Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 8

 

Sutras 58 to 66

Sutra 58

Anyasmaat saulabhyam bhaktau.

The practice of bhakthi is easier than other paths (yogas).  

          Bhakthi is easier to practice than any other way of approach to God. Karma, Upasana, and Jnana are the three other paths.  Karma yoga involves performance of Vedic rites which can be performed only by qualified people specified in the Vedas.  Upasana yoga involves meditation which requires one to have chitta suddhi and chitta ekagratha to practice meditation in addition to retirement to a solitary place.  Further Karma yoga and Upasana yoga by themselves do not lead to the final goal of oneness with God.  Only Jnana yoga, by itself, leads one to the goal of oneness with God, but this requires sharp and subtle intellect, vast study, and guidance of a qualified teacher for success in the path.  But Bhakthi can be practised under all conditions by all irrespective of age, caste and sex. Bhakthi involves direct approach to God through love.  As Swami Chinmayananda said, “bhakti marga is the path of love, and love is something every Jiva has, and the language of love is understood by everyone “. So bhakthi is easier to practice as compared to other three paths.

Sutra 59

Pramaanantarasyanapekshatvaat swayam pramaanatvaat.

Because it does not depend on any other proof; it is self-evident.

Sutra 60

Shaantirupaat paramanandarupaatcha.

(Also because, it is) of the nature of peace and of the nature of supreme joy.

          Love is its own proof; no other external evidence is needed to prove it.  Direct experience is the primary and infallible means of love.  Mother loves the child. There is no need for her to give proof that she loves the child. Withdrawing the love invested in worldly and material pursuits and re-employing it in the infinite Grace of God is the path of bhakthi.  That is why it is termed self-evident.

          Expounding the excellence of love, sage Narada says in Sutra 60 that where love is, there peace is; and in course of time continued peace gives great bliss i.e. Paramananda.  Bhakti starts out in the form of shanti (peace) and ultimately leads to ultimate bliss of union with God.  Honey gives sweetness to anyone who tastes it. God returns the love of any bhaktha who loves him truly with sincerity and steadfastness and God’s love is experienced by that bhaktha as Santhi (peace) and Paramananda (supreme bliss).

Sutra 61

Lokahaanau chintaa na kaarya; niveditaathmalokavedatvaat.

The Bhaktha should not worry about worldly problems as he has surrendered himself and all his secular and sacred activities (to God)   

          From this Sutra sage Narada talks about the obstacles, the sadhana bhaktha faces in his path to the goal of oneness with God in love and how to overcome them.

One important problem is the worry and anxiety over the personal problems and worldly and spiritual matters. The bhaktha should not worry over these problems. Worrying over problems is different from planning. As a bhakta, he has surrendered himself as well as his material and spiritual concerns to God and surrender is developed by constantly remembering that God is doing everything and that one is His instrument only. As an instrument he only acts and as an instrument he has no cause for worry. If this is consciously kept in mind, then a bhaktha can safely face all the problems that he may encounter in the world without worry or anxiety. 

Sutra 62

Na tatsidhau lokavyavahaaro heyaha, kintu phalatyaagaha tatsaadhanam cha karyameva.

Till such a bhakthi (parama prema rupa) is developed, worldly activities are not to be given up, but (only) the fruit of action; actions are indeed done as sadhana (practice of bhakti).

          So long as one is a sadhana bhaktha, he must continue the dynamic life of activities fulfilling one’s duties and responsibilities as a member of the family and society.  The activities must be continued renouncing the fruits and continually offering everything to God. And he should be watchful especially for the fruit that comes in the name of fame and name, as all good activities attract name and fame, and that can be very addictive. Also, the bhaktha must accept whatever result that comes as Iswara Prasada, without any raga or dwesha.

Sutra 63

Stridhananaastikavairicharitram na shravaniyam

Stories (or descriptions) of women, wealth, atheists and of enemies should not be listened to.

