inputs and outputs. The former require us to be unified to the Lord; the latter require us to be indifferent to our Ego. Unification is achieved through the conviction that everything we need comes from the Lord alone, and not from any other source. Indifference is achieved through the conviction that everything we do should be done to please the Lord alone, and not pander to our Ego’s likes and dislikes.

Is the perfect devotee then a law unto himself? That may be the impression that the above Sootras convey to us. We now move on to the important topic of scriptural authority and how it relates to social customs. Rishi Narada gives us solid guidance on this topic.

Sootra 12: On Conforming to Scriptures

pÉuÉiÉÑ ÌlÉ¶ÉrÉSÉžÉïSÕkuÉïÇ zÉÉx§ÉU¤ÉhÉqÉç | 12 - 1.12 bhavatu ni¾cayad¡r¢hy¡dÀrdhva¯ ¾¡strarak½a³am | 12 - 1.12

11 bhavatu nishchayadaa The perfected sage, after becoming well established dharyaad-urdhvam in the highest spiritual realization, 12 shaastra rakshanam takes care to protect the scriptural teachings.

If the Lord is the only one that matters to him, then does it mean that he cares not for any other authority? In such a case, the loophole would exist for him to behave as he pleases, and that would defeat the very purpose of his existence. He will not be one to be emulated, but one to be shunned by society. 11 Fortunately, nothing of the above kind applies to the perfect devotee. Once he has firmly established himself in divine realization, the devotee of God becomes an example to be followed. He who once took shelter under the umbrella of the scriptures, now, on reaching perfection, becomes an umbrella for those very scriptures. 12 It is the devotee of God who provides the practical example of what the sacred scriptures declare in reference to one’s behavior and conduct in the world.

SAINTS UPHOLD SOCIETY

Society is essentially upheld or held together by the moral force of its saints, not by its politicians. In fact, if there were no devotees of the Lord present in our society, the scriptures would die away. They will cease to inspire the people. They will be considered to be unrelated or impractical to real life. This has happened in some religions in the world at certain times in history. It has happened in very recent times. And, in modern civilization, it is happening throughout the world to the extent that materialistic culture is permitted to thrive in every country. History records an occurrence about two thousand years ago in the Middle East. In a community dominated politically by the Roman Empire, the entire religion of the people fell into the hands of the selfish interests of the Sanhedran. It was the true devotion and sacrifice of Jesus Christ that made people realize that their religion had slipped into the wrong hands. The life of Jesus brought back true religion to the people of his time. This is a classic example of how a God-realised saint can single-handedly protect religion. In India, too, such situations have occurred in its history. The Hindu community is structured along the lines of the fourfold division of religious leaders, social administrators, economic developers and the labourers. In crucial periods in its history, when the religious leaders betrayed the community by not adhering to their religious function and disciplined way of life, the whole community fell easily into the hands of foreign powers. When Brahmins were tempted away from their Dharma by lucrative offers from foreign powers, the whole educational system which upheld Indian society collapsed and the doors were open for foreign domination.

Sootra 13: Danger of Contradicting Scriptures

AlrÉjÉÉ mÉÉÌiÉirÉzÉƒ¡ûrÉÉ | 13 - 1.13 anyath¡ p¡titya¾a±kay¡ | 13 - 1.13

13 anyathaa (bhavitavyam) Or else, (i.e. if he does not protect them, there is) patityaa shankhyaa the danger of a fall (for people in society).

13 The “fall” can be both for the leader as well as for the whole society. The Sootra warns us of both these dangers. The boxed discussion above illustrates the dangers facing an individual as well as a whole community when scriptural injunctions are not protected by the right people. It is in this context that this Sootra becomes so relevant to us. It is always the perfect saint – be he a Bhakta, a Karma Yogi or a Jnani – who gives authority back to the scriptures when society neglects to follow them. In this way, the saint returns righteous rule to society. Besides scriptures, society also formulates certain customs and traditions. How does a Bhakta of God relate to these? This is now taken up in the next Sootra . . .

SOCIAL CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS ARE CIRCUMSTANTIAL

Two categories of customs prevail in society: i) Some customs have a religious or moral principle to support them. This category is worth maintaining due to the values they uphold, and are followed by the devotee of God. ii) Other customs or traditions have no bearing on spirituality and arise purely out of local conditions in a community. These may not necessarily be upheld by the saints of God, although there are exceptions to this. Examples of the second category are many. Indian society once faced an onslaught from invading Muslims. One method used by the invading power was to forcefully get the women of the community to marry Muslims. This became a serious threat to the community. The Hindu elders decided that the only way to avoid this happening was to get their children married at an early age so that the conquerors could not lay their hands on them. Thus early marriages began in the community out of sheer political necessity. However it has to be borne in mind that the “child couples” did not live together until they came of age. Critics of child marriages often forget this point in their overwhelming zeal to run down the traditions of India. Such a custom does not fall into the category of compulsory or mandatory observance by a devotee of the Lord, although many devotee-families also submitted to them at the time when they were a social necessity. This is the spirit in which the Sootra is to be understood. There are, of course, many other examples that may be quoted of similar customs in society which do not have primary consent of the scriptures, but at the same time do not violate the spirit of the scriptures. Each case of this nature is to be considered on its own merit. If the devotee of God does not follow it, it does not render the custom null and void. It simply means that it is not binding on him spiritually. The society may still find it necessary to follow the custom. There is no contradiction in this. It has to be noted that Hindu society has evolved many methods to counter the evils of religious conversions among its fold.

Sootra 14: On Conforming to Social Customs

sÉÉåMüÉåÅÌmÉ iÉÉuÉSåuÉ pÉÉåeÉlÉÉÌS urÉÉmÉÉUxiuÉÉzÉUÏUkÉÉUhÉÉuÉÍkÉ | 14 - 1.14 lµkav£d£½u tadanukÀl¡cara³a¯ tadvirµdhi½Àd¡s§nat¡ | 11 - 1.11

14 lokah api However, the sage conforms to social customs taavat eva, only to a (limited) extent; 15 bhojana aadi vyaapaarah tu but natural activities such as eating, etc., aashareera dhaarana avadhi. continue as long as the body exists.

The scriptures are eternal revelations of the seers of mankind, and are founded firmly on righteous principles which cannot be violated, least of all by the saints of God. Unlike scriptures, however, social customs are circumstantial, and do not carry the same level of authority over people, however useful they may be at a particular point of time in the history of any group or groups among mankind. 14 The general observation is made that social customs and traditions are not binding on the Bhakta. They may serve a useful purpose limited to a particular circumstance in history. This is well-explained in the block above on “Social Customs & Traditions”. 15 Why does the Rishi add a third category called “natural activities” into the discussion? The context provides the answer: Just as natural activities such as eating have to be done to sustain life as we have no choice in the matter, so also, the Rishi is suggesting that the devotee of the Lord follows the scriptural injunctions on Bhakti as though he has no choice in the matter. This is the spirit of the true Bhakta. The true Bhakta remains uncompromising in his love for the Lord. To him loving God is like eating food. It is not a matter of choosing to love God, but love Him unconditionally. In fact, there are umpteen cases when we see a devotee ready to forsake food in order to pursue his love for the Lord. That is the level of priority given to Supreme Love for God.

*****

1.3 DEFINITIONS of Bhakti

(Verses 15-24, 10 No.)

Sootra 15: Variations in Definition

iÉssÉ¤ÉhÉÉÌlÉ uÉÉcrÉliÉå lÉÉlÉÉqÉiÉpÉåSÉiÉç | 15 - 1.15 tallak½a³¡ni v¡cyant£ n¡n¡matabh£d¡t | 15 - 1.15

1 tat lakshanaani vaachyante, The Definitions of Bhakti are described naanaa mata bhedaat. variously due to differences of opinions.

1 Still dealing with Para Bhakti, we now consider various definitions of it according to different viewpoints. These are not contradictory to each other, but simply different angles of looking at the same Bhakti. Four definitions are considered: those of Sages Vyasa, Garga, Shandilya and Narada. The three cases quoted prior to that of Narada define Bhakti from three different angles, namely from the point of view of the activities of a Bhakta, then from the words uttered by a Bhakta, and finally from the thoughts in the mind of the Bhakta. Each of these viewpoints raises the bar of Bhakti higher and higher. When viewed as a whole, we note that they are not contradictory to each other. Narada’s definition, which follows them, integrates all three perspectives into one comprehensive definition of Bhakti. The different definitions also trace out variations in the emphasis on Bhakti practices over various periods of time, in accordance with the need of society. They also reflect the development of Bhakti from deeds to words and then from words to thoughts. As we move from deeds to thoughts we are moving from the outer to the inner, and that reflects the nature of spiritual growth.

Sootra 16: According to Sage Vyasa

mÉÔeÉÉÌSwuÉlÉÑUÉaÉ CÌiÉ mÉÉUÉzÉrÉïÈ | 16 - 1.16 pÀj¡di½vanur¡ga iti p¡r¡¾arya¦ | 16 - 1.16

2 poojaa aadishu anuraagah iti “Through acts of worship, etc, Bhakti (is expressed).” paaraasharyah (manyate). So declares Sri Veda Vyasa, the son of Parasara.

2 Sage Vyasa was the author or compiler of all the eighteen Puranas. Of course, that meant a lot of words, but they are essentially about the practices through which Bhakti may be expressed. The Sage, after writing all the Puranas, met Narada and became a disciple of the latter. Narada taught him the subtle aspects of Bhakti. Thus, we see that Sage Vyasa himself acknowledges the higher viewpoint of Narada on the definition of Bhakti. Pooja stands for all the activities connected with the worship of God. This means, rites and rituals, worship of the idol of the Lord by performing Abhishekha or sacred 21 bathing, dressing the idol, feeding Him or Her, offering flowers, performing Arati to the Deity, etc. Through these acts of worship, one’s devotion takes shape and gets stronger. This viewpoint emphasizes the dynamic aspect of Bhakti. Devotion has to take a concrete form in order to give meaning to the feeling behind it. However, there is a danger in this definition, in that if taken in isolation of the inner impulse to worship the Lord, then it can degenerate very quickly into just a routine act, and become a mere show of devotion. If by worship, social activities are also included, the expression of love can be more constructive. The society benefits through service of the poor and the needy. Such charitable acts enhance the community. But even that faces the same danger if it becomes merely an action without any spiritual flame to ignite it.

Sootra 17: According to Sage Garga

MüjÉÉÌSÎwuÉÌiÉ aÉaÉïÈ | 17 - 1.17 kath¡di½viti garga¦ | 17 - 1.17

3 kathaa aadishu (anuraagah) iti “Through sacred stories, etc, Bhakti (expresses itself).” gargah (manayate). So declares Maharishi Garga.

3 This view is expressed by the Sage Garga. The viewpoint represents words in the form of story-telling, poems that glorify devotion, devotional singing of Kirtans and Bhajans, and Japa or the repetition of the Lord’s Name. The conducting of Kathas or discourses on the glory of the Lord through narrating episodes from the epics and the Puranas is one of the methods in vogue in India. The ten- day Bhagavat Purana narration is practised very commonly throughout India. This viewpoint emphasizes the verbal aspect of Bhakti. The recital of these sacred Puranas, or the recital of all the verses of the Bhagavad Geeta at one sitting is also very common. Through these means of hearing about the glory of God, devotion is instilled into the heart of the devotee. Narada himself is known to carry his veena instrument around wherever he went, chanting the Divine Names of Lord Narayana.

Sootra 18: According to Sage Shandilya

AÉiqÉUirÉÌuÉUÉåkÉålÉåÌiÉ zÉÉÎhQûsrÉÈ | 18 - 1.18 ¡tmaratyavirµdh£n£ti ¾¡³¢ilya¦ | 18 - 1.18

4 aatma rati avirodhena iti “Bhakti must not oppose delight in the inner Self.” shaandilyah (manyate). The Sage Shandilya is of this opinion.

4 This view is expressed by the great Sage Shandilya. The viewpoint represents thoughts in order not to forget the inner purpose of the whole practice of devotion. Shandilya reminds us of the joys of the inner life or reveling in the Self. Activities and stories can have the danger of overshadowing this inner aspect of devotion, which is most important. This aspect emphasizes the bliss aspect of Bhakti. Perhaps there was a time in the history of the development of Bhakti when the outward expressions became over- 22 emphasized and the devotee lost sight of the goal of anchoring himself to his own inner Self. Shandilya’s viewpoint must have come as a timely reminder to devotees not to forget the most essential aspect of devotion – namely, the feeling of inner bliss that is the essence of devotion to God.

Sootra 19: According to Sage Narada

lÉÉUSxiÉÑ iÉSÌmÉïiÉÉÎZÉsÉÉcÉÉUiÉÉ iÉÌ²xqÉUhÉå mÉUqÉurÉÉMÑüsÉiÉåÌiÉ | 19 - 1.19 n¡radastu tadarpit¡khil¡c¡rat¡ tadvismara³£ paramavy¡kulat£ti | 19 - 1.19

5 naaradah tu Devarishi Narada, as distinct from the others, says: 6 tad arpita i) “Bhakti is that state of self-surrender akhila aachaarataa, wherein all activities are consecrated (to Him)”; 7 tad vismarane ii) “In the event of forgetting Him, parama vyaakulata iti. (the devotee experiences) supreme anguish.”

5 In the view of Narada, all three aspects are combined into one “rule”. 6 Everything we do in the name of Bhakti must be dedicated or consecrated to the Lord. No matter what it is, however big or small, however elaborate or simple, the act, word and thought must combine and be offered jointly at the feet of the Lord. That becomes the complete definition of Bhakti. This viewpoint fixes our whole being on the Lord Himself, the subject aspect of our Bhakti! By this definition, arguments do not arise as to which is a better method. All methods are equally good if they are offered to the Lord. This is indeed a very significant improvement in the definition of Bhakti, and the Sage Narada will long be remembered for this novel contribution to the practice of Bhakti. 7 And Narada has built into his definition a recovery clause – just in case the Bhakta forgets the Lord in the midst of all the excitement of activity, he should take it as a serious fault and feel deeply repentent, so much so that he feels with a contrite heart as if he has committed a serious blunder. He feels “supreme anguish” at having forgotten the Lord. None of the other definitions include this ‘recovery clause’.

Sootra 20: Here Are Examples

(ESÉWûUhÉqÉç) AxirÉåuÉqÉåuÉqÉç | 20 - 1.20 (ud¡hara³am) asty£vam£vam | 20 - 1.20

8 (udaaharanam) asti, evam evam. The following are examples (of such perfect Bhakti):

8 The question may arise in the minds of readers: Is it at all possible to have such single-minded devotion? Are there any examples of such great Bhaktas or is it just a thing to be imagined? Narada says, “Yes, there are examples. I will quote an example to you.”

Sootra 21: The Gopis of Vraja

rÉjÉÉ uÉëeÉaÉÉåÌmÉMüÉlÉÉqÉç | 21 - 1.21 yath¡ vrajagµpik¡n¡m | 21 - 1.21

9 yathaa vraja-gopikaanaam. Such indeed was the Love of the Gopis of Vraja.

