Narada Bhakti Sutras Lecture 02 Su.1 on 06-December-2018
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Opening Invocation
ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :
Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.
Introduction to Narada
Today, we are going to discuss in detail the Bhakti Yoga that has been composed, supposedly composed by Narada. Narada was one of the greatest devotees of God. Before we go into that, I have to tell you, we have to know something about Narada himself.
Etymology and Meaning of Narada
The very word Narada, it means: आत्मत्मैनं यो ददाति परमात्मत्मैनं यो ददाति सह नारदः नारं ददाति इति नारदः. He who gives नारं, what is नारं? परमात्मक विषय ज्ञान. That is knowledge about God. He who gives, he is called नारदः.
And from Puranas, we have some misconception that he creates quarrels.
The Greatness of Narada
First of all, he is a तिलोपसंचय. He could move anybody. The greatness of नारदः is: supposing there is a king, a Muslim king, and he is a Harim, he has got lots of wives, you know, nobody can see them. But if नारदः comes, if he goes into the Harim, this fellow only will bow down from outside.
He will not stop. Such is the confidence placed upon him, that he will not harm anybody, he will not take undue advantage of anybody, he will not be tempted by anybody, and if he goes, then only good will come. राक्षस, देवा, मनुष्य, he has got अवारित द्वारा, means open door, he can go anywhere.
Even if a wife is taking bath, if नारदः enters there, the husband will not object, because he knows what नारदः really, truly is. So how much confidence a person must be having, everybody else closes the door, or conditionally closes the door.
Sri Ramakrishna tells, there are some नित्यमक्तःs, ever free, who will be roaming this world, one of them is नारदः.
Narada's Purpose and Mission
Why does he move in this whole world and what does he do? He will be going on singing the name of God, that is his above purpose. He himself gets tremendous joy in singing the Lord's name, and he also wants other people to get out of this bondage of संसारा, by hearing God's name.
Harinama Sankirtana is the only goal of नारदः's life, and then he creates quarrels, it is true, but he doesn't create quarrel among worldly people, first.
Secondly, his purpose of creating quarrels is, through that unhappy temporary event, both the quarrelling parties, they will get rid of some weakness which is within them, of which they are not aware, through this event he brings it to the fore, and makes them free from that. His only purpose in life is: how can I take every man towards God, and make him enjoy, he has lost his own inheritance, called as वाराज्य, that is the character of the नारदः.
Sri Ramakrishna on Bhakti Yoga
So, Sri Ramakrishna says something very important, he says, in any age, there are many paths, but of all the paths, भक्ति योग is the easiest, natural path, and you don't need to renounce anything, that you just follow, renunciation becomes a very natural habit.
When we become devotees, giving up something which is an obstruction to us, means attachments, becomes so much easier because, we become attached to a much valuable thing. So there is, this law is there: nobody can give up anything, unless he knows, I am getting something bigger, better in every way.
So, there was a couple, Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi. One day this Yajnavalkya Rishi, who was one of the greatest Brahma Gnanis, came and announced, "I am intending to take Sanyasa," and he was a very rich man, he said, "I am giving it to," he had two wives, "I am giving it, my whole property, I am dividing it equally between you two."
Katyayani, one wife, had meekly accepted it. But Maitreyi, she asked one question: "You are giving up so much of wealth, that means you must be getting something much better." He said yes.
Then, "If you are, is it possible for me to get that better something, by accepting what you are offering me?" He said, "Vidhena amrutasya, amrutatvasya asha nasti," by taking all this wealth, there is no hope of immortality.
That word amrutatva is very important, that comes here also. What happens when a devotee becomes, when a person becomes devotee? So, amrutaswaroopacharya, confers immortality upon the person.
And certain descriptions are there, why bhakti is so very important. So then, Maitreyi challenges him: "What do I get through all this wealth man?" He says, "You will live a comfortable life, like any other rich person. Certain gadgets, you know, refrigerator, car, and you can travel, you can have best physical, medical treatment, or psychological treatment, whatever it is, you will get the best doctor."
These are the amenities you get. Amrutatvasya asha nasti, because money or wealth or prosperity or name and fame or power, cannot give us that.
The Remedy for Ignorance
What can give? What is the destroyer of ignorance? Knowledge.
What is the destroyer of darkness? Only light. So, we are suffering from the problem called ignorance. The only remedy for ignorance, not anything else, but its opposite, which is called knowledge.
Then she says, "I don't want your wealth, but you give me what you have understood." Then comes the most marvellous teaching, both from the philosophical point of view, religious point of view, spiritual point of view, and more important, psychological point of view. So, we cannot understand spiritual significance or philosophical significance or religious significance, but we can definitely understand the psychological significance.
What is it? Nobody loves in this world anybody, anything excepting oneself. If any object is going to give us happiness, then that is absolutely fine.
The Psychological Understanding of Love
So, this is what Narada's abode for us, because he realised God and he is the greatest devotee of God, and he is eager to bestow the same thing. You want happiness? Here is the greatest happiness. You want to be free from all fear of death, old age, disease? Here is the greatest way.
I can show you. Amrutatvasya panthaha. That is what Swami Vivekananda thundered at the Parliament of Religions.