          What is being discussed in this Sutra is that certain types of materials that will pollute one’s mind should not be listened to by one who wants to advance in his sadhanas to reach the goal of parama prema bhakthi.  These are described as; women, wealth, atheists, and enemies. Though these warnings are for all bhakthas, they are especially for the Mukhyaa Bhaktas who are nearing the goal of their sadhana.  Listening leads to thoughts on the subject and such thoughts act as a distraction, decreasing spirituality in the devotee. Thoughts of women arouses passion; the thoughts of wealth generates greed; thoughts and company of an atheist sows seeds of disbelief in God in the mind; thoughts of enemy causes anger to rise in the mind.  Passion, greed, anger, and dwindling belief in God are all obstacles in the way of reaching the goal of parama prema bhakthi.  So, a keen, sincere bhaktha should avoid at all costs all descriptions, and discussions on women, wealth, denial of God and hostile people, always and only participate in satsangha besides his prayerful spiritual activities.

Sutra 64

Abhimaana-dambha-adikam tyaajyam

Pride, vanity, and such other negative urges of the mind must be given up.

          Sage Narada continues with the advice on how to grow in bhakthi developing the love for God.  The negative urges that choke one’s spiritual growth like pride and vanity should be given up. These negative urges of mind should be given up by cultivating their opposites like humility, modesty, and simplicity. 

Sutra 65

Tadaarpitaakhilaachaaraha san kaamakrodhaabhimaanaadikam tasminneva karaneeyam

Having dedicated all activities to God the bhaktha should turn all his desire, anger, pride, etc., towards Him only. 

          Sage Narada advises divinisation of all the negative emotions by the bhaktha seeking parama prema.  It is mind’s nature to desire. When this desire is for freedom from all bondages it does not bind the bhaktha. Also, the desire for satsangha, the desire for mahapurushsraya are also non-binding desires.  So, entertaining such non-binding desires only along with the desire for the love of God, a sadhana bhaktha can keep his mind free from all binding desires.  As for anger, instead of getting angry with other people, the bhaktha can try to get angry with himself or God for his inability to pursue his sadhana of loving God always.  The same way the pride can be directed to God by feeling proud to serve God with love as bhaktha.  This way all negative emotions can be transmuted and welded into bhakthi. In short, a bhaktha should sublimate every one of his emotions and make them a sacred offering unto God.

Sutra 66

Trirupabhangapurvakam nityadaasyanityakaantaabhajanaatmakam prema kaaryam premaiva kaaryam.

Love, consisting of constant service, as in the case of a devoted servant or wife, that is free from the three forms (given in Sutra 56) should be practiced; should alone be practiced  

          The love that is to be practiced is the love, as in the case of a devoted servant or wife i.e. Daasya bhava, like that of Thiruthonda Nayanar or Kanta bhava, like that of Andal, that transcends the tamasic bhakthi, rajasic bhakthi, and saatvic bhakti (three forms) that was described in Sutra 56.  The significance here is that the love must be constant, nitya.  There must be, always, bhakthi in the heart. It is only this constant practice that can transform a sadhana bhaktha into a sadhya bhaktha, attaining the goal of Para Bhakthi. Sage Narada emphasises this practice of love through repetition of the statement, “love should be practiced” with the addition of ‘alone’ at the end of the Sutra. 

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Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 7

 

Sutras 51 to 57

Sutra 51

Anirvachaneeyam premasvarupam.

Intrinsic nature of love is indescribable.

Sutra 52

Mookaasvaadanavat.

Like the experience of taste by a dumb person.

          Though we can talk about love for God at great length and describe it in various words, yet that only describes the result of what happens in love and how to acquire it. The true experience of what it is really like or its true nature is beyond the capability of words and that is referred to in the Sutra 51 as anirvachaneeyam or indescribable. The intrinsic nature of parama prema bhakthi defies precise definition or description.  It is an experience so profound that one cannot describe it exactly and adequately.

          In Sutra 52 sage Narada quotes an example to illustrate it.  A dumb person, even though incapable of talking, can experience the joy of something nice like a sugar candy without being able to speak about it. Similarly, the experience of uninterrupted love of Para Bhakthi cannot be described by words. Only one will know it when he has it but he will not be able to convey it to others in words.

Sutra 53

Prakasate kvaapi paatre.

(The pure love) is found to manifest in some rare ones who are qualified recipients.