9 Such devotion is, indeed, possible. Narada quotes an exceptional case. “Here is one that is truly exceptional. Why, it exceeds even the definition I have given above, for it has no need for a ‘recovery clause’. It is 100% perfect! You will not find Bhakti greater than it.” The Gopis of Brindavan – an example that has left posterity gaping in disbelief at its wonder. Through a span of 5,000 years, the Gopis have been unexcelled in their courageous and daring relationship with Krishna. It leaves the modern mind stunned to think that such a pure love could even exist on earth. The Gopis held on to their special priviledged relationship of being lovers to Sri Krishna. The Srimad Bhagavatam narrates their relationship in great detail. One can only conclude from reading it that such a relationship could only be possible if there was absolute purity on the part of the Gopis. They demonstrated that at every moment they only saw Sri Krishna as their Supreme Beloved, the Lord Himself, and nothing short of that. What a high standard they have set for humanity to follow! Can such love ever be matched by any devotee since then? The Gopis are second to none in their remarkable Bhakti, which may be deemed to be some sort of a feat in spiritual history. Let us listen to more about it . . .

Sootra 22: Case of Flawless Devotion

iÉ§ÉÉÌmÉ lÉ qÉÉWûÉiqrÉ¥ÉÉlÉÌuÉxqÉ×irÉmÉuÉÉSÈ | 22 - 1.22 (qÉÉWûÉiqrÉxrÉ ¥ÉÉlÉqÉç , iÉxrÉ ÌuÉxqÉ×ÌiÉÈ , xÉ LuÉ AmÉuÉÉSÈ) tatr¡pi na m¡h¡tmyaj²¡navism»tyapav¡da¦ | 22 - 1.22 (m¡h¡tmyasya j²¡nam , tasya vism»ti¦ , sa £va apav¡da¦)

10 tatra api na There (in the Gopis’ total Love), there was not even vismriti apavaadah the flaw or blame of forgetting maahaatmya-jnaana. the glory of the Lord. (hence, no cause for anguish)

Now we come to a most amazing observation from Narada: 10 Sootra 19 spoke of a ‘recovery clause’ which Narada built into his definition of the perfect Bhakta in case the Bhakta forgets his Beloved is none but the Supreme Lord. Well, here is a case which one may say tests that clause to the limit, and passes it unscathed! The Gopis never fell short of the requirement of total remembrance of Lord Krishna as the Lord of the Universe. That thought never left them. In the case of the Gopis, the ‘recovery clause’ was found to be redundant. This is a rare case indeed. The Gopis are considered by some commentators to be incarnations of great God-realised sages, who desired to feel their oneness with the Supreme on earth while taking up a human birth. They chose their birth very carefully, to coincide with the incarnation of the unique Avatara of Lord Krishna.

THE GOPIS’ LOVE FOR SRI KRISHNA

What a marvel has this Love proved to be for all mankind! The Gopis have enacted a dance drama which the world may perhaps never witness again. They danced and sang with the Lord, each one feeling as if the Lord were with her alone. This is how the Lord Himself describes their love in the Bhagavatam (Canto X.32.22 quoted from Swami Tyagisananda of the Ramakrishna Math): “I cannot sufficiently reward your devoted service even through the grant of long life in heaven – the service of you who have resorted to and worshipped Me, conceiving a pure and faultless relation to Me, and having cut asunder the very hard ties of domestic life. May your righteousness be its fullest reward!” In another part of the book, He adds: “They have given their heart and soul to Me. They consider Me to be their very life, and for My sake they have abandoned their nearest relatives. I always support those who, for My sake, give up all worldly advantages and pleasures. When I, the most beloved of lovable objects, am at a distance, the women of Gokula ever think of Me and remain lost to all worldly interests owing to extreme anxiety caused by separation. Somehow with great difficulty the Gopis who have set their heart and soul on Me are supporting their lives on messages of My return to them.” The Sage Uddhava heaps praise upon the soil of Brindavan: “How blessed should it be to live in Brindavan as one of the shrubs or creepers or plants or herbs that come in contact with the dust of the feet of these Gopis!” The women of Mathura have this to say of the Gopis: “Blessed are the women of Vraja who, while milking, pounding, churning, washing, rocking cradles, lulling their crying babes, sprinkling, cleansing and the like, sing the praise of Hari with a devoted and loving heart; their throats are choked with tears, and mind devoted to Him; their path is of constant remembrance of the Lord. Indeed, they deserve to be congratulated in every way.”

Sootra 23: Case of Flawed Devotion

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11 tad vihinam Whereas, bereft of that (maahaatmya jnaanam prema), (remembrance of the glory of the Lord, their love would be), O jaaraanaam iva. like that of couples in an illicit relationship.

11 What would have been the situation had the Gopis forgotten the Lord even for a fraction of a second? The result would have been too painful even to imagine. Without that remembrance of the Supreme, in a split second the whole love would degenerate into that of “couples engaged in illicit relationships”. That could have happened so easily if the mind were not one-pointedly fixed on the Lord. But the Gopis did not waver! They passed the greatest test of all, and with that, set a benchmark for all humanity to emulate in what pure love can be!

DANGER OF IMITATING THE GOPIS

This Sootra can only have one purpose – to warn us never to even think of trying the same experiment with a heart that is not totally purified. The Gopis, we said earlier, are second to none. Let no one imagine that they are Gopis and try to imitate their behaviour. For a start, they would need to renounce all family ties, and then renounce all sense pleasures. Is there anyone ready to make this kind of sacrifice? Many who have tried have ended up making a mockery of the divine teachings. It is just not possible for worldly persons to make the same experiment. Hinduism does not rule out the possibility of it happening again. There have never been exclusive claims in this liberal religion. Yet, the warning is loud enough for all to hear. Let not one’s character be stained in an attempt to imitate the Gopis. The question that goes begging is: What is the flaw in failing to uphold purity in such relationships? This is answered by Narada in the next Sootra.

Sootra 24: The Flaw in Flawed Devotion

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12 na asti eva tasmin tat Surely, there does not exist at all in that (profane love for paramour), sukha-sukhitvam. the sense of happiness in the happiness given to another.

12 It was defined earlier that pure Bhakti is rooted in renunciation – renunciation of one’s ego. That means there is no room for selfishness in Bhakti. The love of a mistress for her lover can have only selfishness as its basis. She does not care for her lover’s happiness, nor does he care for her happiness. The whole relationship is purely a deal in self-interest, nothing more. This is the statement Narada makes with no uncertainty. Clearly, Bhakti is not to be trifled with. One may philosophise that all relationships not founded on the Divine are a stain on one’s soul. However, the scriptures have created the marriage institution for legitimate relationships. Illicit ones are bound to destroy one.

*****

Ì²iÉÏrÉÉåÅkrÉÉrÉÈ

|| mÉUÉpÉÌ£üqÉÌWûqÉÉ ||

PARA-BHAKTI MAHIMAA

CHAPTER 2 (Verses 25-33) 9 No.

The GREATNESS of Supreme Devotion

2.1 The Superiority of Para Bhakti

(Verses 25-27, 3 No.)

THE CONTEXT OF THIS chapter is still Para Bhakti or Supreme Devotion, the highest form of devotion. The term Bhakti in this chapter should be taken to mean ‘Para Bhakti’. The first of the two sections of this chapter deals with a comparison of Bhakti to other paths that are also prescribed in the Vedas, namely Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. In this comparison, Para Bhakti is taken to mean the ultimate Goal of total union with the Divine Being. In that respect, it is held to be supreme or superior.

Sootra 25: Bhakti Compared With Other Paths

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1 saa tu But Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion), when compared to 2 karma, i) Karma Yoga (the path of action), jnaana, ii) Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), and yogebhyah, iii) Raja Yoga (the path of disciplined contemplation); 3 api adhikataraa is superior to them all.

1 The Path of Bhakti Yoga is singled out for comparison. 2 The term Yogebhyah is the plural form, meaning that it refers to three or more Yogas. If only two Yogas were meant (i.e. Karma and Jnana) then ‘Yogaabhyaam’, the dual form, would have been used. Thus it is clear that Raja Yoga is the third item. 3 The claim of superiority made here by Narada is not out of pride of one path being better than another. It is rather in the sense that in the final stages, all paths require one to have Bhakti in order to merge in the Goal, whatever name that is given – i.e. Brahman in Jnana Yoga, or Nirvikalpa Samadhi in Raja Yoga, or the Paramatman in Karma Yoga, or Para Bhakti in Bhakti Yoga. All these are identical states requiring one to have complete love for the Lord, for without that love, union with the Divine is neither possible nor deserved. There is another possible reason why Bhakti Yoga may be considered superior, but it is not deemed valid in this context. That reason is that in the scriptures the subject matter being discussed is often glorified as the best in order to impress its value upon the reader. An example of this is found in the Geeta where Sri Krishna praises in turn both the paths of Knowledge and Action in the second chapter, which leads to Arjuna’s question, “Which is superior?” This reason does not apply here since the glorification of Bhakti would be out of place. The more important point being made is that Bhakti is the common ingredient to which all other paths arrive at before the final goal can be attained.

Sootra 26 & 27: Why is Bhakti Superior?

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(Bhakti alone is superior) 4 phala roopatvaat i) because it is of the nature of the fruit (of all those Yogas).

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5 eeshwarasya api Also because of the Lord’s 6 abhimaana dveshitvaat; ii) dislike for egoism; and dainya-priyatvaat cha. iii) His love for meekness.

In the above two Sootras, three reasons are placed before us as explanation by Narada why he places Bhakti as being superior to the other three Yogas. The reasons are: i) 4 Bhakti is the fruit of all the other Yogas. This has been explained already. It is a question of different terms being used for the Goal, but underlying all Yogas is the Bhakti that the seeker has to have for the Lord to gain the final entry into His Mansion. The above reason implies that the other Yogas are seen as means (practices) to develop to the stage from where only Bhakti can help to consummate the journey. Looked at this way, it would make sense to see Bhakti as the fruit of all the Yogas. It is a perfectly reasonable claim, not a biased claim. ii) 6a In Bhakti there is no room for the ego to manifest itself, as the very basis of the Path is to surrender it to the Lord at the outset. In Karma Yoga, one can become proud of the works done by him. In Jnana Yoga there is a danger of becoming proud of one’s attainment of knowledge without the experience of oneness being achieved. In Bhakti this is least likely as the ego is surrendered from the very beginning. iii) 6b In Bhakti the devotee’s approach to the Lord is one of meekness, submission and surrender to His will. This approach is greatly pleasing to the Lord. Thus, in three Sootras, the superiority of Bhakti is claimed, explained or established.

*****

2.2 Bhakti is its Own Reward

(Verses 28-33, 6 No.)

RISHI NARADA NOW answers other claims, equivalent to his claim for Bhakti Yoga, made by the proponents of the other paths. Is this to create an argument? No . . .

AN OBSERVATION ON ARGUMENTATION

The first verse need not make Narada and Sri Shankaracharya adversaries – that is a typical stance we take in our ignorance and one that scholars thrive on. Saints are made of more mature stuff. Both are right from their own standpoint. Sri Shankaracharya makes this claim so that he can capture his students’ full attention on the knowledge he is about to teach them. And Sri Narada’s reason we have already seen in the previous verse. We notice that Rishi Narada makes no attempt to argue with others. He simply states his point of view and that of the other party. There is great balance, dignity and respectfulness in his statements. Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji, too, is a pillar of the essence of the Hindu religion. He was himself a Bhakta par excellance, the like of whom would be very rare to find. He has written Stuti after Stuti in praise of Lord Shiva, Lord Dattatreya, Lord Vishnu, and many other Deities worshipped by Bhaktas, even though his forte was Vedanta. We may add that Hinduism is a very open religion, permitting various viewpoints, integrating apparently conflicting views. Arising from such a harmonious approach, Hinduism has managed to continually extend its knowledge. Knowledge keeps accumulating in Hinduism. There is no bar to wisdom. It is not a religion frozen to a past. Like the Reality which is Infinite, so with knowledge, ideas and creation itself – they are all just as infinite, unlimited, expansive, elastic and accommodating! In the modern period, when we see so much conflict in the name of religions, this liberty of Hinduism comes as a welcome relief to mankind. Like a true mother of all religions, Hinduism’s bosom is all-embracing and accommodates all viewpoints.

Sootra 28: View 1 – “Knowledge Alone is Needed”

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1 tasyaah For it (i.e. attaining Liberation or God-realisation), jnaanam eva saadhanam iti eke “Knowledge is the only means,” (aachaaryaah manyate). so say some teachers.

1 In Vedantic texts the claim is often made that “Knowledge is the only means”. The basis for this claim is the intellectual approach to the basic human predicament, which says

30 that man’s bondage arises from his total Ignorance of his true nature. If Ignorance is the cause of the problem, then surely Knowledge must be the only way out of it, nothing else. A very good example of this is seen in Sri Adi Shankaracharyaji’s book Atma Bodha, a beautiful text which describes in glowing terms the nature of the Self, using some spectacular similes for the purpose. Sri Shankaracharyaji very early in the book (verses 2 and 3) says: “Just as fire is the direct cause for cooking, knowledge is the direct means for Liberation. Compared to all other forms of discipline, knowledge of the Self is the only direct means of Liberation.”

Sootra 29: View 2 – “Both Knowledge and Bhakti are Needed”

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2 anyonya aashrayatvam iti “There is mutual dependence between the two anye (manyate). (Devotion and knowledge),” so say others.

2 There is also another view that both knowledge and devotion complement each other, that they are mutually dependent. This has validity when we realize that man is made up of many different faculties. Reason is one of them; feeling is another. They are not two totally unrelated faculties. They are like a harmonious husband and wife living in the same house, the human being’s mind. Taking this into account, it would be perfectly justified to integrate the two faculties and see them as joint contributors towards the Goal of spiritual realization. Why should one take precedence over the other. Both are God-given faculties to be used to propel us towards the goal of life. Some may use more of one than of the other. There are many proponents of this philosophy of integration in modern times. Sri Ramakrishna and Swami SIvananda are among the foremost of these, but there are many more in all countries and religions. These are the soldiers of true religion who would arise in every community to come to the protection of the righteous Order and defense of the true religious spirit. All such efforts of integration are being recognized by Rishi Narada. He does not have any quarrel with them. In the next four Sootras, Narada presents his view, taking both the above views into account. This is presented as “View 3”, to avoid giving it another name such as ‘Narada-ism’, which will start another quarrel among scholars – the Naradites verses the non-Naradites!

Sootra 30: View 3 – “Bhakti Alone is Needed”

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3 svayam phalam roopata iti, “It (Bhakti) is its own reward,” brahama-kumaaraah (manyate). so say the Sanatkumaras, the sons of Brahmaji.

The source of this view is rather interesting. Narada is himself one of the sons of Brahmaji. The four Sanatkumaras are actually his elder brothers. So Narada is crediting his brothers for this statement. In actual fact, he did take his brothers to be his Guru. They were his teachers, so it is befitting that he credits them for this statement. He stands here as the spokesperson for all his brothers. 3 The pure Bhakta that he is, Narada has one supreme Goal in mind – and his eye sees it relentlessly at every moment; he sees Bhakti as the means as well as the end. Bhakti is all that is in his mind. We certainly need to give his approach a place of honour in our heart, for rare is it to find one so dedicated to his goal as to put aside every other thing. Thus, we come to the anticipated statement from Narada, that “Bhakti is its own reward.” This means it has no cause, i.e. it is not the effect of anything else such as Sadhana. Bhakti is its own cause. As Narada is speaking from a perspective where he equates Para Bhakti with the Supreme Reality, Brahman, there is nothing contradictory in his statement. This is the nature of the Ultimate Reality – It has no cause and is not an effect. This is the Vedantic stance for Brahman as well. Even in Karma Yoga, the fruit of the action is accepted as ordained by the Lord, to whom it was offered and returns to the Karma Yogi as His Prasad.