There is no other way. The only way is by knowing truly what we are. This is the greatness of Indian philosophy.
It doesn't say that you have to pray to God, please bestow your grace. It says this is your own nature. The God whom you are praying outside is the God who is already within you, but you do not know that.
That is why you are thinking there is somebody there. So, this is the Atma Jnana, and what is the best path for Atma Jnana? Bhakti.
Qualification of Teachers
But before we know, is he a competent person to teach us about Bhakti? Who can teach us best music? Only a best musician.
Who can teach us best science? Only a best scientist. Who can teach us best way of cooking? Only a best cook. So, who can teach us real Bhakti? Only a real devotee.
And Narada was one of the greatest of us.
The Story of Narada's Becoming a Bhakta
So, this Narada, how did he become a Bhakta? There is a story. First of all, is there one Narada or many Naradas? This is very important.
Was he human? No. There are several mentions of Naradas. There is one Narada we get in Chandogya Upanishad.
There is one Narada we get in Samaveda, who was a singer of Samaveda. There is one Narada who was supposed to have invented Veena. And that is one Narada.
And this person who composed the Bhakti Sutras seems to be different to Naradas. But how do we reconcile which Narada? You see, the whole point is, why do you want to suppose one is born 50,000 years back, another is born 20,000 years back? That's not our consideration. Our consideration is, if you remove name and form, what is it that they really give us? Jnana.
So, Narada means Jnana. We mean also Jnana, really speaking. Many times I pointed out, what our knowledge is, we are that.
The Nature of Knowledge and Identity
We are what our knowledge is. If we think this is wonderful poison, sincerely, we will be drinking water. Poison.
If I think that way, this person requires criticism or punishment. If I am convinced about it, then that's what I am going to do. That means, this name and form, if you remove, what knowledge, sincere knowledge I have, and that's what really I am.
I hope I am making the point. So, if one is demonstrating one's persona and character, it's all because of the assimilation of that knowledge. Exactly.
Example from Sri Ramakrishna's Life
I will give you an example. Once, Hazra, he came and told Sri Ramakrishna, "All the visions you are having, these are all hallucinations of your mind." And Sri Ramakrishna was in a confused mode, confusedish mode.
Immediately he ran to mother and said, "Mother, all that you have made me experience, is it all hallucinations? Because I am a fool, you are deceiving me all this time." Then mother said, "No, they are all true." He said, "If they are not true, how come that you are having a vision that tomorrow somebody is going to come and tomorrow that person comes."
It is proven to the hill, whatever he says this is going to happen, it is going to happen. How can this be a hallucination? Then he understood. Then he was remarking later on, "First I was very angry with Hazra, he confused my mind."
Then he said, "What can the poor fellow do? The mother has given him only that much understanding." So it is Param Satyam that each one of us are what we are because of what knowledge we have. It is not what information we have.
The Difference Between Information and Knowledge
I am not talking about information. Information, we have so much of information. Sri Ramakrishna said this, Upanishad said that.
But actually what we 100% believe, this is the reality. We react only towards that reality. I will give you an example, because these are deep psychological points which you need to understand.
Suppose we are all sitting here and suddenly one fellow starts shivering. I am looking at that. So what, why are you shivering? "I see the ghost is coming to eat me up."
Now the point is not whether ghost is real, ghost is unreal, that's not the point. The point is this man is 100% convinced that there is a ghost and it is going to come up and eat me up. How do we know? Because if he thinks it is all my imagination, he would not shiver.
It is a pretense. But he is not pretending, he is really experiencing the effects. Therefore, the point is not whether it is real or not.
So far as he is concerned, it is the only reality. So far as others are concerned, that's not the reality. So I hope you are following what you are saying.
The Question of God's Existence
So this is an answer I give to people. When people come and ask me, "Does God exist?" You know what is my answer? "Yes, He exists." "Prove it to me."
"It is not my headache to prove it to you. If you don't want to believe, you are free. If you don't want to believe, you are free."
"If you want to believe also, you are free. That is not the point. If suppose such a God doesn't exist, you are only imagining."
"See, I believe I am seeing God. And by seeing God, I am a most happy person and I don't care for anything else. I am always content with whatever I get."
"I forgive everybody. I love everybody. If this is the effect my imaginary God is having upon me, what is your headache?" Do you follow what I am talking about? So, the belief in God is absolutely personal and individual.
So if Sri Ramakrishna says, "I don't need to say, one day a pundit was talking to everybody, 'Oh God is everywhere,' quoting scriptures. Sri Ramakrishna says, 'I don't need all those things. I see my mother right in front of me all the time.'"
"Why do I need all those things?" So, how do we know that he is seeing? Because we cannot prove whether he is seeing or not. We can't prove whether he is seeing is real or hallucination. But what we see is that he is a very happy person and he is content.
And under all circumstances, he is happily going about. And if that imaginary God is making him so very happy, content, and he absolutely doesn't depend upon anything else, if that is the effect result of his imaginary God, what is our headache?
The Psychology of Relationships
Now I will tell you something very important. We don't know about each other anything.
But what we think we know is what affects us. If I think Prabhat is not a very good person, then even if he is a very good person, but so far as I am concerned, what I know alone affects me, what I am convinced. So that is what we are all... Husband thinks his wife loves him.