          This ‘anirvachaniya’ love shines in some rare persons who are qualified by being detached from worldly attachments and being free of mamakara.  Lord Krishna points out the rarity of such fit persons in Bhagavad Gita (7-19):

Bahoonaam janmanaamante jnaanavaanmaam prapadyate;

Vaasudevah sarvamiti sa mahaatmaa sudurlabhah.

At the end of many births the man of knowledge (of Self) attains Me, (realizing) that Vasudeva (God) is all. Such a great one is very rare.

And now, sage Narada tries to describe this indescribable love, using negatives, in next Sutra.

Sutra 54

Gunarahitam kamanaarahitam pratikshanavardhamaanam avichhinnam sukshmataram anubhavarupam

Free of attributes, free of selfish desire, growing each moment, unbroken, extremely subtle, of the form of sheer experience (is this pure love).

          Pure love is devoid of all attributes.  Attributes reside in matter and describe one or other aspect of relativity while the pure love for God is beyond matter and relativity. It is free from all desires; not even the desire for Moksha is there. It grows in volume and intensity every moment.  It has a ceaseless flow. It is of the form of subtler feeling.  It is impossible for the ordinary human mind to have any conception of this pure love. It is of the nature of the devotee’s immediate experience, without the intervention of any medium.

Sutra 55

Tat praapya tadevaavalokayati, tadeva shrinoti, tadeva bhaashayati, tadeva chintayati.

Having attained that (Supreme Love), the devotee sees (feels, comprehends) that alone, hears that alone, speaks of that alone, and thinks (contemplates upon) of that alone.

          Attaining the state of Supreme Love, sage Narada says, the bhaktha comes to speak of that alone; becomes so full of that, that he cannot speak of anything else. That alone he continuously feels; the mind then cannot comprehend anything other than that. And that bhaktha is filled with such a deep and firm devotion that at the intellectual level he apprehends God only within, without, and everywhere.  His whole being is simply soaked in thought of God.  There is no faculty which is left out of this experience.  A similar description of the highest spiritual experience, experience of infinte (Bhuma), is given in Chandogya Upanishad (7-24-1); “yatra nanyatpasyati, nanyacchrnoti, nanyadvijanati, sa Bhuma (Bhuma (the Infinite) is that in which one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, and understands nothing else.)”

Sutra 56

Gauni tridhaa guna-bhedaad aarta-aadi-bhedaad vaa.

Secondary bhakti is threefold, based on differences in natural tendencies (gunas) or according to distinction as aarta, etc.

          To start with, bhakti was differentiated as para and apara bhakti, which were then identified as saadhya and sadhana bhakti. Now, under sadhana bhakti, we have:

1) Mukhya or primary bhakti, and

2) Gauni or secondary bhakti.

All bhakthas start at the secondary level.  Secondary bhakti is further classified based on the three gunas, namely, tamas, rajas, and satva. Alternatively, secondary bhakti can also be classified based on the distinction specified in the sutra as “aarta, etc”. This distinction refers to four distinct categories of bhakti as narrated by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter VII, Verse 16.

Looking at the first classification of bhakti by gunas:

i) Tamas is characterized by inertia, lethargy, and ignorance,

ii) Rajas is characterized by passion, desire, energy and activity, whereas,

iii) Sattva is absence of tamas and rajas. It indicates purity of mind.

In Ramayana we have the examples of Kumbakarna for Tamasic bhakthi, Ravana for Rajasic bhakthi and Vibhishana for Satvic bhakthi. Though they were asuras, they were bhakthas as well, because they did Tapas praying to God.  Kumbakarna asked for sleep, Ravana for rule over the whole world and Vibhishana for Hari bhakthi.

The second classification is based on kinds of prayers the seekers offer:

i) aarta, the one who prays when in distress.

ii) arthaarthi, one who prays to God for this and that; he seeks material goal

iii) jijnasu, the one who seeks to know God.

The above three division is from the Bhagavad Gita (7-16) where Lord Krishna gives a classification of His bhakthas as:

Chaturvidhaa bhajante maam janaah sukritino’rjuna;

Aarto jijnaasurartharthee jnaanee cha bharatarshabha.

