Class Notes by Bhargavi
The truth does not have a beginning or an end. The truth is equated to joy (Sat=Ananda). As a corollary to this, we should not have a start or stop to joy. We should be experiencing this always. We are always putting our efforts to start our joy. This plays out as us manipulating our context (getting a promotion, having more friends, etc). This strategy has not worked in the past and will not in the future as well. The only way to equate Sat and Ananda is by loving Sat-Chit-Ananda more. This is the vision of our course, to love (not just an emotional love but authentic, deep love) of the Truth within ourselves.
Rishi Narada traveled and taught a lot in his life but still didn’t feel complete so he went to his elder brother. His brother taught him the difference between IQ and SQ. The Sanata Kumras eventually teach him about SQ and he DOES come to feel complete. Same goes with of us, therefore Rishi Narada is the best guide for us to take us to achieve higher SQ.
Sutra 17: Another expression of Bhakti being practiced as Japa
Sutra 18: Another expression of Bhakti being practiced as Dhyana
Sutra 19: this sutra is like Bhagavad Gita’s Ch 6 verse 5. This sutra and the verse are known as Sarva sangraha vakya, an all encompassing verse/sutra. In this sutra, Rishi Narada shares that Bhakti is when all of your verbs are dedicated with a feeling that you are doing the actions for Bhagavan.
Sutra 20: Whatever you do to reduce the separation between you and Bhagavan, that is Bhakti.
Sutra 21: Our dear Gopis are brought into the Narada Bhakti Sutras. The Gopis are icons of follow through. When they were very young, they would offer their prayers to Bhagavati Katyayani asking her to grace them for Bhagavan Krishna being their husband. They followed through with consistency and eventually Bhagavati Parvati did grace them with Bhagavan Krishna being their husband. This follow through is faith. The gopis had faith in Bhagavan and followed through with it.
Sutra 22: Tatrāpi na mahātmya-jnāna-vismrti-apavādah
In reference to the gopis, the feeling that they don’t know the greatness of Bhakti or Bhagavan, is not accurate. This forgetfulness cannot be assigned to them.
One must not feel that the gopis did not know the greatness of Bhagavan. This feeling arises because there is a general thinking that the gopis are uneducated and simply are expressing sentimental love. Rishi Narada says this criticism cannot be assigned to them.
Gurudev used to say a website shares information, whereas the physical site inspires. We take pride in our diplomas and degrees but if they don’t make us feel the joy, then do these have the utility that we need? Rishika Ammayar and many other great sages have unlimited high SQ that being around them elevates us also. In Bhagavata, there is a specific chapter called Gopi Geeta. In this chapter, the gopis are singing to each other as if the other person is Bhagavan Krishna. They felt Bhagavan was more real than themselves. They had the insight of the Truth and therefore they were not just Bhaktas but were jnanis.
Sutra 23: Tad- vihinam jārānāmiva
Love without the knowledge of His true nature is like the illicit love.
When one is involved in a relationship where it is not based on spirituality, it is illicit. The implication for us is that we all have to grow our love/relationship to make it of a spiritual nature.
The etymology of word “Mandir” is people who go there are “manda”. People who are immersed in intense love for Bhagavan are thought to be of manda buddhi (developmentally slow) buddhi. Another etymology of word mandir is man=mind and dir= dwelling, where the mind should dwell. When we go to a mandir, our mind should revolve around who lives there, specifically you experience Bhagavan’s nama, next is rupa and for many that is where their manda ends. But we should go further than this and experience guna, the qualities of Bhagavan. Then we should experience the dhama of Bhagavan. If we are not pushing ourselves to go past to the dhama, then our love is not the love that Rishi Narada is challenging us to have.
Swami Chinmayananda, in his commentary, shares that in our relationship with Bhagavan, if there is any sense of asking, then that is not Bhakti. The gopis never asked Bhagavan for anything, they only offered themselves. When Bhagavan Rama was in incarnation, he traveled a lot and the sages who were bhaktas of Lord Rama couldn’t be the way they wanted to be with Bhagavan Rama because Bhagavan had to fulfill his responsibilities. When Bhagavati Sita was in Rishi Valmikiji’s ashram, Bhagavan Rama, who had to perform rituals having his partner next to him, couldn’t do so and therefore had Devi Sita’s statue next to him while performing these rituals. These sages and these statues who the Lord touched, later incarnated as gopis when Bhagavan Rama himself reincarnated as Bhagavan Krishna. The gopis therefore certainly knew about Bhagavan’s greatness.
Sutra 24: nāsti eva tasmins tat-sukha- sukhitvam
In the love where there is some sort of exchange, the sense of happiness in Bhagavan’s happiness is not present.
In the previous sutra where the illicit love or Kama (not prema) was described, one knows it is Kama when they don’t find happiness in Bhagavan’s happiness. When we help others be happy, you feel lighter and so on. This is the vision of Bhakti. When Bhagavan Narasimha is seething with anger after killing Hiranyakashapu, it is only Bhakta Prahalada who sat on Bhagavan’s lap, calmed the Great Lord. At that point, Bhagavan asked Bhakta Prahlada what boon he wanted and the specific response from Bhakta Prahlada was that if he asked for a boon and Bhagavan fulfilled it, then that would not make him a Bhakta anymore. The relationship would then stoop to that of a merchant and a trader. Bhakta Prahlada then said he wants the boon to not want any boon, put a lid on my desires.
Sri Parameshvara prithyartham- all that I do, I do to please my Bhagavan!