And the wife thinks my husband loves me. This delusion is going on throughout the world for eternity. That's what Yajnavalkya was trying to teach.
Nobody in this world loves anybody else except themselves. First, they love themselves. Second, they love the objects which gives them happiness.
This is not unconditional love. So long as you give me happiness, then I happen to love you. The moment you don't give me any happiness, talaq.
You understand now? We are all selfish in that sense.
Swami Vivekananda's Interpretation
Swamiji also gave a higher interpretation to this. He said nobody is attracted towards some molecules.
A man says "I love another woman." What is that woman? Body. What is body? Some molecules, some atoms moving here and there.
Do you think that anybody is foolish enough to be attracted by some particles of sand, mud? No. What is it? In and behind those molecules, there is something called Self. Because of which the molecules owe their very existence and manifestation.
It is that self which is in everybody that a man is getting attracted. To a particular person, it is more evident to him. Why is it evident only to that particular person? I will explain psychologically.
You must be quite intelligent to understand. Here is my mind is unhappy. Why? Because I am hungry.
So what happens? Hunger is disturbed. It is a kind of cloud which comes between me and my own self. So then I get some food.
What does the food do? It quenches the hunger. Then what happens? My mind becomes calm. And through the calm mind, the inner happiness manifests.
This is the psychology. So that happiness I am deriving is not in the object. But it is helping my mind to become calm and serene.
And when the mind is calm and serene, the inner happiness manifests automatically. This is the truth about it. So that is how objects happen to give us happiness.
They are not giving happiness. How do we know? Because if happiness is their nature, they must give first of all happiness to everybody and they must give happiness for all times. But that is not so.
What gives happiness to me may give unhappiness to the other person. This is a common thing. And for us also, same object will not give us happiness at all times equally.
Have you noticed? It depends upon how much our mind is agitated. This is the truth. Now you meditate upon what we have discussed.
The Identity of the Naradas
So Narada, coming back to Narada, there are so many Naradas out there, it doesn't really matter which Narada. All that counts is... All the Naradas are human beings. Divine beings.
Because they are people who have attained divine knowledge. They are human beings who attained divine knowledge. Whatever way, after they attained, they are divine beings.
We are concerned only not what they were before, but what they are after. A saint is there. We are not bothered what that saint was before.
We will be bothered only... We derive advantage only after he becomes a saint. Otherwise he is like anybody else. So whichever Narada is there, so he compiled certain statements which are issued by different people at different times with regard to Bhakti.
And that came to be known as Narada Bhakti Sutras.
Comparison with Other Bhakti Texts
There have been several types of books on this. For example, Sandilya Bhakti Sutra.
And then we have Bhakti Rasamruta Sindhu. But of all the books so far as I know, Swami Vivekananda's talks on Bhakti Yoga are the very best of the best. Because what did he do? At least he did two things.
For which we have to first study that one and then go to other things. The first one is, he took the essence of all the many books composed on Bhakti, including Bhagavatam, etc. and he squeezed the essence and presented it to us in the most mellifluous yet simple language which we all can understand.
This is the first reason. By reading Swami Vivekananda's Bhakti Yoga, as good as reading all the other works, because he digested everything and then presents to us the essence of every book.
Second reason is, most of the books, by their very nature, are what we call fanatical.
They are sectarian. So, "only through Bhakti Yoga you can attain salvation. Only through Karma Yoga you can attain salvation."
"Only through Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, you can attain salvation." But the other paths, everybody is telling, the other path, if you follow, you will go to the other place. Whereas Swami Vivekananda, following Sri Ramakrishna says, "No, every path is equally valid."
So Bhakti Marga is not fanatical at all. It doesn't oppose any form. On the contrary, it says that you follow any path you want, if you wish.
But why am I advocating this particular path? Because this path, first of all, is the path of least resistance. And it is natural. Why is it natural? Because we are all endowed with one faculty.
What is that faculty? Emotions. We are all emotional people. So if I scold one of you here, next time I doubt whether I will see that person once more in the next life.
This is a crystal. Understandable emotion. The other is un-understandable.
If I praise one of you, some of you may not attend my classes. This is human nature. "Why did he not praise me? Why is he only praising the other person?" What is called demon called? Jealousy.
Story of Jealousy from Sri Ramakrishna's Life
Jealousy comes. It happened actually in the life of Sri Ramakrishna. One day, I am telling this, important for us to understand.
Sri Ramakrishna was talking with some devotees. That day, one devotee was there. I will not name him.
But Sri Ramakrishna that day was highly praising one devotee called Suresh Mitra. This person was sitting. And he took himself off.
He stopped coming to Sri Ramakrishna. For six months, he never visited Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna, before that he used to come very frequently.
Then Sri Ramakrishna asking, "How is he? I want to know about him. Why is he not coming?" No, he will not budge. So this devotee was in the habit of taking bath in the Ganges every morning.
One morning he was taking bath. And so many boats will be travelling. But one boat was coming.
At first he thought it was one of those boats which come and go. And he didn't pay attention. Then when it came near he saw, in the very front of that boat, one devotee called Balram Basu was standing.