O Arjuna, lord of Bharatas, four kinds of virtuous people worship Me: the afflicted, the seeker of Knowledge, the seeker of wealth and the man of Knowledge, Jnani.

Of the four Jnani bhaktha is a sadhya bhaktha and so only the other three are referred to as Gauni bhakthas. In puranas we have the example of Draupadi for aarta bhakthi, Uddava for jijnasu bhakthi and Dhruva for artharthi bhakthi

Sutra 57

Uttarasmaaduttarasmaat purvapurvaa shreyaaya bhavati

Each prior one is nobler (greater) than the successive one.

          In the classification as per Gunas, Rajasic bhakthi that is practiced to obtain power and wealth is placed higher than Tamasic bhakthi in which divine help is sought to harm others as well.  Satvic bhakthi is still higher placed for it only seeks to know God and prays for the happiness that prayer gives. So, the bhakthi is ranked in the following order where one is superior to the next: Satvic bhakthi, Rajasic bhakthi and Tamasic bhakthi.  

In the second classification, Jijnasu bhakthi where knowledge is sought is placed higher than artharthi bhakthi, where power and wealth are sought.  Artha bhakthi, wherein a sincere, passionate appeal is made to God, while in distress is considered higher than Jijnasu bhakthi.  So here the ranking order is: Aarta bhakthi, Jijnasu bhakthi and Artharthi bhakthi, where one is superior to the next.  Here artha bhaktha is defined as one who feels distressed even by the thought of separation from God.  

Mukhya Bhakthi is superior to satvic bhakthi and artha Bhakthi and Para Bhakthi is superior to Mukhya bhakthi. 

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Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 6

 

Sutras 43 to 50

Sutra 43

Dussangaha sarvathaiva tyaajyah

Bad company must be shunned by all means

Sutra 44

Kama krodha moha smritibhramsa buddhinaasa sarvanaasa karanatvat.

Being the cause of desire, anger, delusion, loss of memory, loss of intellect, and utter ruin.

Sutra 45

Tarangaayitaa apime sangaat samudraayanti.

These, although starting as small waves, (become) like an ocean because of (bad) company.

          Dussanga here means association with people pursuing only the worldly goals and having no value for spiritual growth.  Such association will drag the spiritual seeker down, and it is to be avoided in every possible way. How it can ruin the quest for the parama prema bhakthi of the spiritual seeker is described in detail in the Sutra 44.

          In Sutra 44 sage Narada gives us the indications of what bad company can do to a seeker, in words very reminiscent of Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita (2-62&63) which is as follows:

Dhyaayato vishayaan pumsah sangas teshupajaayate;

Sangaat sanjaayate kaamah kaamaat krodho’bhijaayate. (2-62)

When a man thinks of the objects, attachment to them arises; from attachment desire is born; from desire anger arises.

Krodhaad bhavati sammohah sammohaat smriti vibhramah;

Smritibhramshaad buddhinaasho buddhinaashaat pranashyati. (2-63)

From anger comes delusion; from delusion the loss of memory; from loss of memory the destruction of discrimination; from the destruction of discrimination, he perishes.

Association with persons who have only material thoughts and material pursuits and no spiritual interests or inclinations, brings into the mind a steady march of sensuous thoughts which develop in time into an irresistible desire (Kama) for their possession and enjoyment.  When this could not be fulfilled, anger (Krodha) arises on whatever stands in the way.  When anger mounts up, delusion (Moha) starts. This leads gradually to loss of memories of his spiritual quest (smrithibrahmsa), loss of rational discriminative intellect (buddhinaasa) and finally to complete ruin of his spiritual life (sarvanaasa).  This tragic fall in spiritual quest was the result of the desire for material objects and sense pleasures that had been kindled and kept alive by the bad company. So sage Narada advises that dussangha is to be avoided always by all means and only satsangha is to be cultivated always.

          Sage Narada also warns in Sutra 46 that the negative qualities, which start out as only small problems, would turn into unmanageable huge problems, like small waves that grow into oneness with the big ocean, due to the influence of bad company.  Chapter 3 ends with this Sutra.