DISCUSSION ON BHAKTI & GRACE

There is something very mystical in the statement, “Bhakti is its own reward”. Great saints see in this the doctrine of Grace. It is said that to have Bhakti for the Lord itself requires the Lord’s Grace. This is how the devotee sees it. His love for God is itself a gift from God to him! Does that sound confusing? The doctrine of Grace lends itself to indulge in very poetical descriptions. It has led to some of the finest, most inspirational writings to be found on the spiritual landscape. Swami Chinmayanandaji clarifies the confusion: “Devotion depends upon nothing else. Love alone can breed love. Love springs from love alone. A devotee is born for devotion, and seeks his fulfillment nowhere else but in his own devotion . . . the very Goal to be reached by him is but Love. The way to reach it is also his love for the Lord.” The law of the operation of Grace is explained in the same way. Man makes the effort to reach God. His effort merely clears the obstacles which stood between him and the experience of God-realisation. The effort does not produce God-experience. God-experience is there always. It reveals itself to the devotee who has made the effort to clear all the blockages on the way. This self-revelation is described as Grace of God. In this way we can understand the statement, “Bhakti is its own reward.”

Sootra 31: View 3 – Affirmed by Examples

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4 raaja griha bhojana aadishu In the case of “King, Home and Dinner”, tatha eva drisht-tvaat. such a case alone is seen to be demonstrated.

4 What has been explained in the discussion on Grace above, is now affirmed by three brilliant examples which are quite commonly known to students of the scriptures, and hence are not detailed but just alluded to. The ‘King’: This refers to the incident of a Prince who, while still a baby, got lost somehow and was raised in the forest by a hermit. One day, he heard of his parentage by accident, and came to learn that he was in fact a Prince. The ‘Home’: This refers to a traveller who left home on a long journey, and then returned back to it. The ‘Dinner’: this refers to a hungry man who takes his dinner.

What do these examples illustrate? Through these examples, the explanation of Grace is covered – how “Bhakti is its own reward”. The next Sootra explains these examples.

Sootra 32: View 3 – Examples Explained

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5 na tena By that (merely knowing his history) the prince does not raajaa paritoshah; get the satisfaction of being a king; 6 kshdhaashaat shaantih vaa. nor is the hunger appeased (by merely eating food).

Now the three examples are explained in the context of this text – to illustrate how the spiritual experience is already there; it only requires the disturbance of it to be removed. The three examples have the following very subtle meanings: 5 The ‘King’: The hermit-boy does not become a Prince merely upon hearing the fact of his parentage; he was already a Prince before that, by birth. The ‘Home’: Similarly, the home was always the home of the traveller. It did not become a home only because he returned to it. 6 The ‘Dinner’: the hungry man’s satisfaction was not produced by the food he ate. The satisfaction was always there in the body, but his hunger was a disturbance which covered it. Upon eating, the disturbance was removed, and the satisfaction appeared once more. These are very subtle ways of looking at ordinary experiences. The Application of these examples now becomes quite clear. The same applies to spiritual practices. They do not produce the experience of God. They merely remove the obstacles that are obstructing the God-experience which is always present!

Sootra 33: View 3 – The Conclusion is Declared

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7 tasmaat saa eva Therefore, that (Bhakti) alone graahyaa mumukshubhih. is worth treasuring by those who seek Liberation.

7 Tasmaat: This word, which means ‘therefore’, is used often in scriptures to define the conclusion of a section within a book. Here, of course, it announces the end of the chapter. A concluding message is added to tell us what the gist of the section contained. The value of Bhakti as a spiritual Sadhana for the purpose of attaining Liberation is stressed once again. This small chapter has highlighted the place of Bhakti as a Sadhana as well as the Goal of Sadhana. Bhakti is worth treasuring because of its superiority to other paths – it is the means as well as the end of spiritual experience. This is a standard format used in all scriptures, and does not serve any other purpose. No new teaching is advanced by this Sootra.

*****

Ì§ÉiÉÏrÉÉåÅkrÉÉrÉÈ || aÉÉæhÉpÉÌ£ü ||

GAUNA APARA BHAKTI

CHAPTER 3 (Verses 34-45, 12 No.)

The Beginnings of Devotion

3.1 Development of Gauna Bhakti

(Verses 34-37, 3 No.)

PARA BHAKTI HAS BEEN the subject of the first two chapters. That is the top rung in the ladder of Bhakti. We now go to territory more familiar to most of us – the bottom rung of the ladder, where all devotees have to begin their journey. Having got the bird’s eye view of our subject, we are now going to start the journey at the very beginning. As we mentioned under Sootra 1, the Bhakti at this level is called Apara Bhakti, and within Apara Bhakti the preliminary stage is called Gauna Bhakti. That is the rung where we place our feet now. We shall learn all the Sadhana or the means by which Bhakti may be developed in its earliest stages. The only qualifications needed to start this journey is a desire to want to start a fledgling love for God. We may be at any point on the ladder of spirituality, but the qualification is to turn our heads towards the Lord and start walking in His direction. The saying goes that, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step.” That is where we are, and Rishi Narada picks us up from this point to take us all the way to Para Bhakti. This is his love and compassion for us and for our spiritual welfare.

Sootra 34: Sadhana: The Hymns of the Rishis

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1a tasyaah For it (i.e. for attaining Para Bhakti or Supreme Love), 1b saadhanaani the means of developing it 1c gaayanti aachaaryaah. is described in hymns by the teachers (as follows):

1a Tasyaah: “for that” (the Ablative case); in this context it means for the purpose of attaining Para Bhakti or Supreme Devotion. That is the destination towards which we are heading in this journey. We should never forget that. 1b In Bhakti Yoga, the primary concern is to train our emotions, which are centred in the human bosom, i.e. in the heart, as distinct from the head and the hands, which stand for the intellect and action centres. This is what Rishi Narada confines himself to. Other training, if at all touched upon, such as providing some intellectual grasp of the Sadhana, is only for the purpose aiding the development of Bhakti. 1c The most common instructions for this path are contained in the Stutis or songs written by experienced Bhaktas. These are lengthy poems that glorify the Deity. There are any number of Stutis in Hinduism. These compositions can always be set to music, and indeed, that has been found to be the best way to learn them by heart. It has to be borne in mind that even the illiterate person can be reached through songs of devotion.

Sootra 35: Sadhanas 1 & 2: Renunciation & Detachment

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2a tat tu Now (is explained) that (the Sadhana for developing Bhakti) : 2b vishaya tyaagaat i) By renunciation of the objects of the world (as Unreality); 2c sanga tyaagaat cha. ii) By renunciation of attachments to things of the world.

2a The practices that are prescribed are classified into the usual “Do’s and Don’ts” groups. There are things that we need to give up and things that we need to take up – the negative and the positive methods. We begin the lessons with the things to be given up. This Sootra tells us what we have to give up or renounce. Renunciation is a frightful word to most people of this age. It is possible that some teachers may avoid using this word so as not to frighten away their students. Rishi Narada is not one of them! Sootra 7 at the beginning indicated that Renunciation is the basic principle upon which Bhakti is built. So why should we not learn it first, and why should we be afraid of it? The basic things to be given up are quite predictable: 2b i) Sense Objects: The devotee learns to see all objects of this world as things to be renounced. If a reason helps the Bhakta, well and good, but Rishi Narada does not insist on this extension into reason. The Bhakta is simply asked to renounce Vishaya by “seeing them as being unreal”. The senses’ perception of the objects are not reliable. Things are not what they appear to be. Their Reality is imperceptible. We should renounce their Unreality. 2c ii) Attachment to Objects: As we encounter the sense objects, we find that there are some which we like and others that we dislike. We tend to get attached to those which we like and reject those which we dislike. Sri Narada’s instruction here is to overcome this tendency of liking and disliking. That is the underlying purpose behind this instruction, and it can be done easier when we do not come in contact with the objects in the first place. Why encourage attachment? They merely open the doors and further our evil habits. We note that the instructions of Narada are presented from a universal platform. No specifics are introduced, as these may differ from one country to another or one culture to another. Narada wishes not to complicate the matter by keeping his instructions general.

Sootra 36: Sadhana 3: Loving Service

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3 avyaavritta bhajanaat. iii) through loving, uninterrupted service of the Lord.

Now for the positive methods. The first of these is service: 3 iii) Service requires the beginner to spend as much time as possible in charitable acts of service to the Lord. Service has two important conditions attached to it. a. We must serve lovingly, i.e. willingly, with great enthusiasm, and joyfully. It must not be done grudgingly as though it were a form of drudgery.

b. We must try and make service uninterrupted in time to come. From 5% of our spare time, it can be increased to 25% in the first six months, and 50% in the first year. A time will come when 100% of our acts are dedicated or consecrated to the Lord. Service can be done in many ways. Primarily, an act of service is defined as one in which the happiness or needs of others is seen to before one’s own. Through service the devotee develops numerous desirable qualities much-needed on the path of Bhakti.

Sootra 37: Sadhana 4: Hearing & Chanting the Lord’s Glories

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4a loke api Even (while engaged in activities) in the world, 4b bhagavad-guna shravana-kirtanaat. iv) the glories of the Lord are heard and sung.

The second positive method is now described. 4a Loke Api: “even while in the world”. It does not need us to set aside specific times for this practice. We can do it while we are engaged in our work. Care has to be taken that this does not become a show to attract attention, or disturb others working with us. 4b We can constantly take to chanting the Lord’s Name and sing His glories. We can attend Satsangs where He is glorified by narrations of His glories from sacred books like the Bhagavatam, Ramayana and Mahabharata. These epics and Puranas have played a huge role in spurring the Bhakti movement onward. When singing or chanting in a group, again care has to be taken not to seek attention by chanting ahead of the group or behind the group so as to make our voice stand out. We have to harmonise with the group and not sing too loudly by drowning other voices. Devotees like Thyagarajan and Mirabai, Tukaram and Narsi Mehta, Kabir and Nanak, have widely spread the singing of Bhajans amongst their people.They have brought great joy and happiness into the lives of the vast majority of the people. Saints like Swami Sivananda began conducting Sankirtan Sammelans on a vast scale in the northern parts of the country. At these gatherings, the singing of Kirtans and Bhajans would inspire a great many people to turn to the path of devotion. Educated people dropped their shyness and joined the crowds in singing and dancing with great fervour. Saints and Bhaktas like Sant Murari Bapu and Sri Rameshbhai Oza took their Kathas to foreign countries where huge crowds were drawn to listen to the glories of the Lord. In this manner the people are richly inspired to follow the path as Narada desired them to.

*****

3.2 Grace in Gauna Sadhana

(Verses 38-42, 5 No.)

WHATEVER NEGATIVE OR positive disciplines are selected by each devotee, they all serve one major purpose: They win the Lord’s favour and Grace. Divine Grace is the subject of the next five Sootras. It is a most interesting aspect attached to the topic of Sadhana for developing Gouna Bhakti.

Sootra 38: Grace of Saints & God

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1 mukhyatah tu (sambhavati): Now primarily, (Sadhana is aided through): i) mahat-kripayaa eva i) The Grace of the great saints; 2 ii) bhagavat-kripaa leshaad vaa. ii) The Grace of the Divine, even in slight measure.

All Sadhana is given a boost by the subtle working of Divine Grace in conjunction with it. The more Sadhana we do, the more we attract to our assistance the Grace of God to help us to do it with greater zeal and feeling. 1a The Grace comes through two channels: 1b It comes through saints or the Deity being worshipped. It can come in a measure that may not be so noticeable, or it may come bountifully so as to make major changes in our life. The Grace of saints is obtained by service of saints, helping them in their mission of uplifting mankind, providing them with the means to fulfil their plans, etc. 2 The Grace of the Divine is obtained by regular daily worship, by seeing the Divine in all, by treating others as one would wish to be treated, by seeing all with an equal eye – in these and many other ways. This is the introduction only to the subject of Grace. It is just beginning to open up.

Sootra 39: The Rarity & Influence of Saints

qÉWûixÉ…¡ûxiÉÑ SÒsÉïpÉÉåÅaÉqrÉÉåÅqÉÉåbÉ¶É (pÉuÉÌiÉ) | 39 - 3.06 mahatsa±gastu durlabhµ:'gamyµ:'mµgha¾ca | 39 - 3.06

3 mahat-sangah tu durlabhah The company of a great saint is extremely rare to obtain; 4 i) agamyah i) his influence is subtle and incomprehensible; ii) amoghah cha. ii) and unerringly infallible in its effect.

3 Having spoken of serving saints, the question that faces most people is how to come into contact with them, for they are rare and very hard to recognize even when found. What is the “extreme difficulty” that Narada is referring to? It is twofold: Firstly, there is the danger of meeting a false guide. Here Rishi Narada is actually warning us of the danger of being lazy devotees who would easily latch on to Gurus who promise them an easy path without having to do much Sadhana. Such devotees leave everything to their Guru to do! There are many Gurus who thrive on this type of devotee. Such devotees, even if they find a pure Guru, will not benefit from him because they are not willing to do any serious spiritual practices. Secondly, there is the danger of not recognizing a true guide even after meeting him. Rishi Narada is fully aware of how rare it is to get a true Master who will guide devotees properly along the difficult path which many are not willing to tread. The true Masters often move about in disguised behaviour to avoid the above type of devotees who would otherwise swarm around them like flies. However, having found the right Guru, the benefits one enjoys are enormous: 4 Rishi Narada writes here from his own experience. He has been through the experiences that have taught him to value the company of saints. He had faltered once in the heavenly plane and was cursed to come to earth in a family of low birth. Although it was a low birth as the son of a servant-girl, it was also his good fortune to be in the household of Rishi Kanvar. In such an environment, he had the sanctifying company of Mahatmas. It is their influence on him that Narada speaks of in this Sootra. “Subtle and incomprehensible . . . unerringly infallible” was the influence of Rishi Kanvar on Narada. Due to it, Narada developed the taste for devotional service early in life and his life was set on a course quite opposite to that suited to his low birth. He grew in devotion and soon became a perfected Bhakta himself. The message is clear. Be sincere in spiritual practice, love God above everything else, and the right guidance will come by God’s arrangement – His Grace. How it comes is as mysterious as the Grace that comes. In fact, the truth is quite astonishing. The next Sootra reveals it . . .

Sootra 40: Grace is Obtained by Grace Alone!

sÉprÉiÉåÅÌmÉ iÉiM×ümÉrÉæuÉ | 40 - 3.07 labhyat£:'pi tatk»payaiva | 40 - 3.07

5 labhyate api tat kripayaa eva. A saint is found by his (the saint’s) Grace alone!

5 It seems like a circle which we cannot enter – the Grace we seek comes through saints, but the saints we seek come through their Grace! It is a paradox indeed. An illustration of this situation is: the boatman wants to anchor his boat to protect it from the waves; but the waves themselves make it almost impossible for him to anchor it.

THE “GRACE” PUZZLE

This is one puzzle which can be solved only if we do not use our head! We need our heart instead. This is the devotee’s way of solving the riddle – he turns more to his heart for help than his head. Our love for God has to be intensified. For Grace follows that Love as a dog follows its master. If our love and yearning for God ripens, the right Guru will arrive at our doorstep, sent by the power of Grace. There is a glimmer of the truth being revealed here. How are these three things related – God, Grace and Guru? It is getting more and more clear that God sends His Grace to the disciple through the perfect channel of the Guru. There is no difference between God’s Grace and Guru’s Grace. If we extend this logic just a little further, it is not hard to believe that the Guru and God are themselves no different. But enough of the play with words. Before we get carried away by this idea, we would do well to let Narada himself give the reason that explains the riddle. Indeed, the head would never have thought of it . . .