It was magic because they were all familiar before six months. Then he wanted to make fun. So he said, "Oh, oh, oh, oh, today how fortunate I am, I am seeing such a great bhakta."
In a sarcastic way. Balram Basu was broadly smiling. And he said, "Why only bhakta? Hazrat Mohammad himself has come."
Meaning Sri Ramakrishna. Meanwhile, Sri Ramakrishna was sitting. He came out.
Tears were flowing. And he was looking at this devotee and said, "So many times I longed to see you. I could not hold myself."
"I want to see you. That's why today specially I came to see you." Seeing Sri Ramakrishna in that condition, this person understood what he did.
He fell flat at his feet and he resumed normal. What was he talking about? He did not criticise this person. Just by praising another person, this fellow has taken off.
Many times it happens. And you observe even day to day like that. Anyway, coming back to Swami.
Swami Vivekananda's Four Yogas
Every yoga. He gave beautiful talks. And they have become famous now as the four yogas of Swami Vivekananda.
Every yoga. This is the speciality. What is the speciality? First he digests all the previous literature on that particular subject and puts them in the most mellifluous, simplest language and very logically.
This is the speciality of Swamiji. Logic. First point.
Second point. Third point. You read one yoga.
Then you will understand it. Divided by chapter wise. Karma yoga.
Bhakti yoga. Raja yoga. Jnana yoga.
And then at the end, he points out, this will take you to God. Bhakti yoga takes you to God. Jnana yoga takes you to the same God.
Karma yoga takes you to the same God. Raja yoga also takes you to the same God. There is no opposition.
There is no superiority, inferiority. Every yoga is meant for one particular type of mentality. That's all he concludes.
But besides that, there are other points. Every yoga of Swami Vivekananda is a very practical thing. The other things are theoretical.
No. It must become practical daily. Next point is, it is suitable for people in this particular age.
What people were capable of doing in the past, the present people are not capable. So it should be moulded according to the capacity of our people. That is called Neo Vedanta.
Neo means not new. It is a new way of interpreting and presenting the same old Vedanta, suitable for this particular age. So these are some of the important points.
Not only that, every yoga has got some accretions which were completely unnecessary. Swami Vivekananda removed them. And then he converts them into things suitable for this particular age.
Because language also is very important. So many wonderful points are there. I will not go today into them.
So Swami Vivekananda also says, it is the most natural thing, etc. I will read out before we complete. A little bit, Narada.
The Qualification to Teach Bhakti
Who can tell us about Bhakti? Only a Bhakta can tell us about Bhakti. And he was one of the greatest Bhaktas. And anybody who is a greatest Bhakta, his only desire would be, he had tremendous love before, when he did not realise God, for God.
But after realising God, what happens to all that Bhakti, or love? It flows towards other people, other beings, and then says, "We are all children, but I understand that I am the child of God. You are also child of God, but you don't understand you are a child of God. Therefore you are suffering."
"So I would like to, like an elder brother, I would like to help you, aid you. I will tell you, just a simple, follow this small recipe, and you will also become a devotee of God." What happens? Amritabhavati.
He becomes immortal. He attains Moksha, complete liberation. What does that mean? It means Paramananda Praptihi.
He will ever enjoy unending, incomparable bliss. So Narada himself was the greatest devotee of God. Just now I read from the 12th chapter.
He fulfils all these conditions, to the hilt, and then only he talks about it. Why we adore so much Bhagavad Gita? Because the Lord, who said, is an embodiment of what he taught. Why we revere so much the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna? Do you know why? Because first he lived that life, he enjoyed that life, and then the experiences which he had, he is passing on to us.
"This is how I became free from this disease, called Samsara. I became Mukta. And you also, if you follow, can also reach that."
So Narada was the greatest devotee. We don't know much about him, but Bhagavatam tells us about him. Incidentally, Bhagavatam is the greatest book on Bhakti.
Sri Krishna's Three Important Teachings
Greatest book. Sri Krishna had three important teachings. His teachings have been incorporated into three books.
How many? Three. First we all know, what is Bhagavad Gita. So after the Kurukshetra war, Arjuna went and told, "Sorry Krishna, in the heat of the battle, I have forgotten what you told."
"Will you kindly repeat?" Sri Krishna said, "Repetition is not possible, but I will give you in summary, what I have taught, and that came to be known as Anu Gita." Secondary Gita. That also occurs in Mahabharata only.
Then the third of his greatest teachings, even more beautiful than Bhagavad Gita, is called Uddhava Gita. The eleventh chapter of the Bhagavatam. Eleventh chapter.
Tenth chapter is the life and leelas of Bhagavan Krishna. And eleventh chapter is his last message to humanity through Uddhava. And Sri Ramakrishna remarks, several things he says, I will not going to eat now.
The Story of Narada from Bhagavatam
So what was the story Bhagavata gives about Narada? The first thing he tells us about it, we don't know much about. Briefly, he was the son of a maid servant. This maid servant was serving some holy people, Rishis and Munis.
So one morning, at five o'clock or so, a snake had bitten, poisonous snake had bitten her, and she dies. Now this boy had become a kind of orphan, like Sabari. Now what happened, the Rishis took pity upon him, one of them, and then he initiates mantra, "Om Namo Narayanaya," and says, "You worship, adore Lord Hari, and He will give you."
