When one reflects on the name of Rishi Narada, one thinks less about Jnana and more about Bhakti. The last verse in the Srimad Bhagavatam says: 

“I offer my salutations to that Hari by chanting whose name humans are freed from all sins, by surrendering to whom by prostration they are saved from all misery”.

This is like a phalashruti, that says if we follow through with Bhagavatam, this is what we will know/feel. The same goes for this Narada Bhakti Sutra course. 

Those who have followed through with Bhakti, Bhagavatam or Narada Bhakti Sutra, they will feel more cheerful and content. This cheer and content that comes from Bhakti will come from a different place, like a slow release medicine. There is authenticity and depth to this. So we should keep asking ourselves why we are in this course and what is happening to us. 

One of the final verses from Srimad Bhagavatam about how important Rishi Narada is states: 

“That light of spiritual understanding which was ignited by the Lord Himself in the heart of Brahma, which He Himself as Brahma transmitted to Narada, which again in the form of Narada He transmitted to Vyasa, which He in the form of Vyasa transmitted to Shuka, and which He in the form of Shuka imparted to Parikshita. On that truth supreme, the unpolluted, the pure , the blissful and the griefless we meditate”. So Rishi Narada is Bhagavan Narayana Himself! 

A sutra is that which has been reflected upon, and then shared. 

Swami Mitrananda shared that those who live in the Brahma Loka become free by krama mukti, which is a slow freedom. But the students of Vedanta are more fortunate become these students can become free by sadya mukti or instant realization. This is because, Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has already reflected on this subject for forty years, and so the students just have to be active listeners!  The same goes with these Sutras, because it has already been reflected upon and so we just have to listen!

Recap:

Sutra 28: The main thought here is: Some people cultivate Bhakti via knowledge. Extending this thought, when someone offers us Aarati, we should bring that light to our head first and then to our heart and then to our hands. In reference to this sutra, for many of us, we need to first know before we start to feel, and then live this. 

Sutra 29: An insight into this sutra is, when we take up a sadhana (discipline), we should engage in the sadhana irrespective of context. One should force themselves to engage in japa, which will eventually become meaningful. With Ratnakara,  it went from ‘mara’ to ‘Rama’. 

Sutra 30: The shift here is from Jnana to nnana-Bhakti to just Bhakti. Everyone of us already loves our own bodies, our family members, food or traveling. The love itself is the same, but where it is directed is important. Bhakti is redirecting that love from symptom to the source, from expression to the foundation. This just keeps growing Bhakti. 

Sutra 31: There is an example given about how just because one lives in a kingdom, just because one is in a leader’s home does not mean that one is close to the king or leader. Just because we can spell Bhakti or know what expressions of Bhakti are does not mean that is Bhakti. Rishi Narada here is encouraging us to try more, practice more and feel more. In chapter 6 of Bhagavad Gita when Sri Krishna teaches Dhyana yoga, and He senses that Prince Arjuna feels this is hard, Sri Krishna follows up with Vairagya and Abhyasa. The point is to try! Abhyasa is highlighted. 

Sutra 32: It is shared emphatically here on how there has to be a dedication. There is a difference between Vaidi bhakti and Prema bhakti. Vaidi means it is a bhakti or karma that one is just supposed to do. As soon as we finish doing something because we are supposed to do it, the feeling is ‘what next’! There is no completion in that. But Prema bhakti is choice based, there is a vision behind this! We should reflect on why we are in this course, is it Vaidi bhakti or is it that we need dedication and devotion in our life!

Sutra 33: Anyone who is a Mumukshu (purpose is Moksha), it is required for them to surrender. When we think of surrender, we think of it as surrendering the ego. The implication in this sutra is that we have to also surrender the effort.The best way to do this is to love Bhagavan. Then we start to feel that it is His efforts. Rishi Narada had studied and traveled much, and He went to His older brother Sanatakumara (specifically to Sanata) and said He was not happy. So Sanata teaches Rishi Narada that He even has to surrender the ‘trying’. As long as one is trying to sleep one is not sleeping, as long as one is trying to be happy one is not happy, as long as one is pursuing peace, there is no peace!

This Class:

Sutra 34: tasyāH sādhanāni gāyantyāchāryāH

Rishi Narada shares a new emphasis now. TasyaaH here refers to Bhakti. Sanskrit synonym for Bhakti is Anuraga (unconditional love, love for love’s sake). Those who have this Bhakti are sharing that the means/practices to having this Bhakti or Anuraga is to ‘sing’. Another interpretation of ‘to sing’ is that they have taught. 

Rishi Narada now offers a prescription of what to do in a summary form. He gives this summary because Rishi Narada cares for us. The Acharyas who are filled with Bhakti sing because they cannot contain themselves. They cannot be limited because they see oneness, they share to spread the limitlessness. 

The advice/sadhanas that are coming are to change our identification (from experiences to equipments to ego to existence). Sutra 34 is about how to practice bhakti. 

Sutra 35: tat tu vishaya-tyāgāt sanga-tyāgācca

This Sutra gives the yama or the don’ts of practicing bhakti. Vishaya means objects/articles/pleasures but it also means poison. Tyaagaat means let it go. Sanga means attachment (to relationships or beings). This too has to be renounced. 

Letting go of that which is limited (articles, beings, circumstances), because if we identify with that which is limited , then it will be limiting for us. The way for one to let go or renounce this addiction to articles is right thinking. Another way to let go of attachment to articles/beings/circumstances is to quantify how much we give towards a certain relationship and how much we get from that relationship. May be this will lead us to the right conclusion that we are giving so much but not geting so much. This balances the emotion where one does not feel attached and one treats this relationship as relative. When we see the lack of value, it is easier to let go. 

Sutra 36: avyāvrt – bhajanāt

Avyaavrit means that which has no break, it is avyaya (indeclinable) and never diminishes. What should never diminish is bhajana, here it refers to service/seva. 

When one has to ‘let go’ it has to be matched with ‘holding on’. We let go of the lower and we are confident in doing this by holding on to the higher.