Sootra 41: Solving the Riddle of Grace

iÉÎxqÉÇxiÉ‹lÉå pÉåSÉpÉÉuÉÉiÉç | 41 - 3.08 tasmi¯stajjan£ bh£d¡bh¡v¡t | 41 - 3.08

6 tasmin tat jane Between God and His devotees, bheda abhaavaat there is no trace of difference – that is the reason.

Firstly, it must be clarified that ‘devotees’ in this context can mean only the perfected Bhaktas, the Para Bhakta, not every devotee. They are the true representatives to lead striving devotees. 6 The Sootra then affirms the solution to the riddle – “God and the Guru are not different”. The Para Bhakta is God Himself. Care needs to be taken not to regard this as a simile for the Guru. In statements like “He is God-like” or “He is a demon”, God and demon are similes, and the statements are quite acceptable everywhere. In the Para Bhakta it is literally true, not just a simile. In Hinduism alone are such statements not regarded as blasphemy. Elsewhere, saints like Jesus and others were killed or persecuted for saying this. The devotee who has grown into the perfect likeness of God in every way, is no different from God in his Consciousness. This is also proclaimed in the Upanishads as, “The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.” (Mundaka Upanishad, III-2.9)

Sootra 42: Sadhana is for Grace Alone

iÉSåuÉ xÉÉkrÉiÉÉÇ iÉSåuÉ xÉÉkrÉiÉÉqÉç | 42 - 3.09 tad£va s¡dhyat¡¯ tad£va s¡dhyat¡m | 42 - 3.09

7 tat eva saadhyataam; Such Sadhana alone (needs to be practiced); tat eva saadhyataam. (as would enable us to obtain His Grace). Such Sadhana alone!

7 This is an eye-opener: Only such Sadhana as would enable us to obtain God’s Grace needs to be practised, no more and no less. In other words, Sadhana is practiced solely for obtaining the Grace which would ultimately reveal the Supreme Lord to us. The Sadhana is done for this purpose alone. It is not the Sadhana that makes us realize the Truth. The Sadhana only clears away all obstructions so that Truth can stand self-revealed!

GRACE & SELF-EFFORT

Self-effort may be thought of as our yearning for God; Grace, on the other hand, is God’s yearning for His devotee. It is His effort to run to His devotee’s assistance. The truth about Grace is that it is there all around us all the time. It is we who obstruct its path, its flow into us to bring about our transformation. If we can only surrender completely to the Divine, the Divine Grace flows unimpeded, transforming us to perfection. If we do not feel the flow of Grace, we need to introspect and find what we are doing that is wrong in the eyes of God. That is where our attention should be focused in order to remove the obstruction so that Grace may flow freely. Example of Shabarimata: In the Ramayana is the beautiful example of the devotee, Shabarimata. She was firm in her faith that one day Lord Rama would grace her home and accept her hospitality. Day after day, for years she would decorate her pathway with flowers to receive the Lord. She never became disappointed on any of those days. She never complained why He was not coming. She just kept on doing her duty of being ready for His visit, for she was sure He would come. And, of course, one glorious day He did! Not only did the Lord liberate her soul and give her the Immortality spoken of in Sootra 3, but He has immortalised her name in the hearts of posterity. This is the approach of the Bhakta. He does all in his power to direct his whole mind to God, and then leaves the results to Him to dispense, at His own sweet will. In Bhakti Yoga, illumination is seen as a gift that God gives as He sees fit. The Bhakta does not seek illumination, he seeks only to love God. The rest is God’s business! Indeed, this is the real difference between Bhakti Yoga and the other paths to Perfection. It is also why in an earlier Sootra, Narada considered Bhakti Yoga superior to all other Yogas.

In Search of Grace or in Search of Guru? We end this section on Divine Grace with a very searching question: After what we have just discussed, are we really in search of a Guru or are we in search of Grace? Where should our attention be directed towards? If the Guru himself comes to us only to bestow his Grace, then are we not really seeking Grace?

*****

3.3 Beware of Evil Company

(Verses 43-45, 3 No.)

WE ARE ENTERING this section on the back of a rich insight on God, Guru and Grace. In this section we add another term to that list – Nature. We are taught how Nature can assist us in our spiritual life if we make ourselves observant enough to study Her ways. Nature’s ways are no different from God’s ways. In fact God surely talks to us through Nature, as He does through the Guru. There is a faint hint in the last chapter that we ought to be turning or aligning ourselves more and more to Nature to provide us with the impulse to pursue our spiritual Sadhana. We ought to be learning at the feet of Nature how to go about our Sadhana. When Nature is pleased, God is pleased. Nature Herself will arrange to send the “Guru” of Her choice to us! Any effort we make to go against Nature and Her Laws leads us into trouble. It is worth pondering over this . . .

Sootra 43: Shun Evil Company

SÒxxÉ…¡ûÈ xÉuÉïjÉæuÉ irÉÉerÉÈ | 43 - 3.10 dussa±ga¦ sarvathaiva ty¡jya¦ | 43 - 3.10

1 duhsangah Evil company, however, 2 sarvathaa tyaajyah. is fit only to be shunned by all means.

What is Evil Company? 1 It is worth taking the greatest care in defining clearly what “evil company” really is. What is the definition of Evil Company? A very subtle definition has just been given in the above introduction: Evil company is “going against Nature and Her Laws”. That is the truest and safest definition of evil company. In this definition, evil company is not “out there”, but “in here”, within our own mind. When we go against Nature, that is the evil company which troubles us. With this attitude we step into this important section. Evil company is not about avoiding bad people, as though badness lies in ‘other people’, and somehow we are exempt from being bad! We are really being asked to avoid all ways and habits which infringe the Laws of Nature. That which maligns us to Nature is Evil Company. With this definition in our mind, we can go through the next three Sootras without developing a superiority attitude, without a “holier than thou” feeling creeping in over us. The impulse to ‘shun evil company’ should be the urge to get in tune with Nature and the urge to bring more Godliness into our lives. It should not be determined by a judgement over others. Being judgemental in our approach, opens up the risk of developing a dangerous superiority complex.

The Curse of Untouchability 2 What has just been said about evil company is crucial to influence how we react to this Sootra. If we are not careful, this Sootra can lead us to become puritanical in our outlook. Pride and haughtiness follows Puritanism, the attitude of being purer than others. The end result of Puritanism is the scourge of untouchability that our society is festered with. Untouchability is a curse which the noblest men of society have always fought against. In the name of shunning evil company, has arisen this monster of Untouchability which is a festering sore in our society, and very hard to get rid of. We have a responsibility to understand this if we are to make proper sense of this Sootra. Without this care, the good medicine it contains can easily turn into a poison. With this understanding, by all means we can and should should shun evil company, starting first with all that is evil within ourselves, and moving on to obeying all the Laws of Nature, health, cleanliness, etc.

Sootra 44: It Causes Utter Ruin

MüÉqÉ¢üÉåkÉqÉÉåWûxqÉ×ÌiÉpÉëÇzÉ oÉÑÎ®lÉÉzÉMüÉUhÉiuÉÉiÉç | 44 - 3.11 k¡makrµdhamµhasm»tibhra¯¾a buddhin¡¾ak¡ra³atv¡t | 44 - 3.11

3 kaama, krodha, moha, The rousing up of desire, anger and delusion; 4 smriti bhramsha the loss of memory; 5 buddhi naasha, sarva naasha, and loss of discrimination – in fact, utter ruin – 6 kaaranatvaat. is caused by it, i.e. by evil company.

Rishi Narada gives us the indications of what evil company can do to us, in words very reminiscent of Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Geeta. 3-6 Verses 2.62-63 in the Geeta read: “The man dwelling on sense objects develops attachment for them; from attachment springs up desire; from (unfulfilled) desire ensues anger; from anger arises delusion; from delusion, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of reason; and from loss of reason one goes to complete ruin.” We noted earlier (Sootra 16) that Sage Vyasa, the author of the Geeta, had become a disciple of Narada, who taught him the intricasies of Bhakti and urged him to write the Bhagavatam, after he had already written the Mahabharata (which contains the Geeta). The above chain of states beginning with Desire is often referred to as the “Desire Lineage”, and represents the rapid fall in one’s life due to the presence of Desire. The fall is initiated by evil company. Once initiated, it ends only when one comes crashing down onto the ground floor; there is just no way to arrest it at any stage in between.

Sootra 45: A Ripple Becomes a Tsunami!

iÉU…¡ûÉÌrÉiÉÉ AmÉÏqÉå xÉ…¡ûÉiÉç xÉqÉÑSìÉrÉliÉå | 45 - 3.12 tara±g¡yit¡ ap§m£ sa±g¡t samudr¡yant£ | 45 - 3.12

7 tarangaayitaa api ime Though appearing as a mere ripple at first, 8 sangaat they (anger and lust, etc), due to evil companionship, samudraayanti. take up oceanic proportions!

7-8 Alertness and caution in keeping the right company are key to remaining firmly on the path of self-control. The slightest inadvertence in this regard will open the doors to the winds, then the storm, and finally the whole flood enters into our being and brings about its total destruction. It is said, “A stitch in time saves nine.” The same applies to corrective measures in self-control. There is no leeway for carelessness and inadvertence. A ripple in a pond looks harmless; a huge wave in the midst of the ocean is terrifying. The former can easily become the latter if we are talking of anger and lust, and if we are not careful enough to check both at their early, “ripple” stage.

*****

cÉjÉÑjÉÉåïÅkrÉÉrÉÈ || qÉÑZrÉÉmÉUÉpÉÌ£ü ||

MUKHYAA APARA BHAKTI

CHAPTER 4 (Verses 46-55, 10 No.)

“The Higher Sadhanas of Devotion”

4.1 Crossing Maya in Bhakti

(Verses 46-50, 5 No.)

THE TEXT NOW MOVES into the more advanced stages of devotional Sadhana. The preliminary Gauna stage may be compared to swimming at the sea-shore; the Mukhyaa stage of Bhakti Sadhana is like swimming in mid-ocean facing the towering waves above and the dangerous sharks below. In this section, Narada gives us a 12-point list of Sadhanas to be done, by which we may progress successfully through the shark-infested Mukhyaa stage. These Sadhanas are more difficult than the earlier ones at the Gauna stage. Looked at another way, one could say that the Sadhanas may appear to be the same, but the self- awareness and the alertness has to be sharper, more stringent, and leaves no leeway for any inadvertance. That is the very theme we finished with in the last chapter. Mukhyaa Sadhana culminates when we “cross Maya”, which is equivalent to saying “when we reach Para Bhakti”, which in turn is the same as saying “when we realise God”. Only Brahman lies beyond Maya, and Brahman is the Goal of Para Bhakti. Hence, “crossing Maya” is no mean achievement; it is the pinnacle of achievements!

Sootra 46: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 1-3

MüxiÉUÌiÉ MüxiÉUÌiÉ qÉÉrÉÉqÉç rÉÈ xÉ…¡Çû irÉeÉÌiÉ rÉÉå qÉWûÉlÉÑpÉÉuÉÇ xÉåuÉiÉå ÌlÉqÉïqÉÉå pÉuÉÌiÉ | 46 - 3.13 kastarati kastarati m¡y¡m ya¦ sa±ga¯ tyajati yµ mah¡nubh¡va¯ s£vat£ nirmamµ bhavati | 46 - 3.13

0 kah tarati, kah tarati maayaam? Who crosses Maya? Who really crosses Maya? 1 yah sangam tyajati; (1) He who gives up attachments to sense objects; 2 yah maha-anubhaavam sevate; (2) who serves the great devotees; 3 nirmamah bhavati. (3) who renounces all sense of self-possession;

Sootra 47: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 4-7

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4 yah vivikta sthaanam sevate; (4) who resorts to a solitary place of quietude; 5 yah loka-bandham unmulayati; (5) who uproots his bondage to the world; 6 yah nistraigunyah bhavati; (6) who goes beyond the play of the “Three Gunas”; 7 yah yoga-kshemam tyajati. (7) who renounces the anxieties of body maintenance;

Sootra 48: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 8-10

rÉÈ MüqÉïTüsÉÇ irÉeÉÌiÉ MüqÉÉïÍhÉ xÉÇlrÉxxrÉÌiÉ iÉiÉÉå ÌlÉ²ïl²Éå pÉuÉÌiÉ | 48 - 3.15 ya¦ karmaphala¯ tyajati karm¡³i sa¯nyassyati tatµ nirdvandvµ bhavati | 48 - 3.15

8 yah karma-phalam tyajati; (8) He who relinquishes the fruits of actions; 9 (yah) karmaani sannyasyati; (9) who renounces all ego-centric actions; 10 tatah nirdvandvah bhavati. (10) who is freed from the play of Duality.

Sootra 49: The Recipe to Cross Maya – 11-12

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11 yah vedaan api sannyasyati (11) He who transcends the need for Vedas; 12 kevalam avichinna- (12) who, in a pure, unbroken anuraagam labhate. flow of devotion, is well-established.

The Twelve-Point Mukhyaa Sadhana 0 Rishi Narada has entitled this list as Kah Tarati? or “Who Crosses Maya?” As we go through the items, we find it is a concise instruction manual for Mukhyaa Bhakti, the advanced forms of Sadhana in Bhakti Yoga. 1-12 A devotee should memorize this list so that daily he may recall them and check himself, even as a mariner checks his compass when out at sea. In times of tempestuous weather, a mariner examines his compass more frequently. The devotee, too, does likewise, when he sails through the rough seas of Maya, infested with sharks of temptations and huge waves of trials and tribulations – and thereby ensure that he ‘crosses Maya’ successfully.

Sootra 50: Crossing From Gauna to Mukhyaa Bhakti

xÉ iÉUÌiÉ xÉ iÉUÌiÉ xÉ sÉÉåMüÉÇxiÉÉUrÉÌiÉ | 50 - 3.17 sa tarati sa tarati sa lµk¡¯st¡rayati | 50 - 3.17

13 sah tarati, sah tarati, He crosses (Maya); indeed, he crosses (Maya). 14 sah lokaan taarayati. He then helps others also to cross (Maya).

13 The Devotee who keeps a track in this manner, will eventually find that his score increases month by month. If he scores over 80%, he may well consider himself to have become a stalwart as a Mukhyaa Bhakta, MA in the Science of Bhakti Yoga. He would be regarded as a fairly advanced practitioner of the disciplines of Bhakti. There is now not a long way for him to go before he reaches the 100% mark. Then he would graduate out of the university and become a qualified Para Bhakta, PhD! 14 Having graduated to this level, he would be ready to guide others and help them to cross the Sea of Maya as well. Even as he received his Guru’s Grace to come to this achievement, he becomes the channel of Grace to help other struggling Bhaktas. And so the great time-honoured system of Guru Parampara continues. By this Guru- Disciple Lineage, the Rishis of yore have ensured that their timeless teachings remain fresh in this world, and that sincere souls will always get the necessary help and inspiration they need to practice this wonderful spiritual Path.

RISHI NARADA’S SPIRITUAL DIARY

Swami Sivananda has created a Spiritual Diary for aspirants which contains similar items as in Narada’s Sadhana list in this section, and advises his disciples to maintain it daily. Rishi Narada’s list may be summarised in Swami Sivananda’s style as follows:

Sootra 46: Point 1: Am I Attached to sense objects? Point 2: Have I done Service of Saints today? Point 3: Have I given up Possessiveness?

Sootra 47: Point 4: How much time have I spent in Solitude? Point 5: Have I reduced my Worldly Ties? Point 6: Have I overcome Tamas and Rajas and become more Sattwic? Point 7: Have I surrendered to Him all my concerns over Body-Maintenance?

Sootra 48: Point 8: Am I still anxious for the Results of my Actions? Point 9: How many Selfish Actions have I done? And how many Selfless Actions? Point 10: Have I been a victim of Likes and Dislikes, the play of Duality?

Sootra 49: Point 11: Am I ready to follow the Voice of Conscience in place of the scriptures? Point 12: Are my Thoughts always centred on my Beloved Lord?

*****

4.2 Love Inexplicable

(Verses 51-55, 5 No.)

AS BHAKTI IS INEXPLICABLE, it is not possible to have visible proof of it. However, the course charted by Rishi Narada provides much-needed encouragement to the practising devotee, spurring him on to make greater effort until the full Mukhyaa Bhakti is attained. In Bhakti Sadhana, one cannot rest until all Duality is transcended. For that we have to wait for Chapter 7 which picks up the baton from this chapter and takes us to the finishing line of Para Bhakti!

Sootra 51: Divine Love is Inexplicable

AÌlÉuÉïcÉlÉÏrÉÇ mÉëåqÉxuÉÃmÉqÉç | 51 - 4.01 anirvacan§ya¯ pr£masvarÀpam | 51 - 4.01

1 anirvachaneeyam Indescribable, indefinable – 2 prema swaroopam. such is the nature of Mukhyaa Bhakti.

1-2 In case we are looking for an easy sign to gauge the growth of Bhakti in our heart, there isn’t any. Rishi Narada at the outset warns us that we are dealing with something that is basically an indescribable or indefinable quality. Whatever signs of growth are given in the next few verses are a rough guide and cannot be held to be convincing ‘proof’ or a measure of Bhakti in our devotee. There are other things in life, too, that are just as difficult to measure. Physical substances may be measured by instruments of perception, but qualities of the heart are found to always elude the measuring stick. However, Narada does make a serious effort and offers us a helping hand.

Sootra 52: Like Taste to the Dumb

qÉÔMüÉxuÉÉSlÉuÉiÉç | 52 - 4.02 mÀk¡sv¡danavat | 52 - 4.02

3 mukha aasvaadanavat. (Mature Bhakti is) like the taste enjoyed by the dumb.

3 An example is given from day-to-day life of something that is just as indescribable as Bhakti. Many things can be known only from experience, not from theory. This example is especially a good one because it shows that inability to explain an experience is not a proof that it does not exist. The dumb man certainly enjoys taste; he has the experience of it, but cannot express it. There is a saying, “The taste of the pudding is in the eating.”

The human mind is very curious to know everything in detail. Rishi Narada has a genuine problem in trying to satisfy that curiosity. He knows from experiencing Supreme Bhakti that it is not possible to convey exactly what it is. However, he does not escape from the situation. As a Teacher, he has to “market” his product well, so he uses all the marketing skills which he can muster. He gives it his best shot in the following verses. He really wants us to have a good idea of what all this is about. If there is anyone who can make a reliable attempt to explain the experience of Bhakti, it is Narada. For he is both a Jnani and a Bhakta in one. His Knowledge places him in the best position to explain his Devotion. So, let us see how he ‘sells’ Bhakti to our inquisitive minds . . .

Sootra 53: Bhakti is Rare to Find

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4 prakaashate (Mature Bhakti) is found to manifest 5 kvaapi paatre. in some rare ones who are fit recipients.

4 Is this a salesman’s trick? The salesman is fond of such tricks, not only to heighten his client’s interest in his article, but also to raise its price! 5 We can be sure that Narada has no such intention. True Bhakti really is rare – that is a fact. When our entire civilization and culture goes against the grain of true devotion to God, how can it ever be a common experience? The readers of Narada Bhakti Sootras are themselves very rare. How many serious students of Bhakti are there? How much rarer will the experience of it be! Narada starts by making this cautionary note. First of all we need to be “fit recipients”, then only can we expect to have a taste of Bhakti. Our curiosity to know about the signs of Bhakti has to be accompanied by a sincere effort to prepare ourselves for it.

Sootra 54: Describing the Indescribable

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Some attempts to describe the indescribable. . . 6 guna rahitam, i) without attributes; kaamanaa rahitam, ii) without the poison of desires; 7 pratikshana vardhamaanam, iii) every moment it increases; avicchhinam, iv) it is unbroken;

8 sookshmataram, v) it is the subtlest that can be thought of; anubhava roopam. vi) of the nature of sheer immediate experience.

6-8 Here, at last, we have Sage Narada’s effort to describe the indescribable. The intellectuals, on reading it, may start their regimental analysis, the doctors may fetch their sthethoscopes and engineers their oscilloscopes and try to figure out each point till they get exhausted. Only the devotee of the Lord will go quietly to his prayer room and ponder over these statements, asking the Lord for help to reveal them to him. The very first item would baffle the scientists. “Bhakti has no attributes” – so what are they going to measure? The method adopted by Narada to describe Bhakti is to describe what it is not. This negative approach is the only one possible. All ordinary experiences are negated in the six points listed. By this approach alone can Narada best express the experience of Bhakti. So we express what genuine love is in terms of the selfish love we are familiar with; real love is also unbroken, for we are used to seeing love come and go; real love is deep, unfathomable, not skin-deep as ordinary human love; real love is not in the framework of time but present in the eternal NOW; everyone knows the time-table of ordinary love.

Sootra 55: THAT Alone!

iÉimÉëÉmrÉ iÉSåuÉÉuÉsÉÉåMüÌiÉ iÉSåuÉ zÉ×hÉÉåÌiÉ iÉSåuÉ pÉÉwÉrÉÌiÉ iÉSåuÉ ÍcÉliÉrÉÌiÉ | 55 - 4.05 tatpr¡pya tad£v¡valµkati tad£va ¾»³µti tad£va bh¡½ayati tad£va cintayati | 55 - 4.05

9 tat praapya Having reached that (the state of Mature Bhakti), 10 tad eva avalokayati, i) the devotee sees (feels, comprehends) that alone; tad eva shrinoti, ii) hears that alone; tad eva bhaashayati, iii) speaks of that alone; tad eva chintayati. iv) and thinks of (contemplates upon) that alone.

9 There are the following signs of a person who has reached the higher stage of Mukhyaa Bhakti. The description is such that it is impossible for anyone to pretend to have this devotion. 10 Seeing, hearing, speaking and thinking – all these are the indicators of the state of our mind. If their content is the Beloved Lord alone, then it can only mean that the mind is full of God. The whole being is simply soaked in the thought of the Lord. The experience of devotion is whole and integral. That is its most remarkable quality. It fills one from ‘head to foot’, as it were. There is no faculty which is left out of this experience.

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mÉgcÉqÉÉåÅkrÉÉrÉÈ || mÉëåqÉÌlÉuÉïcÉlÉqÉç ||

GAUNA-MUKHYAA BHEDA

CHAPTER 5 (Verses 56-66, 10 No.)

“Differentiating Lower from Higher”

5.1 Breakdown of Gauna Bhakti

(Verses 56-60, 5 No.)

MUKHYAA BHAKTI AND Gauna Bhakti are clearly distinguished in this chapter. The characteristics of each type are described. For the casual reader this may appear as just an academic exercise. However, for the practising Bhakta, the signs discussed hereunder can be extremely useful in identifying one’s stage of development. It is as useful to the devotee as a ground positioning system (GPS) is to a driver in a big metropolitan city. The most distinguishing feature of the comparison is that in Gauna Bhakti, there are attributes or qualities. The features of the three Gunas (Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas) are clearly noticeable in this stage of Bhakti. The motives are also somewhat inferior. In other words, this Bhakti is still developing and this is seen by examining the Gunas and the motives. Another difference is that in Gauna Bhakti the Ego is more easily discernible as it is still quiet big. It is the barrier that requires most attention, and the Gauna Bhakta spends a lot of his time trying to chisel it off. In Mukhyaa Bhakti, due to the greater purity reached, the Ego is much less troublesome in the Sadhana, but in its place other factors play a more dominant role, such as inadvertance, unexpected surges of desire, and subtle tricks of the mind. However, all of us have to start at the Gauna level. There is no possibility of skipping that stage. There is hard work in both stages, although it may be of a different nature.

Sootra 56: Three Types of Gauna Bhakti

aÉÉæhÉÏ Ì§ÉkÉÉ aÉÑhÉpÉåSÉSè AÉiÉÉïÌSpÉåSÉSè uÉÉ | 56 - 4.06 gau³§ tridh¡ gu³abh£d¡d ¡rt¡dibh£d¡d v¡ | 56 - 4.06

1 gaunee tridhaa (bhavati), Gauna Bhakti is of three kinds (seen from two angles) – 2 guna bhedaat, A. From the angle of the Gunas, the three kinds are: i) Sattwic, ii) Rajasic, or iii) Tamasic; 3 aarta aadi bhedaat vaa. B. From the angle of Motives, the three kinds are: i) Aarta, ii) Jijnasu, or iii) Arthaarthin.

1 The classification within Gauna Bhakti is now stated. There are two ways of classifying it, and both of them have three stages. On closer scrutiny we will find that both methods describe the same three stages. [The source of the following material is from Swami Tyagisanandaji of the Ramakrishna Mission, whose book also formed one of the Course textbooks.]

2 The Method of Checking Gunas: Gauna Bhakti may be classified according to the Guna which predominates in us. This is the traditional method used. Each Guna predisposes the mind in a particular manner, and 54 the Bhakti is tinged with that Guna. The Guna acts as a colouring to the emotion of Bhakti that is trying to emerge from the devotee. These are the 3 types possible: i) Sattwic: When given a Sattwic colouring, Bhakti expresses itself in a Sattwic manner. The characteristic of Sattwa is purity. A Sattwic devotee has pure love for God, without any selfish motive. There is great clarity in the mind of a Sattwic person. This makes the Sattwic devotee easily discriminate what he has to strive towards. He uses his intelligence to maximize the benefits from his practices. He shows great enthusiasm and joy in his Sadhana. He is the one who succeeds in developing true Bhakti and eventually reaches the Mukhyaa stage of Bhakti. ii) Rajasic: When given a Rajasic colouring, Bhakti expresses itself in a Rajasic manner. The characteristic of Rajas is restless activity aimed at sefish interest. This makes the devotee ambitious for worldly success, name and fame, and power. The Bhakti for God has this colouring. Instead of praying to God, they actually “prey” upon God! There are many examples of such types of Rajasic devotees, the well-known being Ravana in the Ramayana. These devotees also perform severe, impressive austerities, but their aim is to gain power over others and destroy them. iii) Tamasic: When given a Tamasic colouring, Bhakti expresses itself in a Tamasic manner. The characteristic of Tamas is a thick veil of ignorance and a deluded intellect. This makes the devotee unable to discriminate the path clearly. To compensate for this he relies on external props, available to him as per custom or tradition. He has a superstitious bent of mind, gets help from witchcraft, and is prone to fanaticism. In his practices he resorts to that which is mystical, to charms, spells and all sorts of queer methods such as animal sacrifices, occultism and spirit worship. He becomes vulnerable and falls an easy prey to teachers who misguide him.

3 The Method of Checking Motives: Alternatively, one may view the very same division from the angle of the motive of Bhakti. In the Geeta, 7.16, Lord Krishna identifies four different Bhaktas who turn to Him. The fourth one, the Jnani, is the Para Bhakta and is therefore not included in the Sootra since we are dealing only with Apara Bhakti. The three types of Gauna Bhaktas, classified by their motives, are as follows: i) Artah: “the distressed”. The underlying motive here is to get rid of the distress of worldly existence. The devotee’s motive is pure – he wants to be free from birth and death, as he has had sufficient experiences to conclude that worldly life is binding. He now aims to attain the infinite Bliss of God. He corresponds to the Sattwic devotee. ii) Jignaasu: “the seeker of knowledge”. The underlying motive here is to have the highest knowledge. It is for the satisfaction of the intellect, rather than attainment of Bliss. He is a researcher in religious works. This corresponds to the Rajasic devotee. iii) Arthaathee: “the seeker of wealth (and pleasure)”. This is the person who wishes to attain the greatest joy that the world has to offer. He has an interest only in wealth and pleasure, and wants a push from God to attain them! He is the Tamasic devotee. The important point is that all of these are acceptable to start with. The Lord picks us up from where we are, as long as we have turned to Him for help.

Sootra 57: Gradation of the Three Types

E¨ÉUxqÉÉSÒ¨ÉUxqÉÉiÉç mÉÔuÉï mÉÔuÉÉï ´ÉårÉÉrÉ pÉuÉÌiÉ | 57 - 4.07 uttarasm¡duttarasm¡t pÀrva pÀrv¡ ¾r£y¡ya bhavati | 57 - 4.07

4 utarasmaad utarasmaad, Than each succeeding type, poorva poorvaa, its preceding type, 5 shreyaaya bhavati. is the nobler (the greater).

4 Both the above threefold classifications are now said to be in a graded sequence, in the order given in the Sootra, from the purest to the grossest. This could have been told in the previous Sootra, but it was not – perhaps Narada wished to emphasise that the gradations are not meant to divide the devotees into higher and lower categories. Entrance is for all without any distinction. The gradation is now given only so that each devotee can know where he is, and work on himself accordingly. 5 In the Method of Gunas, the direction to progress is from Tamas to Rajas, and then from Rajas to Sattwa. In the Method of Motives, the progress is from Arthaathee (worldly desirer) to Jignaasu (desirer for knowledge and wisdom), and finally Artah (desirer for liberation from the affliction of worldly life itself). The final step is, of course, to reach Para Bhakti. This is desired by the fourth type of Bhakta, the Jnani, as given in the Geeta verse. Here the Love for God is for His sake alone. This in outline is the development of devotion, a movement from self-centredness to God-centredness, from Gauna to Mukhyaa and then to Para Bhakti. To begin with, there are no conditions; anyone can start this path, even the one with worldly interest only. Under Narada’s tutelage, he too can rise to become a pure devotee. A Simile: In God’s Hospital, all the patients are treated equally, but the treatment varies according to the “disease”. Some (the Tamasic and the Arthaathee) may need to be treated under ICU conditions; others (the Rajasic and the Jignasu) in general wards; and yet others (the Sattwic and the Artah) may simply need to consult the Doctor and go home. When the disease of Egoism has been cured, there is no need to visit the Hospital. When Mukhyaa Bhakti is reached, the right place to go is the meditation room, not the hospital!

Connection to Sootras 16, 17, 18 & 19: Definitions of Bhakti Swami Chinmayanandaji (Pujya Gurudev) connects the above gradations with the four definitions of Bhakti given earlier by Vyasa, Garga, Shandilya and Narada as follows: A. Definition of Vyasa: “through acts of worship and rituals”. This is the starting point for the Tamasic and Arthaathee Type of devotees. B. Definition of Garga: “through stories and poems”. This is for the Rajasic and Jignasu Type of devotees. C. Definition of Shandilya: “through seeking delight in the Atman”. This is suitable for the Sattwic and Artah Type of devotee. D. Definition of Narada: “through consecration of all activities to the Lord”. This last definition is for the Para Bhakta, on the final lap of moving from Mukhyaa to Para Bhakti.

Sootra 58: Easily Recognised & Attained

AlrÉxqÉÉiÉç xÉÉæsÉpÉÇ pÉ£üÉæ | 58 - 4.08 anyasm¡t saulabha¯ bhaktau | 58 - 4.08

6 anyasmaat bhaktau (7th case) Than all other types with regard to Bhakti (i.e. Para, Mukhyaa Apara, and Gauna Apara), 7 saulabhyam. this form (Gauna) is very easy to recognize and attain.

6 Now a comparison is made not within Gauna Bhakti as in the above two Sootras, but within the whole Bhakti Yoga School. Of all the different stages of Bhakti discussed in this book (mentioned in the translation), Gauna is picked out as a very special stage. Why? 7 In Gauna Bhakti we can readily describe and recognize the growth of Bhakti. We can actually notice how the person’s life changes as he develops along the lines shown above. In other stages, it is hard to discern the type of Bhakta. In the Para Bhakta, the Bhakti is totally “inexplicable” and non-recognizable. In Mukhyaa Bhakti, there are some signs, but they are so subtle that to all intents and purposes it appears the same as Para Bhakti. Another interpretation of recognizing and describing Gauna Bhakti is that The development of Gauna Bhakti is done with constant reference to ordinary worldly love. By comparing and contrasting the two, we are easily able to see and recognize spiritual devotion from worldly sensual attraction. The contrast helps us to easily recognize Divine Love, and strive harder than ever to attain it.

Sootra 59 & 60: Reasons Why Bhakti Needs No Proof

mÉëqÉÉhÉÉliÉUxrÉÉlÉmÉå¤ÉiuÉÉiÉç xuÉrÉÇ mÉëqÉÉhÉiuÉÉiÉç | 59 - 4.09 pram¡³¡ntarasy¡nap£k½atv¡t svaya¯ pram¡³atv¡t | 59 - 4.09

(Bhakti needs no proof . . .) 8 pramaana antarasya i) since on no means other than itself anapekshatvaat, does it depend; 9 swayam pramaanatvaat (cha). ii) and since it is in itself of the nature of a proof.

zÉÉÎliÉÃmÉÉiÉç mÉUqÉÉlÉlSÃmÉÉŠ | 60 - 4.10 ¾¡ntirÀp¡t param¡nandarÀp¡cca | 60 - 4.10

10 shaanti roopaat, iii) also because Love is of the nature of Peace 11 paramaananda roopaat cha. iv) and it is of the nature of Supreme Bliss.

8-9 How do we know that Bhakti is developing inside us? We will feel the difference ourselves. We do not need any proof of it from outside. Just as eating an apple is the only way to know its taste, so also by following the disciplines of Bhakti Yoga, by doing our Sadhana regularly, we will feel the change taking place within.

Proof of Peace and Happiness 10-11 There is no need for anyone to prove to us that we are happy or peaceful. The happiness and peace that exudes from a life dedicated to the devotion are themselves proofs that such a thing as Bhakti exists. All the outer signs do have a purpose, but they are not proofs of one’s devotion. The only proof needed and the only proof possible is the direct experience of it in oneself. The corollary of this is also very interesting. We do not need to prove to anyone else how devoted we are! Our life, when offered in service to the Lord, will give off a fragrance which will speak for itself. Hence, there is no scope whatsoever to display our devotion to others. All such efforts merely show how little devotion we really have. We may prostrate to the saints and Mahatmas we meet, we may perform elaborate poojas and invite all the people to come and participate, we may fill our homes with any number of pictures of our Deity or Guru, we may display all the outer signs of a devotional life – BUT none of these are proofs of our devotion. Devotion cannot be plastered on our walls, but only in our heart! By those outer signs and symbols, others may call us great devotees. We cannot stop them from doing so. But we cannot take their word to feel satisfied that we are very devoted. On nothing external does our devotion depend. It is solely on our own experience of peace and happiness that the proof of Bhakti can be proved to ourselves. Extending this line of thinking, even the opposite view of others will apply. We may show no external signs of our devotion and so people may think we are not devoted. This is quite a common experience in life. Yet, our life of dedication brings us all the fulfillment and contentment we need. It may not be seen by anyone else. We may remain unrecognized, as it were. As true Bhaktas of the Lord, that is quite okay. The devotee is not in need of recognition in order to feel that he has devotion to God. Such is the deep meaning and message we draw from Rishi Narada’s simple Sootras above.

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5.2 Stepping into Mukhyaa Bhakti

(Verses 61-66, 6 No.)

NOW WE COME to Mukhyaa Bhakti and examine its identifying characteristics. The Rishi tackles this in an unusual way: he looks at how the Bhakta faces problems and quandaries in life. The Gauna and Mukhyaa Bhaktas vary in the way they handle difficult situations. This is due to their level of Bhakti. Narada Rishi poses six difficult situations, and assesses how each of the two types of Bhaktas approaches them. All devotees are sure to encounter these sooner or later in their practice of devotion. Narada has himself experienced these, and so he is the fittest person to guide us on how to react to them. Indeed, the Mukhyaa Bhakta is more likely to face them than the Gauna Bhakta. The reason is that as our devotion ripens, so do more tests and trials come our way. The higher we go up the ladder of Bhakti, the more difficult do the difficulties get!

Sootra 61: A. Facing the Miseries of the World

sÉÉåMüWûÉlÉÉæ ÍcÉliÉÉ lÉ MüÉrÉÉï ÌlÉuÉåÌSiÉÉiqÉsÉÉåMüuÉåSiuÉÉiÉç | 61 - 4.11 lµkah¡nau cint¡ na k¡ry¡ niv£dit¡tmalµkav£datv¡t | 61 - 4.11

1 Loka-haanau With regard to the miseries of the world, chintaa na kaaryaa, no worry or anxiety should be entertained; 2 nivedita aatma One’s self-surrender to the Lord (is put to the test) loka-vedatvaat. by all his secular as well as sacred activities.

1 Rishi Narada first examines how the devotee faces the Miseries of life. There is no escape from hardships in life; they are inevitable in everyone’s life. How does a Bhakta face them? The test is to see whether they produce worry and anxieties. The advanced Bhakta is able to sail through the miseries of life with flying colours; the beginner on the path of Bhakti may still struggle with them. What determines the difference? 2 Our Self-Surrender to the Lord is tested. Self-surrender is a measure of our devotion. As our devotion to God ripens into Mukhyaa Bhakti, we are able to surrender in a greater measure to Him. The greater surrender enables us to successfully pass through all hardships and miseries. Surrender is developed by constantly remembering that God is doing everything. He has chosen us as His instruments, He has prepared us as His vessels to do His work, and so the whole work is being done by Him alone – through us. If this is consciously kept in mind, then we can safely face all the miseries that we may encounter in the world.

MISERIES DUE TO OVERWORK

Acharyaji spoke of a special source of “miseries” which Bhaktas may be prone to experience. Bhaktas may be engaged in community projects due to an impulse to serve others. Such impulses can arise from within or from outside: i) From Within: We can be driven to service of humanity on a wider and wider scale. This expansion is natural as we feel God in all beings. The suffering in people moves us from within to do something to relieve them. ii) From Outside: We face more and more calls to get involved in projects to assist the needy and miserable people in the world. This impulse is the external counterpart of the first impulse. In all such involvement in activities in the world which spring from a sense of compassion to serve, we are to be extremely cautious that such activities do not produce worries and anxieties. If we lose sight of the purpose of our involvement, we can easily fall a prey to such anxieties. The Mukhyaa Bhakta is able to maintain a sense of detachment in his service activities. He is able to surrender all his actions to the Lord. This problem is taken up in the next Sootra . . .

Sootra 62: B. No Need to Abandon Good Activities

lÉ iÉÎixÉ®Éæ sÉÉåMüurÉuÉWûÉUÉå WåûrÉÈ ÌMüliÉÑ TüsÉirÉÉaÉÈ iÉixÉÉkÉlÉÇ cÉ | 62 - 4.12 na tatsiddhau lµkavyavah¡rµ h£ya¦ kintu phalaty¡ga¦ tats¡dhana¯ ca | 62 - 4.12

3 na tat siddhau, There is no need, on the road to perfection (or even after it), loka vyavahaarah heyah; to give up service activities in the world. 4 kintu phala-tyaagah, However, the fruits of actions need to be renounced; tat saadhanam cha. our efforts in this direction (should never cease).

3 The dynamism of Rishi Narada is seen to come through in this particular Sootra. He is all for continuing Karma Yoga activities during the Sadhana period and even after the goal of God-realisation is reached. This is in contrast to standard Vedantic texts which prescribe the renunciation of activities after a certain level of purity is attained. In the Bhakti Yoga path of Rishi Narada, such a requirement is not there. At no stage is it necessary for these useful service activities to be given up. 4 However, what he asks us to watch out for is any lurking desire for the fruits of such activities, especially the fruit that comes in the form of name and fame. For all good activities attract name and fame, and that can be very addictive. Hence, he advises us to continue to the very end with the vigorous activity by renouncing the fruit and continually offering everything to God. Thereafter, the devotee accepts whatever result comes as the Lord’s Prasad. If these warnings are heeded, then the Karma Yoga will go on quite smoothly along with Bhakti Yoga, without becoming a hindrance to one’s spiritual progress.

Sootra 63: C. Never Entertain Temptations

x§ÉÏkÉlÉlÉÉÎxiÉMücÉËU§ÉÇ lÉ ´ÉuÉhÉÏrÉqÉç | 63 - 4.13 str§dhanan¡stikacaritra¯ na ¾rava³§yam | 63 - 4.13

5 stree-dhana-naastika charitram Descriptions of evil women and ill-begotten wealth – 6 na shravaneeyam. should never be heard (or entertained).

The higher one climbs, the greater can be the fall if we are careless. This is the warning that comes from the Sage Narada in this and the next two Sootras. The Rishi wants to see Bhaktas excel in the world through service. But he knows that as one excels, great Temptations lie in wait to swallow the dynamic worker of God. He really wishes to avoid these pitfalls at all costs. 6 Stree, Dhana: Kaama and Kanchini, “lust and wealth”, these are the two prime instruments that waylay unwary spiritual seekers, and especially those who are high up already and doing wonderful services to the world. Temptations of this nature are deliberately placed before people in high positions in spiritual institutions or even individuals working on their own. (We keep in mind that these warnings are especially for the Mukhyaa Bhaktas who are nearing the Goal of their Sadhana.) 7 The Rishi is straightforward and precise in his instruction on how to steer clear of these two obstacles – just have nothing to do with them, don’t even hear about them. Lending one’s ears to such matters creates a pinhole-sized loophole for their entry. The Bhakta’s Dispassion is tested. Narada, from his own experience, is aware of the efforts of evil forces who try to tear down all good efforts. That is their job. They are ever present to break up all good and sacred works. The Bhakta-cum-Karma Yogi has to shield himself well from such people. And the best shield is the Divine Name of the Lord taken continuously so that there is no chance for the “Devil to enter the workshop”.

Sootra 64: D. Never Give Room for Pride

AÍpÉqÉÉlÉSqpÉÉÌSMÇü irÉÉerÉqÉç | 64 - 4.14 abhim¡nadambh¡dika¯ ty¡jyam | 64 - 4.14

7 abhimaana, dambha aadikam Pride, vanity and other such negative urges 8 tyaajyam. should be cast out (from one’s mind).

Pride is next to stand at the door of the Bhakta. The Rishi is clearly concerned about the big hurdles that lie strewn on this very treacherous path of spirituality. It is a path like a razor’s edge. Great caution is needed to tread successfully. And Narada wants to see us succeed. He wants to see this world full of great Bhaktas, for only such people can promote the spread of Bhakti in a world otherwise ruled by selfish tycoons. 7 Abhimaan, Dambha: “Pride and vanity”, are the next in line to try to waylay the Bhakta. Whilst the previous two (women and wealth) are visible and external, these two are invisible and internal foes. They require great vigilance to be noticed. They can creep up easily even in an advanced Bhakta, especially the one who is seeing success in all that he undertakes to do. The Bhakta’s Humility is being tested. 61

The Mother of Aurobindo Ashram used to frequently warn disciples of the danger of success. She said Success is the last and biggest hurdle an aspirant has to overcome on his way to realization. Success breeds pride and vanity under its armpit, so that one’s upper arms get pushed back and the chest expands! One who becomes a victim of pride and vanity begins to see other people as tools to be used as he pleases. Everyone has to do his bidding or get dismissed. Such people become the ruin of an organization of spiritual workers. They cannot tolerate anyone who does not “toe their line”. 8 How to deal with Pride? The same way as given in 7 above – with vigilance keep them at bay, from the mind, for that is where they hide. Humility is the answer.

Sootra 65: E. Sublimate All Negative Tendencies

iÉSÌmÉïiÉÉÎZÉsÉÉcÉÉUÈ xÉlÉç MüÉqÉ¢üÉåkÉÉÍpÉqÉÉlÉÉÌSMÇü iÉÎxqÉ³ÉåuÉ MüUhÉÏrÉqÉç | 65 - 4.15 tadarpit¡khil¡c¡ra¦ san k¡makrµdh¡bhim¡n¡dika¯ tasminn£va kara³§yam | 65 - 4.15

9 tad arpitah akhila aachaarah san Having dedicated all activities unto Him, 10 kaama, krodha, abhimaana aadi, all one’s lust, anger, pride, etc, (also) 11 tasmin eva karaneeyam. should be directed towards Him alone.

The Rishi now shares with us a novel way to deal with Negative Tendencies. Of course we could deal with them as given in 7 and 9 above, but here is another way . . . 9 Since as devotees we are already quite used to surrendering all our thoughts and deeds to the Lord, why not extend that a bit more? 10-11 We can try directing all our negative traits to the Lord as well. He will surely have the strength to deal with them. That is what the Rishi suggests in this unusual Sootra.

The Method of Sublimation When thoughts of lust, wealth, pride and vanity come, we are asked to offer them also to our Beloved Lord. That can be a safer outlet for them than their usual outlets in the world. This technique really means Sublimation of these energies to the Lord within. When offered to the Lord, all the pent-up energy gets sublimated and directed upwards. The sublimation of the sexual urge is a good example of this. Swami Sivananda writes very elaborately on the technique to do this. Sexual energy that is conserved through the practice of continence (Brahmacharya) is directed upwards and becomes transformed into Ojas Shakti which nourishes the brain cells, enriches one’s memory and will power, and is used in practising Sadhana. Energy thus sublimated can be utilized creatively in writing, music, poetry, art and in organizing, or it can be channeled into the practice of meditation, which requires this very subtle and most precious form of energy that the body can produce.

Similarly, all the other feelings and urges can be sublimated and brought to the altar of the Lord, there to be used to add lustre and subtlety to our spiritual efforts. For instance, anger can be turned within and used to spur one on to do more chanting – very vigorous chanting! The Gauna Bhakta may find great difficulty in practising this Sadhana; the Mukhyaa Bhakta has learnt to master the art of sublimation. There is the case of the well-known saint of Gujarat, Sri Narsi Mehta, who took all his problems to his Beloved Lord Krishna. Once when he needed some help to get his daughter married, he appealed to the Lord. The reply seemed not to come. Narsi Mehta sang a song in which he began swearing the Lord – “You, who have two mothers and two fathers, can you not hear me!” (This referred to the Lord’s foster parents, Yashodama and Nandababa.) Yes, we can take our problems to the Lord, but we have to leave them there, not bring them back with us!

Sootra 66: F. Transcend the Whole Realm of Duality

Ì§ÉÃmÉpÉ…¡ûmÉÔuÉïMüqÉç ÌlÉirÉSÉxrÉÌlÉirÉMüÉliÉÉpÉeÉlÉÉiqÉMÇü mÉëåqÉ MüÉrÉïÇ mÉëåqÉæuÉ MüÉrÉïqÉç | 66 - 4.16 trirÀpabha±gapÀrvakam nityad¡syanityak¡nt¡bhajan¡tmaka¯ pr£ma k¡rya¯ pr£maiva k¡ryam | 66 - 4.16

12 “tri-roopa bhanga” Transcending all the Triplets poorvakam; mentioned earlier (see Sootra 56) 13 (and adopting these three in their place) – nitya daasya, i) the feeling of servantship towards the Lord; nitya kaantaa, ii) the feeling of being a spouse towards Him; bhajana aatmakam, iii) and worshipping Him in one’s heart – 14 prema kaaryam, Love should be practised; prema eva kaaryam. yes, Love alone should be practiced!

12-14 This is a sample of Rishi Narada’s ardent concern for our welfare. Like the conductor of a musical orchestra, Narada takes us to the crescendo with this Sootra. “Come on! Play the highest note, play it for all you are worth, and play on forever until He hears you!” – with these words of Narada we end this superb chapter which mapped out for us all the intricacies on the path of Bhakti.

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wÉ¹ÉåÅkrÉÉrÉÈ || qÉÑZrÉÉpÉ£ü ||

MUKHYAA BHAKTA

CHAPTER 6 (Verses 67-75, 9 No.)

“The Devotee at the Higher Stage”

6.1 Ready for “Take-Off”

(Verses 67-69, 3 No.)

A GOLDEN RULE IN following the Hindu religion is that there are various instructions for aspirants at different levels. We have seen what the instructions are for the beginner in Gauna Bhakti, even if he were the most Tamasic person who turns to God for help. The All- compassionate Lord admits them all into His School. Now our eyes turn to the other end of the scale and we see the Rishi instructing advanced pupils who are about to make the final leap into Para Bhakti. The instructions given in this chapter obviously cannot be the same as for the earlier set of devotees. Hence, readers are cautioned on the applicability of this chapter, and do not have to become crestfallen if they find it beyond their reach. We are speaking of a devotee who has not a tinge of worldliness or selfishness left in him. He is ready for “take-off” in meditation. These devotees do not yearn even for Liberation; they are happy just to love the Beloved Lord and nothing else. In this section the Rishi heaps praises upon the Bhakta who has thoroughly prepared himself to be launched into the rarified realms of sainliness. This praise comes directly from the Rishi’s heart. The next section comes from his head, when he gives the reasons to justify his praises of the Mukhyaa Bhakta.

Sootra 67: Definition of the Mukhyaa Bhakta

pÉ£üÉ LMüÉÎliÉlÉÉå qÉÑZrÉÉÈ | 67 - 5.01 bhakt¡ £k¡ntinµ mukhy¡¦ | 67 - 5.01

1 bhaktaah Those Devotees, 2 ekaantinah, a) whose sole goal is the Lord Himself; and/or b) whose devotion towards the Lord has become one-pointed; 3 mukhyaah. are the Mukhyaa Bhaktas, the best, the mature or the prime devotees.

1 Bhaktaah: “advanced devotees”. These refer to those who have been sincerely following the earlier instructions and who have developed these two conditions: 2 The two conditions concern their direction and their motive: i) Direction: The direction of their whole mind is towards the Lord. They have carefully trained themselves to cut off from all other connections. Whatever other connection they have is only because they see them as favourably disposing them to God. ii) Motive: The motivation in approaching the Lord is wholly for the Lord’s sake alone. They have no selfish or ulterior motive such as name and fame, recognition by the world, etc. It is an unconditional love for love’s sake, expecting nothing in return. 3 Such are God’s true devotees. They qualify to be called “Mukhyaa Bhaktas”.

Sootra 68: The Benevolence of the Mukhyaa Bhakta

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4 kantha avarogha The Mukhyaa Bhaktas, have throats choked with emotion, romaancha ashrubhih, hair standing on end, and tears flowing down their eyes. 5 parasparam lapamaanaah, When they converse with each other, their words break up. 6 paavayanti kulaani, They sanctify not only their family and tribe, but prithiveem cha. the very earth itself ! Everything is sanctified.

4 We have here a superb graphic description of one who is filled to the brim with the emotion of Divine Love. A comparison is drawn of a person choked with emotion. The pent- up feelings are too much to bear. The emotion is so overpowering that his throat gets blocked by the emotional words that well up from within; they can’t find a way out of the mouth! The words find a natural outlet through the eyes in the form of tears. Some of them even find an outlet through the hair by making them stand on end! Rishi Narada tries to do his best by using the above similes. We should take his words in the spirit they are given, and not literally. He is trying to tell us how filled and fulfilled the devotee is with Love Supreme. From another angle, the mature devotee is totally free from all attachment and would have very good control over all his emotions, and may not show all the signs indicated in the above simile. But that angle does not concern us at present. Let us relish Narada’s words in their poetic sense for the moment. 5 The words of the devotee become unclear, they ‘break up’ and do not form clear sentences. This needs to be interpreted in its widest sense. Other organs of action may be included to respond in a similar manner. Even the bat of an eyelid is filled with Love! Every movement of such a devotee is an expression dedicated to the Lord and as such becomes a sacred act. This is a scriptural trend. When one sense is mentioned, the reader should always explore the possibility of applying the trend to all the other senses as well. Every faculty of expression is seen to surge with pure Divine Love. 6 The poet in Narada breaks its bounds in this line. He gushes out in eloquent expression of praise. In Indian culture, when the son is praised the father feels proud, and vice versa. When a son of the community is praised, the whole community thrills with the achievement. When a son of the soil reaches such a stature in devotion, Mother Earth swells with pride at what She has produced! We can share the thrill that is coursing through Narada’s blood as he writes this Sootra. If the earth and the community feel so proud, how much prouder would Narada feel! How much more pleased and proud would the Devas in heaven be! In this way, poetry takes over in doing justice to the achievement of the Mukhyaa Bhakta.

Sootra 69: Sanctifying Power of the Mukhyaa Bhakta

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7 (te) teerthim kurvanti teerthaani, They sanctify the sacred places of pilgrimage; 8 sukarmee kurvanti karmaani, they render actions righteous and good; 9 sat shaastree kurvanti shaastraani. and they lend authority to the scriptures.

The exquisite poetic streak of the previous Sootra overflows into this one. Narada seems to be unable to contain himself. His joy at finding such a devotee thrills him to the bone, and he has no mood to stop his praise! 7 All the sacred places of pilgrimage are sacred because such saintly souls have stepped onto their grounds. 8 It is not that these super-devotees perform only good actions. The truth is that whatever they do is defined as being good and righteous. They re-define the lines of virtue and goodness by their acts. 9 And Narada is still not pleased with himself in singing the glory of these heavenly souls. Now he brings into the picture the scriptures themselves. A religious man would unquestioningly consider every word of the scriptures as sacred, not to be trifled with. Narada makes bold to say, that every word uttered by the perfect devotee is worthy of being a scripture! These men are empowered to re-write the scriptures if they wish to. This is the opinion of Narada. And with that line, Narada’s poetic frenzy seems to have been quenched and he takes a little breather . . . or rather, gives us a chance to catch our breath! Only for a few seconds. That was only the first half from the heart; Narada is soon to start the second half from the head and take us on an intellectual tour in the next section.

*****

6.2 The Bhakta’s Grand Vision

(Verses 70-75, 6 No.)

WE MAY THINK THAT Narada was playing it up with that burst of expression in the last section. Not a word of it is an exaggeration, and he wants to explain that to us. He now gives us six Sootras to explain logically why the Bhakta deserves every word of praise heaped upon him a moment ago. There is a description of the seer of Truth which is found in the ancient Hindu scriptures. It has not found its way into the western or middle eastern religions yet, and may sometimes be dubbed blasphemous by them for that reason. This is the statement that one who has realized the Truth, becomes the Truth. This is hard to digest for westerners and perhaps many Indians themselves. Rishi Narada courageously proclaims that the devotee becomes that Infinite Truth (called Brahman in Vedanta) upon realization of Para Bhakti. The following Sootras explain its great impact.

Sootra 70: Seeing God in Everything

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1 (yatah te) (For they – the sacred places, etc, stated above) 2 tat mayaah. become fully imbued with that (i.e. with the vision of God).

Sage Narada first explains why Sootra 69 is true in every sense. 1 The places of pilgrimage, the actions and the scriptures were mentioned in Sootra 69. The place of honour accorded to all three have their source in the pure devotees of God. This was stated in the previous Sootra. 2 Now the explanation is given. The devotee is totally immersed in the vision of God. His whole being is of the nature of Divine Love. Divine Love in Bhakti Yoga is considered to be nothing less than God Himself – the Supreme Brahman, the Ultimate, Non-dual Reality. An Example: This example explains how this works. We take a case from the life of the Master, Swami Sivananda. Once a great Samskrit scholar, who was very critical of the Master using the English language to spread Vedanta, paid a personal visit to the Ashram to hold a debate with him. The disciples welcomed him and gave him all the respect and care due to his great learning. When the scholar approached the Master to hold the intended debate, he could not utter a single word and simply fell flat on the ground like a stick in prostration before the Master. There was no debate. It was over before it began! When Swami Chidananda, a senior disciple of the Master, was asked what had happened, he replied, “Well, Darkness met Light – it is as simple as that!” The very presence of Gurudev overpowered the scholar and his words evaporated.

Sootra 71: Everything Gets Sanctified & Blessed

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3 modante pitarah, The past generations rejoice in their fulfillment, nrityanti devataah; the divine beings in heaven dance in joy, 4 cha iyam bhuh and this earth itself sanaathaa bhavati. becomes endowed with a spiritual saviour.

The devotee is the Divine Presence on two legs. Wherever he goes, he sanctifies the place. What he does, is sanctified action, and whatever he says or writes is scripture. Sootra 68 showed how the devotee impacted on his family and on the earth. Now that is explained in this verse. 3 It was mentioned that the family members of the devotee are purified. The parents who are living rejoice as their son is being honoured by the community, near and far away. Similarly, the forefathers in heaven also “dance in joy”. They are happy to have a son of theirs attain this elevated state. To them it means that he has fulfilled all his debts to them and also has paid off all the family’s debts to the Gods for the past generations. All the accounts are now settled by having one such great devotee in the family. 4 As far as Mother Earth is concerned, the reason for Her to celebrate is that by Her producing such a great Divine Being, Her purpose has been fulfilled. Earth bears many a pain due to misuse of Her resources by avaricious men. Those pains are now healed by the presence of one great being on Her bosom. She, too, is delighted. She has been relieved or saved of all Her pains. This is why She calls the realised Bhakta a “Spiritual Saviour”.

Sootra 72: Eyes of Bhaktas See No Distinctions

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5 na asti teshu . . . bhedhah. Among the perfect Bhaktas there are no distinctions 6 jaati, vidyaa, roopa, based upon caste, culture, beauty, kula, dhana, kriyaa aadi. family, wealth or profession, etc.

Our social relationships occupy a major slice of our attention paid to this world of phenomena. The happiness we enjoy or the sorrow that we endure in life comes largely through the relationships we keep in society. 5 Whom do we look up to for guidance in how to view our relationships? The saints of God can be the best role models for us to emulate. They view people in a way that is quite different from how ordinary men and women view it. Here is how they see others.

6 All our social evils breed on seeing meaningless distinctions based on surface characteristics. If only we learnt to value people’s minds, there would not be so much confusion and bitterness among people. We notice that the great saints, and even very noble people, do not differentiate people on the basis of any external characteristic such as birth, race, sex, caste, creed, wealth, livelihood, appearance, etc. Physical characteristics are not their concern. They look at people’s minds. That is where the real value of a person lies. As is the mind – Sattwic, Rajasic or Tamasic – so is his worth. Bhaktas are men of God. Their whole concern is Love for God. Everything is gauged only by that single criterion. And they know that all human beings are capable of loving God. Hence, their love goes out to all beings, and they especially value those who have love for the Lord in their heart. All other differences do not matter to them.

Sootra 73: Equal Vision Explained

rÉiÉxiÉSÏrÉÉÈ | 73 - 5.07 yatastad§y¡¦ | 73 - 5.07

7 yatah tadeeyaah. For they are all of His own divine nature.

What is the basis of the equal vision which devotees have for all beings? 7 From their elevated standpoint, i.e. the standpoint of Para Bhakti, everything in the universe is made of the same Divine Substance – Love. An example of this would be all ornaments made of gold. In an assortment of gold jewellery, the common factor in all of them is gold. That is the only real substance that exists. All the other factors concern name, form, utility, price, etc. They make no difference to the essential ingredient which is gold. A jeweller will melt all the ornaments and pay you the value of the gold alone. This simile can help us to understand how it is possible for saints to view all beings as God, just as the jeweller views all jewellery as gold. This single factor of seeing God in all is one of the most important factors in spiritual experience. It is so important, that the scriptures have made it the touchstone by which the highest spiritual experience can be determined. Most scriptural texts would agree that without this vision of equality an experience cannot be of a spiritual nature, whatever else it may be.

Sootra 74: Avoid Vain Disputes

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8 vaadah Vain disputes (on this matter of equal vision) na avalambyah. should not be entertained (by seekers). . .

8 In fact, the vision of equality is so fundamental to spiritual experience, that Rishi Narada, based on his own encounters in this matter, states that we should hold on to this firmly and not entertain any disputes over it. 70

This ruling appears to be against the liberality that Hinduism permits its adherents. Hinduism is known for its liberality in permitting people to air their views. But Narada here insists that on the fundamentals there can be no different views. The need to have this Sootra shows how fundamental to spirituality it is to see God in all. For no argument over it is permitted.

Sootra 75: Diverse Views Are Never Reconcilable

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9 (yatah te) (For they – i.e. the vain disputes) 10 baahulyah avakaashatvaat, can be endless; there is always room for diverse views; 11 aniya tattvaat cha. and mere arguments based on reason can never be conclusive.

9-10 Such disputes have no end. There is no limit to the varieties of views one can get on this matter, because so few have actually experienced this state of seeing unity. Since, so few really know the Truth, everyone else puts forward their own viewpoint according to their own intellect. Such views have no spiritual value as they are not based on the Truth. 11 Another reason why Narada is so stern in enforcing a ban on disputes over this point is that all arguments on this matter will necessarily be based on assumption and not on experience. It does not constitute a conclusive proof. The only conclusive proof in matters of spirituality is direct experience of the Truth. Thus, due to its futility, Narada has placed a ‘ban’ on devotees to steer clear of time- wasting debates, arguments, and intellectual wrangling over these matters.

*****

xÉmiÉqÉÉåÅkrÉÉrÉÈ || qÉÑZrÉÉ-mÉUÉ pÉÌ£üÈ ||

MUKHYAAT PARA BHAKTI

CHAPTER 7 (Verses 76-84, 9 No.)

“From Higher to Supreme Devotion”

7.1 Checkpoints to Para Bhakti

(Verses 76-80, 5 No.)

ALL THAT NEEDS TO be said about Bhakti by way of instruction, guidance and explanation has been done up to this point. Now Rishi Narada gives five parting hints to very serious Bhaktas to enable them to make the great Leap from Mukhyaa to Para Bhakti. The moment of realization or total oneness of the Bhakta and his Beloved Lord is something which only the Bhakta is able to tell when he crosses that line. It is not possible to discuss such a point within the covers of any book on this subject. These points, therefore, should be seen as intimate heart-to-heart advice that the Rishi would like to convey to Bhaktas regarding this ultimate stage of their grand journey to Supreme Devotion.

Sootra 76: A. “Obey the Scriptural Injunctions”

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1 bhakti shaastraani The Bhakti Scriptures (devotional texts) mananeeyaani, should be reflected and meditated upon; 2 tad udbodhaka karmaani and their injunctions on cultivating devotion karaneeyaani. must be pursued diligently.

More Help Found in Geeta & Bhagavatam 1 The “Bhakti Scriptures” of the time of Narada were primarily the Bhagavad Geeta which is within the Mahabharata, and the Srimad Bhagavatam. Both of these are the compositions of Sage Vyasa, who became a student of Rishi Narada at some point in his life before writing the Bhagavatam. For this reason, the Geeta is considered to be a Vedantic text while the Bhagavatam is generally taken as a text on Bhakti. That said, the two texts overlap each other in many places. The Geeta makes Bhakti an integral part of Vedanta, whilst the Bhagavatam makes Vedanta an integral part of Bhakti Yoga! Let the scholars debate over this as much as they please; for us, the Bhaktas, the main point of this Sootra is that we should always root ourselves in these texts, regardless of their leanings either way. 2 The detailed instructions on the matter of making the transition from Duality into Non-duality are contained in these two scriptures. They should be followed “diligently”, which means to the letter and spirit. It is not possible for Narada to repeat them in this concise text, and therefore he refers the advanced Bhaktas to those magnanimous works.

Sootra 77: B. “Beware of the Wastage of Time!”

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3 sukha-duhkha, icchhaa, Pleasure and pain, desire, laabha aadi tyakte, profit, gain, etc – when one is freed from these, 4 kaale pratikshyamaane; much Time becomes available (to the Bhakta); 5 kshanaardham api, Even half a second of this time gained vyartham na neyam. should not be wasted on any futile purpose.

Utilise Time Profitably The second key point the Rishi wishes to convey is the value of Time. Utmost care needs to be taken to utilise it well to make progress in Sadhana.

3-4 Until one crosses completely into Non-duality or Oneness, care should be taken not to slip down and lose what one has gained. The basic dangers are listed here; they are always lurking like sharks in the ocean of worldly life. The Bhakta has taken great trouble in shielding himself against these time-wasters by engaging in spiritual Sadhana. In the process he has made time for himself to use for his spiritual purpose. 5 Now, having so painstakingly gained all this additional time, he should stick to his Sadhana to the very end, till the whole job is done. If he is inadvertent and does not remain engaged in Sadhana, these lurking dangers can come back and assail him. As the saying goes, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Clearly, the message is: “March on boldly. Stop not till the Goal is reached!” which are the words of Swami Vivekananda made to aspirants without any reference to Narada Bhakti Sootras. Rishi Narada specifically mentions “half a second” – he is drawing our mind consciously to be alert not to waste even the slightest amount of time.

Sootra 78: C. “Maintain a Firm Ethical Foundation”

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6 ahimsaa, satya, shaucha, Non-injury to others, truthfulness, cleanliness, dayaa, aastikya aadi, compassion, faith in the Lord, etc – chaaritryaani; Virtues such as these; 7 paripaala neeyaani, should be consistently cultivated and preserved.

The Cultivation of Virtues 6 The next point of concern for Narada is that the Bhakta, however advanced he may be, should always keep his footing on the basic ethical foundations of spiritual life. While our eyes are raised up to Brahman, our feet should not slacken their hold on Dharma. 7 Virtues, which shaped the early stages of our spiritual life, should remain firmly fixed in our mind till the very end. At no point in time does any Bhakta become exempt from observing the basic ethical rules. Perhaps, Narada has in mind the danger of the advanced Bhakta being hi-jacked by hostile forces of the occult plane which would seek to prevent him from reaching his goal. They come in the form of Rajasic promptings from within during the Bhakta’s idle moments. If he listens to such promptings or, worse still, takes them to be the ‘Voice of God’ and acts upon them, then he puts himself at great risk of slipping off the Path. Perhaps, Narada also has in mind the possible misunderstanding of the episodes in the Bhagavatam which relate Lord Krishna’s association with the Gopis of Brindavan. Heis aware of how dangerous it can be if we try to imitate Sri Krishna and the Gopis in this matter. Narada wishes to protect us from foolishness under the guise of following Krishna! These are actual experiences which Narada encountered himself as given in the Introduction and in Sootra 39, and therefore he cautions the Bhakta of such a possibility. We may recall the story of how he was cursed to take a humn birth in a lowly womb for having breached discipline in the heavenly worlds. But due to Satsang with saints like Rishi Kanvar, he rose up again and regained his spiritual status.

Sootra 79: D. “Be Free from Mental Anxieties”

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8 sarvadaa sarva-bhaavena With all factors of our personality nishchintitaih, free from mental anxiety; 9 bhagavaan eva bhajaneeyah. the Lord alone is to be always invoked and sought,

8-9 The fourth point is that the advanced Bhakta, having no worldly anxiety any longer and presumably having given up all worldly involvements by this time, should have no reason to be deflected from having one-pointed concentration on his Goal. If there is flickering of his attention, then it means that some impurity is still lurking and needs to be removed. The only way to ensure that nothing obstructs him along the last section of the journey is to relentlessly call upon the Lord for His Grace and mercy. Nothing should be allowed to affect his mind and make it deviate from the Goal. The Geeta says the mind should become like a “lamp that does not flicker in a windless place.” We see here the motherly love Narada had for those Bhaktas who formed the “cream of the crop”, and who would be entrusted with the responsibility of taking the Bhakti tradition forward. Narada tended them with great affection and wisdom.

Sootra 80: E. “Realisation Comes as Lord’s Blessing”

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10 sah keertyamaanah eva, When He, the Lord, is thus glorified, sheeghram aavirbhavati He speedily manifests Himself 11 anubhaavayati (cha) bhaktaan. and blesses His devotee with Realisation.

The final point that Rishi Narada conveys to the Bhakta is to remain patient till the Lord decides when to bestow upon him the “Gift of Realisation”. 10 The devotee is concerned only with his love for the Lord, which he expresses by glorifying Him in every manner possible, at all times. The word “thus” here has a huge signi- ficance – it covers the teaching laid out in this entire text. It means “if all these instructions and guidelines are followed implicitly, then…” One gets the sense that the illumined sage is specially hand-picked by the Divine for this great blessing of illumination to be bestowed upon him. The word “speedily” needs special attention. We see in it the encouraging hand of Narada. As though he does not wish the Bhakta to lose his patience, he assures him that the Lord will come – “by Speed-Post”! 11 We see that the Bhakta sees God-realisation as something which he receives as a blessing or Grace from his Beloved. It is not something that he obtains through his efforts. Although he has made great efforts to get to this point, he is quite unmindful of them. This brings us to the end of Narada’s intimate pep-talk with Bhaktas who are very close to the Lord and therefore who are “very dear to Me”, as Sri Krishna says in the Geeta. They deserve all the special attention that Narada has given them in the above personal advice. They are to be the torch-bearers of Bhakti Yoga for the succeeding generation.

*****

7.2 Attainment of Para Bhakti

(Verses 81-84, 4 No.)

Sootra 81: Para Bhakti = Jivanmukti = Realisation

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1 tri-satyasya, Of the Three “Truths” (time or paths), 2 bhaktih eva gareeyasi, only Love of the Absolute, Eternal Truth is the bhaktih eva gareeyasi. greatest, this Bhakti alone is the greatest!

1 Tri-Satyasya: “of the three Truths”. Pujya Gurudev sees this as lending itself deliberately to many interpretations, so that all of them could be taken as correct: i) The three main Paths of Yoga – Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Yogas; ii) The three periods of time – the past, present and future; iii) The three states of consciousness – waking, dream and deep sleep; iv) The three bodies – the causal, subtle and gross body; v) The three afflictions – the midst of Adhibhuta, Adhidaiva and Adhyatma afflictions (those arising from other beings, those arising from natural causes, and those arising from oneself); vi) The three Gunas – Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. 2 In all these above triple states, Bhakti reigns supreme. It is the greatest of all Yogas; it is the greatest in all times; it stands as the common support of all the three states; it sustains all the three bodies; it soothes one of all the three afflictions; and it transcends all the three Gunas. Such is the greatness of Bhakti. In Samskrit literature, when a key phrase is repeated twise, it heralds the end of the text. This could well be considered the last Sootra of the Text. The remaining three are more in the form of an Appendix, a Bibliography, and the Upsamhara, as we shall see. The text has just been formally completed.

*****

Sootra 82: APPENDIX - The Eleven Modes of Bhakti

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gu³am¡h¡tmy¡sakti, rÀp¡sakti, pÀj¡sakti, smara³¡sakti, d¡sy¡sakti, sakhy¡sakti, v¡tsalyasakti, k¡nt¡sakti, ¡tmaniv£dan¡sakti, tanmayat¡sakti, paramavirah¡sakti, rÀp¡ | £kadh¡ api £k¡da¾adh¡ bhavati || | 82 - 5.16

1 guna-mahaatmya aasakti, (1) Love for glorifying His qualities; 2 roopa aasakti, (2) Love for His Divine Form; 3 poojaa aasakti, (3) Love for worshipping Him; 4 smarana aasakti, (4) Love for remembering Him; 5 daasya aasakti, (5) Love for doing service for Him; 6 sakhya aasakti, (6) Love for friendship in Him; 7 vaatsalya aasakti, (7) Love for the Lord as one’s own child; 8 kaantaa aasakti, (8) Love as that to a beloved; 9 aatma-nivedana aasakti, (9) Love for a total self-offering at His feet; 10 tanmayataa aasakti, (10) Love for complete absorption in Him; 11 parama viraha aasakti, (11) Love expressed as pangs of separation from Him; 12 (bhaktih) roopaa ekadhaa api, Thus, though Love is One only, ekaa-dashadhaa bhavati. it is expressed in 11 different modes.

These are the 11 traditional modes of expressing Bhakti. They are the 11 attitudes one can adopt in one’s relationship with the Divine Beloved. Pujya Gurudev calls them the “eleven lanes of the Highway of Bhakti”, which is so appropriate because they are all parallel approaches to God, and no two travelers have the same pace or gait. The 11 lanes of Bhakti- traffic accommodate all the different types (speeds) of Bhaktas. Examples of each type are: 1 Narada, Vyaasa, Sukhdev and others; 2 Rishis of the Dandaka forest; 3 Lakshmana and Bharat; 4 Prahlad and Bhakta Dhruva; 5 Hanuman and Vidhura; 6 Arjuna, Sudama and Kuchela; 7 Sita to Rama, the 8 queens to Krishna; 8 Kaushalya, Devaki and Yasoda. 9 Hanuman towards Sri Rama; 10 Yajnavalkya and Sanatkumara; 11 The Gopis towards Krishna.

Sootra 83: BIBLIOGRAPHY – The Bhakti Acharyas

CirÉåuÉÇ uÉSÎliÉ eÉlÉeÉsmÉÌlÉpÉïrÉÉÈ LMüqÉiÉÉÈ MÑüqÉÉU-urÉÉxÉ-zÉÑMü-zÉÉÎhQûsrÉ-aÉaÉï-ÌuÉwhÉÑ- MüÉæÎhQûhrÉ-zÉåwÉÉå®uÉÉÂÍhÉ-oÉÍsÉ- WûlÉÑqÉSè-ÌuÉpÉÏwÉhÉÉSrÉÉå pÉYirÉÉcÉÉrÉÉïÈ | 83 - 5.17

ity£va¯ vadanti janajalpanirbhay¡¦ £kamat¡¦ kum¡ra-vy¡sa-¾uka-¾¡³¢ilya-garga-vi½³u- kau³¢i³ya-¾£½µddhav¡ru³i-bali- hanumad-vibh§½a³¡dayµ bhakty¡c¡ry¡¦ | 83 - 5.17

1 iti evam vadanti, Thus declare these (Masters of the Path of Bhakti), jana-jalpa-nirbhayaah fearless of other people and their prattling, ekamataah; and unanimous in their opinion: 2 Kumaara, (1) Kumara; the Sanatkumara, Narada’s brother and Guru; Vyaasa, (2) Vyasa; author of Geeta and Puranas; Shuka, (3) Suka; narrator of the Bhagavatam; Shaandilya, (4) Sandilya; author of Sandilya Bhakti Sootras; Garga, (5) Garga; also authored a text on Bhakti; Vishnu, (6) Vishnu; writer of Smritis; Kaundinya, (7) Kaundinya; explained absorption and meditation in Bhakti; Shesha, (8) Sesha; thousand-hooded serpent guarding Lord Vishnu; Uddhava, (9) Uddhava; friend and disciple of Lord Krishna; Aruni, (10) Aruni; (or Nimbacharya) idea of Radha-Krishna’s Love; Bali, (11) Bali; attained Indra-hood through performing 100 Yagas; Hanumad, (12) Hanuman; an icon of devotion and service; Vibheeshana, (13) Vibhishana; adherent of righteous rule, devoted to Rama; 3 aadayah bhakti- aachaaryaah. and (a long line of) other Teachers of Divine Love.

This Sootra is in the nature of a “References” list or Bibliography as we find at the end of books written in the modern period. Rishi Narada honours all those from whom he has either had tutelage in the science of Bhakti; or who have been a source of inspiration to him in the development of Bhakti in his own life; or those whom he knows as being exemplary in the qualities of the perfect Bhakta. He acknowledges their contribution to these Sootras.

Sootra 84: PHALA STUTI – Narada’s Parting Assurance

rÉ CSÇ lÉÉUSmÉëÉå£Çü ÍzÉuÉÉlÉÑzÉÉxÉlÉÇ ÌuÉµÉÍxÉÌiÉ ´É®iÉå xÉ pÉÌ£üqÉÉlÉç pÉuÉÌiÉ xÉÈ mÉëå¹Ç sÉpÉiÉå xÉÈ mÉëå¹Ç sÉpÉiÉå | 84 - 5.18

ya ida¯ n¡radaprµkta¯ ¾iv¡nu¾¡sana¯ vi¾vasiti ¾raddhat£ sa bhaktim¡n bhavati sa¦ pr£½¿a¯ labhat£ sa¦ pr£½¿a¯ labhat£ | 84 - 5.18

1 yah idam Naarada proktam, This exposition given out by Narada, shiva anushasanam, this most auspicious of all teaching, vishvasiti shraddhate, he who believes and has faith in it; 2 sah bhaktimaan bhavati, He gains the love of God, he becomes His lover; sah preshtham labhate, He attains the Goal of Life, sah preshtham labhate. Aye, he attains the Highest Beatitude!

A scriptural text usually ends with a restatement of the subject matter covered. This is done at the beginning (Upakrama) and repeated at the end (Upasamhaara). This Sootra fulfils that convention in Samskrit literature. The Sootra also fulfils another convention in scriptural literature, and that is the Anubandha Chatushtaya, which spells out the following four items: i) Adhikari: “the qualified student for the text” – he who believes and has faith in it; ii) Vishaya: “the subject matter of the text” – the Love of God; iii) Sambandha: “the connection of the text to the overall purpose of the Vedas” – through this exposition the goal of life is attained; iv) Prayojana: “the purpose of the text” – the Goal of life and attainment of the highest beatitude.

Á iÉiÉç xÉiÉç ! Om Tat Sat!

Once, a poor fruit seller gave her fruit to Beloved Krishna. She found to her surprise that what she gave in fruit was replaced by precious jewels in her basket!

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