Then Narada, he goes into the forest, sits down under a tree, and with all his sincerity, he goes on repeating. Immediately he had a vision of Lord Narayana. For a moment, beautiful glimpse of Lord Narayana, and immediately the vision comes to an end.
Narada was very sad. "Oh Lord, you bestowed upon me this most beauteous vision, why did you withdraw it?" Then Akashabani, a voice comes, says, "Oh Narada, I wanted to show you that God exists. I exist."
"It is to make you 100% faith, I actually appeared to you. But this particular body of yours is not fit for constantly beholding me. But now you go on, you will be reborn again, you will perform austerities, at the end you will attain me for eternity."
"Then you can have constant my vision." So, after a few days he dies, and then he is reborn. He does tremendous amount of tapasya, and what type of tapasya it is, we do not know.
At the end, by the grace of God, he turns out to be one of the greatest saints, certified by Sri Ramakrishna as one of the Nitya Muktas, and also Chiranjeevi. Chiranjeevi means he is still alive, he is there. So we hear that once he appeared to Thyagaraja, presented one of his books.
By the way, there was one Narada, he also was supposed to have written, I think, Sangeeta Makaranda, something like that, one book. And Thyagaraja wanted, but the book was not available. He prayed, Narada appeared to him in a dream, and then presented his book.
When Thyagaraja woke up, that vision disappeared, but the book was there. Now, I believe in all those things. For God, anything is possible, and other than that, there is no other way for us.
Anyway, what is important for us, that Narada was a great devotee, and he has compiled these things after experiencing God. This is the brief history of Narada, and as we know, any great saint, he will not tell his autobiographical details. My autobiography, very few saints will write.
Next week, I won't be here. A week after that, I will be there. You want to go? No? Okay.
All right. You want to get up? No, no, I'm almost class over. No, no, because they want to go.
They are students. Before 7th, they have to return to their hostel. Okay.
Beginning the Study of Narada Bhakti Sutras
So now, without much introduction, we will start. Only one remark I want to pass. According to Sri Ramakrishna, Bhakti Marga is the best Marga, and among the Bhakti Margas, Naradiya Bhakti.
So, so far as we know, Naradiya Bhakti is available only in the Bhakti Sutras. Like Sri Ramakrishna, Narada also tells a few things. First of all, this is the most simplest, most natural, and easiest, suitable for most of us.
Secondly, Narada, like Sri Ramakrishna advocates, the name of God is most powerful. If we can have that faith, and repeat God's name, and pray to Him wholeheartedly, everything will be, by His grace, everything comes proper.
Sharanagati (Surrender)
In the Bhakti Marga also, even more importantly, Sharanagati. That is what Narada advocates, Sri Ramakrishna advocates, Sri Krishna advocates: "Sarva Dharmaan, Parityajya, Mamekam, Sharanam, Vraja, Aham, Tvaa, Sarva, Papebhyo, Moksha, Vishyami, Ma, Shuchah." Sharanagati.
And the greatest advocate and commentator on Sharanagati is Ramanujacharya. And in one famous shloka, he tells us six characteristics of Sharanagati.
"Anukulasya Sankalpaha, Pratikulasya Varjanam, Raksisyaty iti Vishwasaha, Goptrutva Varanam, Atma Nikshepaha, Karpanye Iti, Shad-vidha, Sharanagati Vidheela."
The Six Characteristics of Sharanagati
What is it?
- Anukulasya Sankalpaha - A firm vow. That I will do only what pleases the Lord. I will not do whatever displeases the Lord.
- Pratikulasya Varjanam - I will refrain from doing what displeases God and I will always strive to do what only pleases the Lord. These are the two characteristics.
- Raksisyaty iti Vishwasaha - And third is firm faith that only God can save me and in this world there is nobody else who can save me. This is the third characteristic..
- Goptrutva Varanam - Therefore, naturally, only if he can save me then I would like to have that God. This is called Goptrutva Varanam. I choose to take refuge, not in anybody, in God. This is called Goptrutva Varanam.
This Goptrutva Varanam also has two aspects. One aspect is that God is everywhere. And God can be in so many forms. This knowledge. Even though God can be worshipped in any name, in any form, I like to choose God in this particular form.
This is the speciality of Hinduism. This is called Ishta-Devata Siddha. And that is why Hinduism is so liberal.
No other religion will tell you that other religions also will take you to God. It is only Hinduism who tells us. Others intellectually assent to it, but they don't actually advocate it.
So, this is what Goptrutva Varanam means. Only God can save. And I choose God and I choose a God according to my own liking.
It could be Krishna, Kali or Vinayaka or Kartikeya or Jesus Christ or Buddha. Anybody. This is called Ishta-Devata Siddha.
This is the fourth characteristic of Sharanagati.
- Atma-Nikshepaha - The fifth characteristic. Having chosen God, I say, "O Lord, You alone are capable of taking me across. I transfer all my responsibility to You." Means what? That I myself take refuge in You. So, "You do whatever You like with me because I have complete faith."
Like a child having faith in its mother. But the mother will only do. That's why as soon as the child goes into the lap of the mother, it immediately can go to sleep.