Sutra 46

Kastarati kastarati mayaam? Yah sangam tyajati, yo mahaanubhaavam sevate, nirmamo bhavati.

Who crosses (Maya), who crosses the Maya? He who gives up attachment, he who serves a great soul, (he who) becomes free from the sense of “mine-ness” (sense of possession).

          Chapter 4 starts with this Sutra, wherein sage Narada himself raises the question, how to cross the Maya and starts answering it in five Sutras.  “mama Maya duratyaya (Maya of mine is difficult to cross over.)” says Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita (7-14). Crossing Maya means becoming free of samsara, and in this Sutra and succeeding Sutras, sage Narada describes various steps necessary to attain it.  They are:

• ·          One needs to give up attachment for material objects.  This means giving up desires for worldly objects which can be done only by cultivating value for spiritual growth and attachment to God.  Attachment to spiritual growth and God helps one to give up worldly attachments.  
•         One should resort to a great person, a Strotriya - Brahmanishta teacher, seeking studentship and offering oneself in dedicated service. Association with this great teacher in service to him and study of scriptures purifies the mind. 
•         One must free oneself of the feeling of my-ness, the feeling of possession.  The possessions by themselves can be kept but the mental slavery to them through the feeling of my-ness, that gives them power to bind one, is to be given up.  What is given up is not the physical possessions but the mental attitude of possessiveness in respect of them.  When my-ness is gone, the worry and anxiety, the pride and ego, associated with it is also gone, allowing one to concentrate in one’s spiritual quest.

More steps follow in the coming Sutras.

Sutra 47

Yo vivikta-sthaanam sevate, yo lokabandham unmulayati, (yo) nistraigunyo bhavati, (yo) yogakshemam tyajati.

(One) who resorts to a lonely and a quiet place, (one who) roots out his bondage with the world by roots, (one who) gains freedom from the three gunas, and (one who) gives up all anxieties for acquiring and preserving.

Sutra 48

Yah karmaphalam tyajati, karmaani sannyasyati, tato nirdvandvo bhavati.

One who gives up fruits of actions, one who renounces actions and thereby becomes free from the play of the pairs of opposites.

         In the above two Sutras sage Narada continues to enumerate the prerequisites of an aspirant for spiritual growth, who wants to cross the Maya. They are: -

·       The seeker needs to retire to a quiet place and engage in contemplation of God.  A quiet place does not have to be a cave in the mountains; it can be a puja room at home or even a quiet corner where one can be alone with oneself and keep the mind focussed on God.

·       The seeker must root out his attachment to worldly activities. Rooting out the attachment is like pulling the weeds out by their roots to stop them from growing back. Attachments can be similarly rooted out only by getting rid of the root cause, the ahamkara and mamakara.

·       The seeker must gain freedom from the three qualities of body and mind, namely, tamas, rajas and satva. This freedom comes from the understanding that he is not the body-mind complex and his real Self is the Athma

·       The seeker must give up all anxieties for acquiring (yoga) and maintaining (kshema) worldly objects.  Lord Krishna has also guaranteed in Bhagavad Gita (9-22):

Ananyaashchintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate;

Teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yogakshemam vahaamyaham.

To those men who worship me alone, thinking of no other, of those ever united, I secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.

·       The seeker must give up karma phala (fruits of actions) meaning that he should not entertain any raga or dwesha for karmaphalam and accept it as God’s prasada.

·       The seeker needs to give up all ego-centric actions. This and the previous injunction free one from the play of pair of opposites like pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, failure or success etc. 

Sutra 49

Vedaanapi sannyasyati; kevalam-avichhinna-anuraagam labhate.

Who gives up even the Vedas; attains the pure unbroken love.

Sutra 50

Sa tarati sa tarati, sa lokaanstaarayati.

He crosses, he crosses (and) he helps other people to cross.

This Sutra 49 consists of two parts. In the first part, last of the essential requisites “to cross the Maya” is described.  The second part describes what is achieved through all these efforts.  Vedas here stands for the ritualistic portion of Vedas. In the second part it is said that he gains kevalam avichinna anuragam, pure, unbroken, continuous love, that was called earlier parama prema, amrithasvarupa. The one-ness with God in love, makes one a Self-realized person and attaining this devotion with love, one does not stand in need of the rituals prescribed by the Vedas.  So Vedaanapi sannyasyati does not mean he renounces Vedas, but only there is no more need for him as Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (2-46)

Yaavaanartha udapaane sarvatah samplutodake;

Taavaan sarveshu vedeshu braahmanasya vijaanatah.

To the Brahmana who has known the Self, all the Vedas are of as much use as is a reservoir of water in a place where there is a flood.

            The one who has gained one-ness with God in love has also freed oneself from the shackles of samsara i.e. he has crossed Maya successfully. This statement is repeated to add emphasis to it.  Not only has he crossed Maya, he also helps other seekers to cross Maya, says sage Narada in Sutra 50.  Chapter 4 ends with this Sutra.

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Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 5

 

Sutras 34 to 42

            We had so far seen the first two chapters covering 33 Sutras that described Para Bhakthi, which is the goal to be reached.  Now we shall see the next chapter that describes the sadhanas that take one to the goal of Para Bhakthi.

 Sutra 34

Tasyaaha sadhanaani gayantyaachaaryaaha.

For that (Para Bhakthi) teachers sing (many) practices.

Sutra 35

Tat tu vishayatyaagaat sangatyaagaachcha.

Now that (goal) by renunciation of worldly things and giving up attachment.

               Sutra 34 describes that the various spiritual masters prescribe the several sadhanas through “stuthis” or songs, in a poetic way by using the expression “Teachers sing”.  From the next Sutra, start the sadhanas.

          One of the sadhanas to reach the goal of para-bhakti is by way of renouncing worldly objects and giving up attachment.  Kaivalya Upanishad (Mantra 3) states: “Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaika amirtatvamanasuh (Not by work, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by renunciation alone, Immortality is attained.”).  Renunciation of worldly things is an attitude born of the understanding that the worldly objects have only limited value and that they will not give one that inner peace and contentment. One may intellectually recognize the limited worth of the worldly objects, but may not quite accept it emotionally.  One must renounce the emotional attachment to objects and cultivate the freedom from desire for these objects.  The second aspect of this sadhana is giving up attachment to the beings around in one’s life and to one’s possessions.  As regards relationship to living beings, these are not to be renounced but one’s relationship is to be chastened by freeing oneself from emotional dependence on them.

Sutra 36 

Avyaavritat bhajanaat.

Through uninterrupted (continuous), loving service of the Lord

Sutra 37

Loke’pi bhagavadgunasravanakirtanaat.

By hearing and singing the glories of the Lord even while engaged in worldly activities.

          In Sutra 35, spiritual service was of a negative character.  But in Sutra 36 spiritual service of positive character is prescribed.  The worship that sage Narada is advocating in this Sutra is continuous non-stop worship. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (8-14):

Ananyachetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityashah;

Tasyaaham sulabhah paartha nityayuktasya yoginah. 

O Arjuna, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for long, I am easy of attainment.

Sage Narada echoes this idea in this Sutra by saying “Constantly remembering the Lord throughout one’s life is an easiest way of attaining Him.”        

          Sutra 36 presents another sadhana, viz., remembering God by listening to the glories of God in stories and by singing His praises always, even while engaging in worldly activities. Sage Narada is here apparently referring to the nine types of bhakthi (Nava-vidha-bhakthi) stated in Srimad Bhagavadam, as follows:

“Sravanam, Kirtanam, Vishno-smaranam, Pada-sevanam,

Archanam, Vandanam, Daasyam, Sakhyam, Athma-nivedanam.”

The nine types of bhakthi listed in the above verse are as follows:

1)    Sravanam – listening to epics and puranas.

2)    Kirtanam – Singing devotional songs.

3)    Vishno-smaranam – Uninterrupted thinking of God as Vishnu or one’s Ishta devata.

4)    Padasevanam – Worship of God’s feet meaning worship of God through service to people.

5)    Archanam – Doing puja or any simple ritual.

6)    Vandanam – Chanting hymns and singing His glories.

7)    Daasyam – Thinking and behaving as God’s servant.

8)    Sakhyam – Acting and thinking with a feeling of love and close intimacy with God as in friendship.

9)    Athma-nivedanam – Surrender of self in intense devotion.

Adopting one or more of these above modes one can engage in uninterrupted devotion all the time. After stressing self-effort, Sage Narada stresses the importance of Grace of God, Guru and Mahapurushas in the next five Sutras.

Sutra 38

Mukhyatastu mahatkripayaiva bhagavatkripalesaad va. 

Primarily through the compassion of great beings and a little of Divine grace.

Sutra 39

Mahatsangastu durlabho’gamyo’moghashcha. 

But (to obtain) the company of some one great is extremely difficult; it is impossible to know them fully, yet it is infallible in its effect.

Sutra 40

Labhyate’pi tatkripayaiva.

Nevertheless, it is attainable through God’s grace.

          One cannot reach the goal of uninterrupted bhakthi through one’s own efforts alone; one needs help.  Primarily, what one needs is the compassion of a loving, compassionate person like a spiritual teacher, or a saint. It is through their compassion or through a bit of God’s Grace that one’s efforts will bear fruit.

          In Sutra 39 sage Narada warns that finding a proper teacher is extremely difficult and even when the opportunity arises it is not obvious; it is subtle.  Sri Sankara says in Vivekachudamani (verse 3)

 Durlabham trayamevaitad devanugrahahetukam I

Manushyatvam mumukshatvam mahapurushasamsrayaha II

Human birth, mumukshuthvam, the tutelage of a mahapurusha (a great realised person) are difficult to gain without God’s Grace.

Also, one has to be beware of false teacher who tempts the seeker with the promise of an easy path without much sadhanas.  And, there is also the danger of not recognizing a true teacher when one meets him.

          So, sage Naradha states in Sutra 40, that one should seek the Grace of God for getting the proper spiritual teacher. It is by the Grace of God only that one turns a mumukshu.  Again, it is only the Grace of God that will lead him to the right Guru who will guide him in that path. 

Sutra 41

Tasmintatjane bhedabhavaat.

Because between God and His devotees there is no difference.

             ‘Devotee’ in this context means the Para Bhakta and not every devotee. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (7-18) that He views the Jnani Bhaktha (Para Bhaktha) as His very Self.  Mundaka Upanishad (3-2-9) states: -“Brahmavit Brahmaiva Bhavathi (The knower of the Brahman becomes Brahman). Para Bhaktha is one who has realized his oneness with Brahman and does not stray from this knowledge in all his activities.  This Sutra is also interpreted as “that the love of God knows no distinction among His children” and so anyone seeking His Grace sincerely, steadfastly, and with single minded devotion will get it with kindness, irrespective of his past before coming to the path of spiritual seeking.

Sutra 42

Tadeva saadhyataam tadeva saaadhyataam.

That alone is to be accomplished; that alone is to be accomplished.

          The repetition in the sutra is to emphasize the point that the sadhana as would enable one to obtain God’s Grace that would ultimately reveal God through the teaching of a spiritual teacher is only to be practiced.  Sadhana clears away all obstructions in the way of understanding the true identity of one’s Self with Brahman. 

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Narada Bhakthi Sutra – 4

Sutras 25 to 33

Sutra 25

Saa tu karmajnanayogebhyo’pyadhikataraa. 

But, that (Para Bhakthi) is superior to Karma, Jnanam, and Yoga.

Sutra 26

Phalarupatvaat.

Because it is of the nature of the fruit (of Karma, Jnanam, and Yoga)

Sutra 27

Ishwarasyaapyabhimaanadveshitvaat dainyapriyatvaachcha.

Also, because God dislikes egoism and likes humility.  

          Karma refers to Karma Yoga, the path of action, Jnanam refers to Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge, and Yoga refers to Raja Yoga, the path of meditation. They are all important means to achieve the goal of oneness with God. In Sutra 25 Sage Narada states that Para Bhakthi is better than all these means, because Para Bhakthi itself implies that oneness with God is achieved.  Further, all paths require one to have Bhakti to reach the Goal i.e. oneness with God; and to merge with God, one must have complete love for God; for without that love, oneness with God is not possible.

          In Sutra 26, Narada points out that fruit of oneness with God, which is the aim in Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga is an accomplished fact in Para Bhakthi as Para Bhakthi itself implies oneness with God.  So, that makes it superior to the other three.

          Sutra 27 is to be read with previous Sutra which is a justification for the claim of Para Bhakthi as superior to the other three. There is a great danger of 'fall' to all seekers striving in the paths of Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga, as they involve a starting point of achieved perfection and the inherent conscious self-effort, and in a moment of complacency, ego may creep in their efforts to achieve the goal resulting in pride in whatever was achieved so far.  This will lead to arrogant self-assertions and vain self-glorifications which are barriers in attaining oneness with God. In Para Bhakthi, there is no such fear as it involves total surrender in love, with a feeling of oneness with God, and humility and self-effacement are the highlights of surrender.

Sutra 28

Tasyaaha jnanameva saadhanamityeke.

For that (goal) some Acharyas say that knowledge alone is the means.

Sutra 29

Anyonyaashrayatvamityanye.

Others believe that (there is) mutual dependence (between knowledge and bhakthi).

Sutra 30

Swayam phalarupateti Brahamakumaraha.

According to Brahmakumara (Narada), it (bhakthi) is its own fruit.

          Having established that Para Bhakthi is the superior means to attain the goal of oneness with God, Sage Narada in the above three Sutras quotes three different views on how it could be attained. In Sutra 28, he quotes Acharyas like Sankaracharya who say that knowledge alone is the means to reach the ultimate goal of enlightenment. In their view, ignorance (ajjnanam) is the cause of the problem, and so jnanam must be the only way out of it, nothing else.  Sri Sankaracharya in Athma Bodha (verses 2 & 3) states - “Just as fire is the direct cause for cooking, knowledge is the direct means for Liberation. “ 

          In Sutra 29, Sage Narada refers to others who say that jnanam and bhakthi complement each other and they are mutually dependant and together only they take one to the goal of oneness with God. Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sivananda are among those who advocate this philosophy of integrated approach as bhakthi and jnanam give one and the same experience of God; only they appear to be different due to difference in the seat of manifestation.  Bhakthi is the attitude of heart and jnana is the attitude of intellect in a person towards God.  Bhakthi’s fulfilment is in jnanam and jnanam revels in bhakthi.

          In Sutra 30 Narada, referring to himself as Brahma’s son, asserts that Para Bhakthi is the goal, and others are only means (sadhanas) to reach the goal. These means are like the boat, which is simply a means to reach the opposite bank (the goal).  

Sutra 31

Rajagrihabhojanaadishu tathaiva drishtatvaat.

Just as can be seen in the case of a palace and a meal.

Sutra 32

Na tena rajaparitoshaha kshudhasaanthirva

Because of that (knowledge) neither the favour of the king nor the appeasement of hunger (from that meal) can ever happen.

          In Sutra 31, Sage Narada cites two examples; one of a king (in a palace) and another of a meal, to make his point that knowledge alone is not enough.  Explanation follows in the next Sutra.

          In Sutra 32, he points out that mere knowledge of the king of one’s country with details about his palace, will not help one automatically gain favours from the king; and, the knowledge of a fine meal will not by itself give one the satisfaction of consuming a full meal. Same way, knowledge of God alone is not enough to help one attain the oneness with the God. 

Sutra 33

Tasmaatsaiva graahyaa mumukshubhihi.

Therefore, that (Para Bhakthi) alone is to be sought after by the seekers of Moksha.

          Sage Narada concludes by emphasizing that Para Bhakthi (Supreme love for God) must be the only goal of a spiritual seeker who is seeking Moksha as Moksha is complete freedom from any sense of separation and gaining utter non-separation. Para Bhakthi, is the highest realisation, where the bhaktha feels united with God in love and has no sense of separation from God.  Really, one is already non-separate and only needs to remove that which creates the illusion of separation, and this happens when one gains Para Bhakthi. 

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