Why? Because it knows "I am in the safest place in the whole world." That kind of transference is called Atma-Nikshepaha. This is the fifth characteristic.
- Karpanyam - Thereafter, there is one characteristic called Karpanyam. Karpanyam means in great humility. What is that? "O Lord, I have been able to take refuge in You only because of Your grace. Otherwise, it would not have been possible. So, my taking refuge in You itself is Your grace. Otherwise, it would not have been possible."
So, that humility: "I could not do it on my own. But I could do it only because of Your grace." That humility is called Karpanyam.
It is the Shatvidha Sharanam. This is what Thakur said: "O human being, you are worse than a worm. How can you help yourself and much less other people? O my children, take refuge in God."
"Take refuge in the Mother. Pray earnestly and she will help you." This is exactly what Narada wants to tell us.
The First Sutra: Introduction
So now, we are in a position to start this Narada Bhakti Sutras. These great teachers, what they do, first, they are very logical people. They don't go about beating the bush.
So, the very first Sutra, this is our intention. So, what is the first Sutra in the Yoga Sutras? Brahma Sutra: "Athato Brahma Jignasa." Or Yoga Sutras: "Yogam Vyakhyasyamaha" - "We will expound now what is Yoga." So, he is also saying: "Athato Bhaktim Vyakhyasyamaha" - "I am going to, Vyakhyasyamaha means not I, we."
Why? Because he says, Vyakhya means commentary. Commentary means, he is telling clearly, this is not, don't think that I am creating this. My Purvacharyas have already created this and I learnt a little bit from them and what little I learnt, I am placing it before you.
The Humility of Great Teachers
Humility. Sri Ramakrishna, Swamiji, when he went, he said: "Whatever is good in me, whatever you found useful in me through my teaching, that belongs to Sri Ramakrishna and whatever you did not find useful or negative, know it, it is from me." This humility is called Sharanagati.
Because he himself, Sharanagati, and I also want to add later on something, it is all because of the Sharanagati only, an illiterate person becomes a poet, a not so intelligent person becomes a very intelligent person, a poor person becomes a rich person, everything that happens is purely by the grace of God only. So, this is the sutra he begins with. We are now at this point, because of this, we are going to comment upon what is bhakti, all aspects of bhakti.
The Meaning of "Atha"
Now, what does this Atha mean? Atha means a person, to whom a music teacher, to whom is he going to talk about music? He is not going to talk about a Tom, Dick and Harry, he will talk to the Tom, Dick and Harry about other things, but when an earnest student comes, he understands this person is capable of receiving what I am going to teach him, therefore, I am going to teach him this. This word Atha is also called Mangala Vachana. So, in ancient times, whenever anybody wants to compose something, first they pray to God: "By your grace, two things should happen."
"First of all, I should be able to do justice to this work, and that is possible only by your grace. Second, without any obstacles, let this work be completed, because sometimes the work is not very good, and sometimes the work is very good, but for various reasons it might not be completed." That is why we pray to God.
Atha is a Mangala Vachana. Many times they salute their Gurus, many times they simply use this word Atha, Atha means it is a Mangala Vachana. So, Hindus believe before undertaking anything, first of all we have to remember God, and then only we undertake it.
Atha. Atha, therefore. Why Atha, therefore? That means you are a qualified person.
You may be thinking that I want to learn, but are you qualified? A simple example is, suppose you know a student never went into this school, eager to go to school, therefore he approaches this school. Where do you think the teachers will place him? He doesn't even know alphabets. Where do you think you will be placing him? In the lowest class.
He is an earnest student, but his capability is only to learn at that stage. So, Atha means any intelligent teacher will not give to the student everything he knows. He has to start somewhere.
But when you are ready, then only I am ready. Otherwise my sympathies are with you, but you are not yet ready. Then how do we know? There are so many stories in the Upanishads.
Examples of Preparation
The Satyakama Jabala is one of them. He goes to his teacher. Big story.
But having accepted him as a disciple, he gave 400 cows and said: "You go into the forest, look after them. When they become 1000, you come back." Or Prajapati sends both Indra and Virochana for 32 years of brahmacharya ashrama.
Why? Because their desire is sincere, but their preparation yogyata to receive is not complete. For that they want to train. Somebody wants to have muscles of iron.
And until that time, his only exercise he does is operating the remote control. So, he sincerely wants to do. So, when he goes to gymnasium, where do you think the teacher will start him? At the very lowest level.
"Just 5 times you sit down and get up. And then if you survive, we will take up next day's lessons." Slowly, slowly, slowly he will build up.
Anubandha Chatustaya: Four Prerequisites
So, this is what we call Anubandha Chatustaya. I will briefly expound on it. Before undertaking the study of any book, not only spiritual book, any book, 4 conditions need to be fulfilled.
They are called Anubandha Chatustaya. Chatustaya means 4 or 4. What are they? Prayojana, Adhikari, Vishaya and Sambandha.
1. Prayojana (Purpose/Goal)
First of all Prayojana. What is Prayojana means? What is your goal? That is the first thing. When you go to a railway station, you don't go to the ticket counter and say: "Give me a ticket." He will not give you.
Because he doesn't know where you want to go. He knows where from you want to go. But he doesn't know where you want to go.
So, he will ask you: "Where do you want to go? What time do you want to go? And how much can you afford?" After all these details only, he will give you ticket. This is the first. What is it? Prayojana.
What is my goal? What do I want? "Oh, I want to become a Bhakta." In this case only.
2. Adhikari (Qualification)
Are you an Adhikari? Who is an Adhikari? First of all, you believe in the scriptures, that they are truths.
Secondly, you want to pursue the path of Bhakti, not the path of Jnana. So, if you are having faith in Homoeopathy, don't go to Allopathic department and say you give me Homoeopathic medicine or vice versa. You will have to go to the appropriate department.
So, one fellow, there was a chamber where several doctors were practising. One fellow entered into one Allopathic doctor's chamber and the doctor naturally asked him: "Tell me briefly, what are you suffering from?" This fellow was arrogant. He said: "That is up to you to find out."
The doctor very politely said: "I am sorry, the doctor you are searching for is next door. He is a veterinary doctor. The cows cannot tell you."
So, you will have to be very clear what you want to do. If you want to be a Bhakta, then this Bhakti department, I am the Bhakti teacher. So, I can tell you, this is called Prayojana, my goal.
And what type of goal? That I am prepared, once I receive the instructions, to put them into practise. That firm determination: "I have faith in my teacher, I have faith in his teachings, and whether I succeed or not, I am not going to give up." When these three qualifications are present, then he is an Adhikari.
Adhikari means a fit person. Prayojana is clear, but Adhikari also must be there. So, simple example, a person wants to be a great painter, and then he is blind.
Is he going to be a great painter? So, another fellow, he wants to become a great musician. He is tone deaf. He has desire, but is he a fit person? Not fit person.
This is how we have to understand, for every subject there is a fitness.
3. Vishaya (Subject Matter)
So, Prayojana and Adhikari. Then, Vishaya.
What is the subject you want to learn? If I want to be a doctor, you will not attend Shakespeare club, dissecting Shakespeare's plays. You have to go to a medical college. If you want to be a poet, you don't enter into a cookery department.
So, every department has got a particular subject. So, what is the subject? Bhakti Jnanam. How to become a Bhakta? That way, firm determination: "I want to know about Bhakti Yoga so that I can become a Bhakta."
That is the Vishaya.
4. Sambandha (Connection)
Sambandha. What is it the teacher is going to teach? Is he going to teach me about Veena? Or is he going to teach me about Bhakti? So, if he wants to learn about Bhakti Yoga, the teacher also must teach only Bhakti.
So, these are the four questions we have to put to be successful in any endeavour. This is called Anubandha Chatustaya. That is what he means.
Vyakyasyamaha means, he is not arrogant enough to say: "I have composed this and I am going to teach to you now." And what is the next thing? That Vyakyasyamaha means: "I know my subject." I already pointed out.
Because I myself have experimented and I have attained my goal and I know what Bhakti is and I am passing on really my experience to you basing upon the knowledge my Guru has given to me traditionally.
Understanding Sutras
Then, how are you going to do it? In the form of a Sutra. What is the Sutra? Sutra is like a thread.
But it is mnemonics. You know what is mnemonics? A trick to remember some things. I will give you a simple, funny example.
Once I visited a city called Helsinki. It is a difficult name to remember. So, I have to remember.
So, how to remember Helsinki? "Sink in hell." The moment I associated that one, two, three times, in my whole life I will never forget. Even now, immediately it is there.
Otherwise, if I don't associate, then it is likely I may not remember it. This is called mnemonics. A Sutra is something to hang on a great amount of study matter into the shortest possible distance.
But how does it work? It is this way. A student, for example, attended a Master's class. For two hours, the Master had expounded one particular subject.
Not different subject. One particular subject. In great detail.
At the end, he says: "This is the Sutra." Now, by just remembering that Sutra, he remembers the whole exposition which is compressed into that shortest sentence. It is useful only for people who already have been exposed to that exposition.
And this is only for the sake of remembering all the beautiful points that the teacher has expounded.
Example of a Sutra
I will immediately give an example. He says: "Sa tu asmin parama prema rupa." Definition of bhakti.
"Asmin means in this God. In God. Parama prema rupa." It is the nature of supreme devotion towards the supreme being in the world. Parama applies both to my bhakti as well as to the object I adore.
Both. My devotion as well as the object which I would like to attain. Both.
So, the teacher has expounded what is God and why we should love him. What is the nature of supreme devotion and what is the nature of supreme God. Why he is a supreme God.
Two hours he has expounded. And for us to remember, for the disciples who heard it to remember, he compressed the whole thing, squeezed the whole meaning into these few words. Once the disciple remembers this one, the whole exposition of the teacher comes tumbling down into his mind.
You understand that? So, this is for the people mainly who had heard it and now they want to remember the essence of what he said. So, it is like that. This is called sutra.
The Challenge of Understanding Sutras
Naturally, sutra contains so much of meaning but what happens, later on these teachers somehow passed this sutra literature and the people who received the sutra literature, they never heard the exposition and therefore they are left only with these brief, very cryptic words. Now, they are seeing stars because they never had anything to understand this cryptic statement. This is the most important point.
That is why many great teachings have been put in the form of cryptic teachings and sometimes great teachers who understand what they are talking like Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya came, for example, Brahma Sutra, Yoga Sutra, etc., they gave us their understanding even though they have not heard it from the original teachers. They must have heard it from their teachers who knew about it and they understood it much better than what a layman can understand and they have given commentaries and that is how we somehow make some meaning out of this sutra literature.
Purpose of Sutras
Why is it necessary? For two reasons. First of all, there was no writing therefore what they have heard could not be put. Secondly, they don't want to forget it. This is called mnemonics.
If they remember this, the whole thing will come out. It has come through words from one generation? Yes, Guru Parampara. And recorded only during Shankaracharya? No, no, no, many Acharyas.
I am talking about in general. A fellow was walking in the street and somebody was walking behind him. So he ran up and said: "Sir, don't forget to post the letter your wife has given."
So he said: "Yes, I remember. I am going only to the post office." After two minutes another man came and said: "Sir, don't forget to post your wife's letter in the post office."
Like that he was reminded, because he was a forgetful man. So his wife knew it. So she hanged one notice behind his back and reminded this man to post this letter in the post office.
So until he did that, they did not leave him in peace. So this sutra acts like that reminder. If we can memorise it and then keep it in mind: "What does this sutra say?" So with the help of teachers, we can say: "Oh, this is the meaning."
So what is the point I am making? By ourselves we cannot understand this sutra. Because it is lost from the original teachers. But if another great person comes, suppose Swami Vivekananda, the moment he reads, Because he was trained under a certified bhakta, because Sri Ramakrishna is a certified bhakta.
Who certified? The Divine Mother certified by granting him realisations, visions, etc. and the same subject matter. And he taught it to his disciples.
Swami Vivekananda was the foremost of the disciples. So when he reads this sutra, immediately he understands what it means and for us he goes on expounding it. That is how the gurus are necessary for the sake of understanding the scriptures themselves.
Swami Vivekananda on Bhakti Yoga
So very briefly I will read out a few things, then from next time onwards we can do that. I have taken this from the introduction on Bhakti Yoga. Swami Vivekananda had given two separate lectures.
Addresses on Bhakti Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Do not mistake them for one. They are two separate books and we need to study both if we want to really enjoy this.
I have taken very briefly. "Bhakti Yoga is a real, genuine search after the Lord. A search beginning, continuing and ending in love."
"It starts with love, develops into love and ends into love." First love is called Gauna or Apara Bhakti and the highest love later on is called Para Bhakti. "One single moment of the madness of extreme love to God brings us eternal freedom."
"One second if we can have experience that supreme love, that very moment all our bonds will be broken for eternity." Then what is Bhakta, Bhakti, Bhagavan? "Bhakti says Narada in his explanation of the Bhakti aphorisms which we are going to study. Bhakti is intense love to God."
"Sa tu asmin, Parama, Prema, Rupa." "When a man gets it, he loves all, hates none, he becomes satisfied forever. This love cannot be reduced to any earthly benefit because so long as worldly desires last, that kind of real Bhakti does not come."
"Bhakti is greater than Karma, greater than Yoga because these are intended for an object in view. Bhakti is its own fruition. Bhakti is its own reward."
"Little Bhakti begets more Bhakti and more Bhakti begets still more Bhakti until the Bhakta says: 'I don't want Jnana, I want only Bhakti.'"
The Best Definition of Bhakti
So, then he says: "The best definition given of Bhakti Yoga is love undying which the non-discriminating have for the fleeting objects of the senses never leave this heart of mine, of me, who seek after Thee." Let me explain this.
What Swami Vivekananda gives to this definition: we don't need to pray to God: "Give me Bhakti." We already have 100% Bhakti within. What is the problem? Three problems.
First problem is, it is scattered to different objects: 1% to money, 1% for food, 1% for dress, 1% for parents, friends, devotees and maybe 10% to enemies. Because in our life, whom do we think about? Our beloved ones or our enemies. So, most of the mind is going only to whom we hate.
Beautiful subject, later on. So, we already have, the first point, we already have all the Bhakti we need. Second, it is scattered in various 100-200 objects.
Third, that we need to gather those things, make them one and redirect it towards God. Therefore, Bhakti is the easiest. So also knowledge.
All knowledge is already within us, but it is scattered. This was Prahlada's prayer. "That undying love, which worldly people already have for worldly objects. O Lord, may I have the same love, but directed towards only God." Very good. We will discuss about it in the future.
Bhakti is Not Destructive
"Bhakti is not destructive. It teaches us that no one of these faculties we have has been given in vain, that through them is the natural way to come to liberation. Bhakti doesn't kill out our tendencies, it doesn't go against nature, but only gives it a higher and more powerful direction."
"How naturally we love objects of the senses, we cannot but do so, because they are so real to us. So, in the above prayer, he says: 'I will have that attachment, that tremendous clinging only to Thee.' This love, when given to God, is called Bhakti."
This he takes from Prahlada. So how to develop this love of God is a subject matter, which we will discuss in our next class. Next week I won't be here.
I will be there only a week after that.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्
पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु
Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum
pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu