Definitions of Bhakthi - 02

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

We saw in the last few mails the definitions of bhakthi as per various acharyas finally culminating in Narada’s definition of bhakthi as offering all actions unto the Lord and becoming sad when the Lord is forgotten.

The definitions attributed to various acharyas don’t mean to either compare or show that one is better than the other. It is but a systematic way of putting the opinions of different people on the topic and showing a progressive way to the ultimate devotion of constant remembrance of the Lord or ananya bhajanam.

This is known by the final sutras where Narada says that the bhakthi acharyas all speak in one voice about bhakthi. Thus the different definitions are but progressive and meant to lead the seeker from the physical to the mental to the intellectual to the spiritual level. We have discussed in the last few mails regarding this.

Today we will try to see and collate all the definitions. Bhakthi defined by Narada is the ultimate definition which has a positive and a negative approach as we discussed in the previous mail. The positive aspect is constant remembrance of the Lord through offering of all actions to the Lord. The negative aspect is trying not to forget the Lord & in such a case becoming desperate so that such a situation never happens and instantaneously the Lord is remembered again even as the fish in land remembers water/breathing instantaneously.

Activities can be done at three levels of body (physical), verbal (words) and mental (thoughts). When Narada mentions offering of all activities unto the Lord, the three types of activities of physical, verbal and mental has to be offered unto the Lord.

Physical activities include bodily actions. The easiest way to start offering bodily actions to the Lord is through performance of various poojas or ritualistic activities with the help of the body. Thus the definition of bhakthi by vyaasa shows us the way to start offering physical activities to the Lord. Once we do certain ritualistic activities like sandhya etc, then all activities done through the body has to be offered to the Lord.

Verbal activities include talking about the Lord. We can talk about the glories of the Lord only if we have heard the glories of the Lord. Thus we have to develop attachment towards listening to the glories of the Lord. This is the definition attributed to garga. When we develop attachment to listening of the glories of the Lord, we remember the stories and take interest in speaking about them to each and every person that we meet. Thus when we speak about any grace or happiness, we would automatically attribute it to the Lord by saying that “it is by the grace of the Lord”. This is the way in which verbal activities can be offered to the Lord through adding of the Lord’s name in all verbal statements.

Mental activities include chanting of the name of the Lord, meditating on the form of the Lord etc. All these activities are to be done remembering the Lord as one’s own nature and not as someone different from our own Self. This is what shaandilya mentions that attachment to the Lord shouldn’t be against attachment of the Self. As it is mentioned in the Upanishads that everything is loved for the sake of the Self alone, attachment to the Lord shouldn’t be against attachment to the Self. Both these attachments cannot be against each other only if the Lord is one’s own Self. Thus while offering all activities unto the Lord, we should remember the Lord not as different from oneself but as one’s own very nature of Consciousness.
Thus all the various definitions of bhakthi in turn make Narada’s definition of the positive aspect of bhakthi clear. Whatever be the activity that we do, we have to offer it unto the Lord. Thus there is no doership but we remain a mere witness to all activities. This witness of Consciousness is none other than the Lord. Thus we get detached from the illusory world & activities, instead getting attached and identified with the ultimate reality of Lord who alone is real.

When we try to offer all actions unto the Lord, there might be times when we forget the Lord & hence Narada mentions the negative aspect that when the Lord is forgotten the devotee should become so desperate that he remembers the Lord instantly & never forgets again in the future.

Having seen the various definitions of bhakthi, we will see Narada proving the definition of Bhakthi through logic and examples in the coming days.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Definitions of Bhakthi - 01

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

We saw in the last few mails the definitions of bhakthi as per various acharyas finally culminating in Narada’s definition of bhakthi as offering all actions unto the Lord and becoming sad when the Lord is forgotten.

The definitions attributed to various acharyas don’t mean to either compare or show that one is better than the other. It is but a systematic way of putting the opinions of different people on the topic and showing a progressive way to the ultimate devotion of constant remembrance of the Lord or ananya bhajanam.

This is known by the final sutras where Narada says that the bhakthi acharyas all speak in one voice about bhakthi. Thus the different definitions are but progressive and meant to lead the seeker from the physical to the mental to the intellectual to the spiritual level. We have discussed in the last few mails regarding this.

Today we will try to see and collate all the definitions. Bhakthi defined by Narada is the ultimate definition which has a positive and a negative approach as we discussed in the previous mail. The positive aspect is constant remembrance of the Lord through offering of all actions to the Lord. The negative aspect is trying not to forget the Lord & in such a case becoming desperate so that such a situation never happens and instantaneously the Lord is remembered again even as the fish in land remembers water/breathing instantaneously.

Activities can be done at three levels of body (physical), verbal (words) and mental (thoughts). When Narada mentions offering of all activities unto the Lord, the three types of activities of physical, verbal and mental has to be offered unto the Lord.

Physical activities include bodily actions. The easiest way to start offering bodily actions to the Lord is through performance of various poojas or ritualistic activities with the help of the body. Thus the definition of bhakthi by vyaasa shows us the way to start offering physical activities to the Lord. Once we do certain ritualistic activities like sandhya etc, then all activities done through the body has to be offered to the Lord.

Verbal activities include talking about the Lord. We can talk about the glories of the Lord only if we have heard the glories of the Lord. Thus we have to develop attachment towards listening to the glories of the Lord. This is the definition attributed to garga. When we develop attachment to listening of the glories of the Lord, we remember the stories and take interest in speaking about them to each and every person that we meet. Thus when we speak about any grace or happiness, we would automatically attribute it to the Lord by saying that “it is by the grace of the Lord”. This is the way in which verbal activities can be offered to the Lord through adding of the Lord’s name in all verbal statements.

Mental activities include chanting of the name of the Lord, meditating on the form of the Lord etc. All these activities are to be done remembering the Lord as one’s own nature and not as someone different from our own Self. This is what shaandilya mentions that attachment to the Lord shouldn’t be against attachment of the Self. As it is mentioned in the Upanishads that everything is loved for the sake of the Self alone, attachment to the Lord shouldn’t be against attachment to the Self. Both these attachments cannot be against each other only if the Lord is one’s own Self. Thus while offering all activities unto the Lord, we should remember the Lord not as different from oneself but as one’s own very nature of Consciousness.
Thus all the various definitions of bhakthi in turn make Narada’s definition of the positive aspect of bhakthi clear. Whatever be the activity that we do, we have to offer it unto the Lord. Thus there is no doership but we remain a mere witness to all activities. This witness of Consciousness is none other than the Lord. Thus we get detached from the illusory world & activities, instead getting attached and identified with the ultimate reality of Lord who alone is real.

When we try to offer all actions unto the Lord, there might be times when we forget the Lord & hence Narada mentions the negative aspect that when the Lord is forgotten the devotee should become so desperate that he remembers the Lord instantly & never forgets again in the future.

Having seen the various definitions of bhakthi, we will see Narada proving the definition of Bhakthi through logic and examples in the coming days.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 19 and 20

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Definition of bhakthi by Shaandilya

Sutra 19 –
Naradasthu tadarpitha akhila aachaaratha tadvismarane parama vyaakulathaa cha

Word meaning
Tu – But (Bhakthi is)
Naradah – as per Narada
Tadarpitha akhila aachaarathaa – offering all activities unto the Lord
Cha – and
Tadvismarane parama vyaakulathaa – having vyaakula bhaava (attitude like that of a fish on land) when the Lord is forgotten

Sutra meaning
Bhakthi as per Narada is offering all activities unto the Lord and having vyaakula bhaava when the Lord is forgotten.

After giving the definitions of various bhakthi acharyas, here Narada gives his own definition of bhakthi. Here there can be a doubt as to that since it is mentioned that Narada considers Bhakthi as this, therefore this particular sutra literature is not that of Narada. But this doubt is not valid as in olden times, mentioning of themselves in third person was not uncommon. In many places, Sankara himself mentions his own view as “ours” or second person than the first person. Also here since the definitions of different acharyas are mentioned, therefore instead of “my definition”, Narada’s definition is mentioned. This is further strengthened by a sutra which comes in the 4th chapter where the same words of “tad arpitha akhila achaaraah” are present. Not to mention the last sutra where it is mentioned that “thus has been propounded bhakthi by sage Narada”. Thus it is beyond doubt proved that this sutra literature is that of Narada alone.

Narada’s definition of bhakthi is the best definition that can be given about bhakthi. This doesn’t mean that other definitions are wrong or invalid – as mentioned earlier, all the definitions are kind of progressive and at different levels. Here Narada’s definition is that of a para bhaktha or a pure devotee of the Lord who is almost on the verge of atma nivedanam or merging unto the Lord.

Narada’s definition of bhakthi has two aspects to it – as we have already discussed that anything has two aspects to it – one being following the necessary or supportive means & the other being staying away from those which obstruct the path.

Bhakthi or devotion is having ultimate devotion to the Lord. This thus has two aspects – one being constant remembrance of the Lord through offering of all activities to the Lord & the other being restraining from forgetfulness of the Lord. These two aspects is what Narada has mentioned in this sutra.

As Lord has mentioned in many places in Gita that a devotee should offer everything unto the Lord, Narada’s definition is but apt and as per the scriptures. The Lord’s final instruction in Gita is “sarva dharmaan parityajya maam ekam sharanam vraja” – renounce everything and take resort unto me alone. It is the same import which Narada is mentioning in this sutra.

1. Offering all actions unto the Lord – offering all activities unto the Lord is the easiest way to remember the Lord amidst our tight and busy schedules. It is not that easy to always remember the Lord directly if not for the indirect ways of offering all activities, remembering the Lord as the substratum of the illusory world, as the creator-protector-destroyer etc. As the Lord himself proclaims in the Gita that a person cannot live in the world without doing any activities. Actions will go whether a person likes them or not. We don’t have control over actions but only over the attitude with which the action is performed. The jnaana way of attitude is knowing oneself as the mere witness to all activities & the ego as the doer of all activities. This is not that easy as most of the time we will be associated with the ego. Thus the bhakthi way of offering all activities unto the Lord is easier and does lead us to the same state of witness-hood alone. When a devotee offers all actions unto the Lord, the devotee ceases to the doer of Ego. When the devotee ceases to the doer, he becomes a mere witness to all activities. This witness is none other than the Self or the ultimate reality of Lord alone. Thus the bhakthi way of offering all actions unto the lord also is the same as jnaana path but easier for initial seekers. Thus real devotion is that in which a devotee offers all actions unto the Lord whether it is daily activities like brushing, bathing etc. or other activities like working, learning etc. A devotee shouldn’t differentiate between good and bad activities – all activities irrespective of the activity should be offered unto the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus a person who smokes should as well offer the activity of smoking unto the Lord – through this the Lord himself get the devotee rid of the activity of smoking (addiction). We shouldn’t as well differentiate between drinking, sexual activity etc. Whatever be the activity, we have to constantly offer all the activities unto the Lord.

2. Vyaakula bhaava when the Lord is forgotten - There could be a chance that we may forget the Lord at times because of our nature of getting identified with the Ego. Thus Narada mentions that in such a case, when the Lord is forgotten (forgetfulness of the Lord obstructs the spiritual path and progress) the devotee should have vyaakula bhaava. Vyaakulathaa is the attitude that a fish has when it is in land – it is the state of helplessness and as if we are about to die. Such an attitude is essential because in such a case, we will remember the Lord the next moment itself & will try to avoid forgetting the Lord in the future. Once a person struggles in water (as he doesn’t know swimming), the next time he makes sure that he doesn’t fall into water. Sri Ramakrishna used to tell that the Lord can be realized by a devotee if there is such strong desire for the lord even as a person who is immersed in water & unable to breath has towards living (or escaping from the water).

These two aspects very clearly bring out the definition of a pure devotee towards which we all as devotees of the ultimate reality of Lord have to strive and work.

We will see all the definitions viewed together in the next day after which we will see Narada substantiating his definition of bhakthi through logic and examples.

Definition of bhakthi by Shaandilya

Sutra 20 –
Asthi evam evam

Word meaning
Asthi – it is
Evam evam – as explained earlier only

Sutra meaning
Bhakthi is devotion as defined by Narada (it is the proper definition only).

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 17 and 18

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Definition of bhakthi by Garga

Sutra 17 –
Kathaadishu ithi gargah

Word meaning
Kathaadishu (anuraaga) – attachment towards stories etc. of the Lord
Ithi gargah – (is bhakthi), thus says Garga.

Sutra meaning
Bhakthi is attachment towards hearing of stories etc. of the Lord, thus says Garga.

Here instead of activities by the body and words, activity related to the mind is being mentioned. Garga is of the opinion that bhakthi is listening to the glories of the Lord through stories etc. A person is able to appreciate the glory of the all-pervasive Lord only when he hears about the glories of the Lord. When a person hears the greatness of a particular saint, he gets attracted towards the saint. If the saint is a realized saint capable of imparting knowledge essential for liberation, then this attraction turns to strong attachment in the form of guru-shishya bhava. Similarly attraction towards the ultimate reality of Lord is possible only if we come to know the glories of the Lord.

The glory of the Lord has been explained in depth in the vibhoothi yoga of Bhagavad Gita as well as in various scriptures. But as we all know, it is very tough indeed to get access to the scriptures. Even if we get the original texts as well as translations, it is tough indeed to interpret the scriptures in the right way. If scriptures are interpreted and understood in the wrong way, then it will not only obstruct the spiritual path but will lead the seeker in the entirely wrong direction. Scriptural interpretation is possible only through the guidance of the Guru who helps the disciple in interpreting the scriptures in the right way through proper logic. But as most of us are unaware of the language of the scriptures (Sanskrit) as well as have not dedicated ourselves to the learning of the scriptures under a Guru in the traditional way, thus scriptural access is almost ruled out.

Even in older times, there would have been people who didn’t have access to the scriptures. Various dharma sutras mention about the limitation as to who can learn the scriptures and who cannot – it seems that there were notions that women should learn as well as the shudras. Thus for people who don’t have access to the scriptures, they cannot develop attachment towards the Lord for they don’t know the nature and glory of the Lord.

The nature & glories of the Lord was thus put forth in the various puranic stories by none other than Veda Vyaasa himself. There are no limitations as to listening of the stories of the Lord in the puranas. Anyone can hear the stories of the puranas. Since puranic stories are quite attractive, appealing and easy to understand-remember, thus these reach more people than the scriptures themselves.

Thus through hearing of the stories of the Lord wherein his nature as the substratum of the world, all-pervading consciousness etc. the devotee develops a strong attachment to such a powerful and all-knowing Lord. For a devotee it is not just the powerful and all-knowing nature of the Lord that attracts but the eternal nature of the Lord & the Lord’s dedication of saving his devotees from the ocean of samsaara. Thus people who hear the glories of the Lord get to know about the Lord through stories, get attracted to the Lord & thereby cultivate pure devotion or para bhakthi towards the ultimate reality of Lord.

Thus bhakthi or devotion (apara bhakthi or means) also includes attachment to listening to the stories of the Lord (other than doing activities like worship etc. which we saw yesterday). We see in the bhagavatham itself that wherever bhagavatha parayana happens, there vyaasa, shuka among other sages will be present to hear the glories of the Lord. The Lord as he is infinite is filled with infinite glories. Even though glories are illusory at the ultimate level (once the devotee has merged in the Lord), but still they are valid at the empirical level and helps as a means to attain atma nivedanam.

As Madhvacharya mentions in Tattvaviveka
Tatho anantha guno harih

Hari or the ultimate reality of Lord is filled with infinite qualities (or glories).

The last definition of vyasa was with respect to bodily and word activities whereas here it is more to do with mental activity. We will see the definition of shandilya in the next day.

Definition of bhakthi by Shaandilya

Sutra 18 –
Atma rathi avirodhena ithi shaandilyah

Word meaning
Anuraagah – attachment to God
Atma rathi avirodhena – that is not against the attachment to the Self (enjoyment or immersed in the Self)
(is bhakthi)
Ithi shaandilyah – thus says Shaandilya

Sutra meaning
Bhakthi is attachment to God which is not against the enjoyment or being immersed in the Self – thus says Shaandilya

Atma Rati means enjoyment in the Self or being immersed in the Self. Bhakthi when we see a little beyond activities of the body, words and mind will lead us to that devotion which is associated with the attachment to the Self. This definition indirectly points to the oneness of the devotee and the Lord. As Yajnavalkya says in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad to Maitreyi that everything is loved for the sake of the Self, the Lord also is loved only for the sake of peace and happiness of the Self. Without desiring peace of one’s own Self, there cannot be any devotion. Thus real devotion is when through devotion of the Lord peace of the Self is maintained. Peace of oneself is possible only when there is deep attachment in the Self which leads to constantly being immersed in the Self. Devotion of Lord is not possible unless there is devotion or attachment to the Self. It is because of this reason that we cannot have pure devotion towards the Lord if the body is under trouble – for an initial devotee it is very tough to contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord if there are physical troubles and pains. It is only due to constant practice that this is overcome through the knowledge that I am not the body but the Self. As is the case with the body, similarly there cannot be pure devotion of the Lord if there is no attachment to the Self. Whatever be achieved or realized, there can never be lack of one’s own Consciousness as without this, nothing exists. Thus pure devotion is when the devotee remembers his own very Self as the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus he develops devotion towards the Lord as the inner Self or antaryamin of each and every being which includes himself.

Thus Shaandilya defines bhakthi as attachment to the Lord which is not against attachment to one’s own Self. This avirodha or non-contradiction is possible only if the Lord is the same as the Self – if not, there would be more love towards either the Self (as is the case of a selfish ignorant person) or the Lord (as is the case of devout Vaishnavas). Thus shandilya indirectly points out that devotion of the Lord is not against but the same as devotion of the Self as the Consciousness in all beings is none other than the Lord alone.

Lord mentions this that he resides in the heart of all beings in many places in Gita thus:

Ishwarah sarvabhootaanam hridheshe arjuna thistathi
O Arjuna! The Lord resides in the heart of all beings.

The heart refers to that location from where the thought of EGO arises. This heart is thus the place of the Self from which Ego gets born (individualistic thought of “I” arises). Thus the Lord is the same as the Self as both are present in the heart alone.

Devotion to the Lord is performance of those activities which are not against attachment of the Self – meaning that those activities which are not against forgetfulness or putting down one’s own Self. Thus through this, the Vaishnava devotions are kind of criticized because there oneself is forgotten for the sake of the Lord. As long as a devotee totally merges into the Lord, such a forgetfulness is accepted as pure devotion seen in atma nivedanam. But that forgetfulness of oneself as limited whereas considering the Lord as unlimited thereby degrading oneself and upgrading the Lord is being indirectly criticized by shaandilya in this particular sutra.

Thus real bhakthi is not against atma rathi or attachment to the Self. After mentioning the various definitions of bhakthi and its means by various acharyas, Narada finally gives his own definition of bhakthi thereby supporting it with valid example and logic as well in the coming sutras. We will learn Narada’s definition in the next day.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 15 and 16

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Sutra 15 –
Tallakshanaani vaachyanthe nana matha bhedhaat

Word meaning
Tallakshanaani – its characteristics (definitions)
Vaachyanthe – (saints) speak
Nana matha bhedhaat – in different ways (different views).

Sutra meaning
The characteristics of Bhakthi are explained in different ways by different bhakthi acharyas.

Narada here mentions that bhakthi is explained in different ways by different acharyas. Different ways of explaining is a particularity of the ultimate reality of Lord as propounded in the Upanishads. As chinmaya beautifully puts it, Vedanta is a subjective science. Thus there can be different varied views about the ultimate reality of lord or devotion or knowledge. This is because when we see the reality, it is a perspective view rather than the normal view. The reality when grasped through the mind is seen in different ways. This is quite popular in Jain theory of the reality being multi-faceted. The famous example of blind people trying to find out how an elephant will be can be quoted here.

Few blind people heard that there was some elephant in their place. They hadn’t seen an elephant before & hence they went to see the elephant. One person touched the tail of the elephant & proclaimed that an elephant is hairy. Another person touched the legs & said that the elephant is something which is hard. Yet another person touched the horn and said that it is smooth but sharp. All of these people were right, no one was wrong but still the views were not complete.

Similarly the ultimate reality of Lord has been explained in different ways in the scriptures. The famous rig veda hymn propounds that “one reality is being explained in different ways by saints”. That the reality even though is of the very nature of Existence, consciousness and bliss absolute but has been explained in different ways is testimony to the upanishadic statements that the reality is beyond words and thought. The moment we try to point out the reality, we fall short of words. This is also due to the truth that the reality is the subject and can never be objectified; also cause the reality is without any attributes. But still explanations are required for people to understand about the reality. Thus the different ways of proclaiming about the one non-dual reality.

Similarly, devotion as well has been explained in different ways by different acharyas. Here explanation is not the definition as to the nature of devotion but as to the path or means to devotion. As the famous statement that “all roads lead to rome”, there are many ways in which devotion can be cultivated in order to realize the ultimate reality of Lord – the nava vidha bhakthi propounded by Prahlaada is a testimony to this.

Even though Narada mentions in this sutra that bhakthi and its characteristics are explained by different acharyas in different ways, this doesn’t signify that each of the views are contradictory even as there are different sub systems of Vedanta each contradicting the other. Narada only means that different saints have explained different aspects of devotion. It is only when we imbibe and put all those explanations in a single place that devotion becomes fully defined & fruitful for a devotee towards atma nivedanam.

Thus Narada here doesn’t say that different acharyas fight with each other about devotion but only that they explain different facets of bhakthi. This is clearly understood by Narada himself explaining at the end of bhakthi sutras that all acharyas speak about bhakthi in the same sense & word.

As to the various definitions of bhakthi, we will take it up one by one in the coming days.

Definition of bhakthi by Paaraasharyah (son of paraashara – vyaasa)

Sutra 16 –
poojadishu anuraagah ithi paaraasharyah

Word meaning
Poojadishu anuraagah – attachment to pooja and other ritualistic activities (is bhakthi)
Ithi paarasharyah – thus says Parashaara (Veda Vyaasa).

Sutra meaning
Bhakthi is defined by Vyaasa as attachment to pooja and other vedic activities.

Paarasharyah is the son of Paraashara or Veda Vyaasa. Narada gives the definition of Veda Vyaasa as the first definition of bhakthi or devotion. This definition is with respect to vedic rituals or rituals propounded in the Vedas for the spiritual path.

It is important to note here that vedic activities doesn’t mean the vidhis or injunctions of the Vedas like sandhya, agnihotra etc. Pooja and other vedic activities which help in the spiritual path by constant remembrance of the Lord are the actions that are indicated over here. This is made clear by the word “anuraaga” or attachment.

Vedas are broadly split into three parts or khandas. The three khandas are karma khanda, upasana khanda and jnaana khanda respectively. Karma khanda portion includes various rituals for attaining specific fruits like svarga or heaven etc. This portion consists of rituals which are done expecting certain fruits as well as with the attitude of doer-ship. Upasana Khanda is the portion wherein different types of meditation and contemplation methods have been put forth in order to help the seeker gain mental control through which the seeker will be able to realize the ultimate reality of Lord (through jnaana or knowledge). The last and final portion of the Vedas is the jnaana khanda wherein the knowledge of the ultimate reality of Lord is propounded & the means of sravana-manana-nidhidhyasana to realize the ultimate reality of Lord.

This particular definition of bhakthi (as strong attachment to activities like worship etc.) doesn’t include the karma khanda rituals but includes the upasana khanda activities. The most common of all activities which lead to purification of the mind as well as contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord is pooja or worship of the Lord. Other activities include chantings, singing bhajans etc.

The word of “anuraaga” or “strong attachment” is very important in this definition. A person does the action that he likes the most. There can be attachment to any action only when there is strong desire for the fruit that is achieved through performance of the particular action. A person would have the strong desire to learn music only when he has the strong desire to become a musician. Thus the desire to become a musician is what drives the action of learning music. The strong desire to learn music is anuraaga. Anuraaga is not mere desire but strong attachment like the attachment a lover has towards his love, a wife has towards the husband and a mother has towards her child.

Extending anuraaga to spiritual activities, there can be strong desire for performance of ritualistic activities like pooja, archana etc. only if the fruit of pure devotion towards the ultimate reality of Lord is desired. Thus there should be strong desire to gain pure devotion about the ultimate reality of Lord. As the person who has the strong desire to become a musician gets a strong attachment towards the act of learning music, similarly the devotee who has the strong desire to gain pure devotion towards the ultimate reality of Lord will have the strong desire towards the various activities of pooja etc. which aid him in getting the fruit of pure devotion.

We have learnt and know that there are three types of actions depending on the level at which they are performed which are kaayika (performed by the body), vaachika (through words) and maanasika (mental activities like dhyaana etc.).

This has been propounded by Ramana Maharshi in Upadesa Saram thus:

Kaaya vaak manah kaaryam uttamam
Poojanam japah chinthanam kramaath

Work done through body, words and mind are superior to one another – the respective activities are pooja (worship), japa (chanting) and chintanam (dhyaana or meditation).

Thus here Narada mentions the definition of bhakthi by Veda Vyasa which includes kaayika and vaachika actions (actions performed through the body and words). These activities lead to purification of the mind as well as aid in constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord. This in turn leads the devotee to jnaana (knowledge) or para bhakthi (supreme devotion) which is knowing the Lord as the one and only entity existing.

Ramana Maharshi thus says about karmas in Upadesa Saram:

Ishwara arpitham na icchayaa kritham
Chitta shodhakam mukthi saadhakam

Work done as an offering to the Lord and without expecting any fruits helps in the purification of mind and thereby leads to mukthi or liberation.

We will see the definition of bhakthi as per garga in the next day.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 13 and 14

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Sutra 13 –
anyathaa paathithya shankaa

Word meaning
Anyathaa – if not (if scriptural injunctions are not followed)
Paathithya shankaa – there is a chance of falling down (from the spiritual path)

Sutra meaning
If scriptural injunctions are not followed, then there is a chance of falling down from the spiritual path.

The above two sutras can be interpreted in two ways. We can see “shaastra rakshanam” as meaning following of scriptural injunctions or the various nitya-naimittika karmas put forth by the scriptures. Or we can as well see “shastra rakshanam” as performance of the scriptural path of “sravana-manana-nidhidhyaasana” in addition of constant contemplation of the Lord (which in a way is nidhidhyaasana). Let us see these both cases one by one.

SCRIPTURAL INJUNCTIONS

As we all would already know, there are mainly four types of karmas. These are nitya, naimittika, kaamya and praayaschitta. Nitya karmas are regular activities to be done on a regular basis – these include the sandhya vandanam, agnihotra etc. Naimittika karmas are those which are done on special occasions like birth of a child etc. Kaamya karmas are actions done desiring some fruits. Prayaschitta karma is done to get rid of some sin accrued.

Scriptures proclaim that not doing nitya-naimittika karma as well doing of prathishiddha karma or prohibited actions (like drinking, adultery etc.) will cause sin. These sins will become obstacles in the spiritual path for the seeker. When there are obstacles, it is tough to follow the spiritual path. These obstacles are like body-pains, moments of sorrow due to relatives/friends dying etc.

So long as there are obstacles, it is tough to progress in the spiritual path unless the seeker is well advanced and knows the scriptures so that he knows himself to be not the kartha-ahamkaara but the sakshi-kutastha-atma. Since Narada is speaking about apara bhakthi here, such bhakthas are not versed in the scriptures and not into the jnaana marga. Thus it becomes tough for them to progress in the spiritual path. Thus it is essential that scriptural injunctions (which is two-fold of doing nitya-naimittika karma & refraining from restrained actions) are followed by a seeker so that there is no obstacles in the spiritual path. When obstacles are created, the seeker falls down from the spiritual path as his concentration goes towards worldly things instead of the Lord. For example, if a person has bodily pains then he will be concentrating more on the body than on the Lord.

The above is a general explanation of the sutra with respect to scriptural actions as such. We can and should rather see this explanation from the jnaana perspective than karma perspective. SHAASTRA RAKSHANAM means protection of the shastras – the protection of shastras is through following of the path propounded in the scriptures – the path that scripture propounds is that of sravana-manana-nidhidhyaasana (listening-reflecting-contemplating). When a seeker follows the bhakthi marga, he contemplates on the Lord. Mere contemplation on the Lord is not enough as we find even the dvaitins and vishista advaitins among many others contemplating on the Lord. It is essential to understand the nature of the Lord who is being contemplated. If this nature is found as someone different from oneself, then there cannot be eternal bliss or moksha because bhedha still exists. Contemplation or bhakthi is nidhidhyaasana but without sravana and manana which means that the Lord is contemplated but the real nature of the Lord is not known or understood. Thus such a seeker is sure to fall down because he doesn’t know the Lord who is being contemplated. If a person contemplates on the Lord as sitting in heaven and bestowing blessings on his devotees alone, such a person cannot progress because he imagines a Lord in the wrong way. It is against the samatva bhaava which is mentioned by the Lord in Gita in many places as well as the various Upanishads also.

Thus Narada says that scriptural injunctions or sravana-manana-nidhidhyaasana has to be followed along with bhakthi or contemplation of the Lord (which Narada has been explaining in the last few sutras as nirodha etc.) else there is chance of falling down from the spiritual path as the seeker is led in the completely wrong direction.

This interpretation as per jnaana marga is proper and better than the karma marga explanation which is generally explained by many people. Since the word used is shaastra rakshanam or protection of scriptures, it is proper to see this as jnaana marga alone because the shaastras are protected by jnaana marga alone through realization of the vishaya of Lord of the scriptures.

Thus Narada here adds the clause of following sravana-manana-nidhidhyaasana process along with bhakthi towards the Lord.

What is sravana-manana-nidhidhyaasana????
This is knowing that the Lord alone exists as the adviteeya vasthu amidst the illusory world. Whatever is seen as the dual world is only an illusion in the Lord. This is knowing that the Lord alone exists here and thereby seeing the Lord as pervading all illusory things.

Narada winds up this topic of explaining bhakthi and the way to bhakthi in the next sutra & thereby enters into how bhakthi is defined by various bhakthi acharyas. We will see that in the coming days.


Sutra 14 –
loko api taavadeva bhojanaadi vyaapaarasthu aashareera dhaaranaavadhi

Word meaning
Lokah api – worldly activities also
Taavad eva – like that only (to be performed to the extent that they don’t become obstacle to the spiritual path)

Bhojanaadi vyaapaarah tu – but the normal activities like eating, sleeping etc.
Aashareera dhaaranaavadhi – will be done as long as the body is there.

Sutra meaning
All worldly activities are to be performed as long as they don’t pose obstacles in the spiritual path (and are not opposed to the Lord) but normal activities like eating, sleeping etc. will be continued as long as the body is there (as long as a person is embodied).

Narada mentioned that all activities are to be renounced whether they are worldly or religious first & then explained that this renunciation is performance of the activity as an offering to the Lord so that activities don’t obstruct the spiritual path. After Narada mentioned about worldly activities, now we can ask the question as to what about normal, daily activities like eating, drinking etc. Anticipating this question, Narada is answering the same here.

That worldly activities are to be performed as an offering to the Lord and so long as they don’t become obstacles in the spiritual path has been explained earlier itself. But the daily activities like eating etc. will be continued so long as the body is there. This means that even though a person might have renounced all activities by offering it to the Lord or by sanyaasa but still daily activities will continue as they are of the body alone. So long as the seeker associates himself with the body, there will be the identification and superimposition of the Self as the doer of all activities & all activities of the body as one’s activities. But once the devotee realizes himself as the Self distinct from the body, there will be no identification with the activities of the body. The activities of the body go on until the body dies off. This is where we can say the differentiation between jeevan mukthi and videha mukthi comes – jeevan muktha is a person for whom the body is still there but he doesn’t identify himself with the body. Videha muktha is a person whose body completely falls off and he becomes one with the ultimate reality of Brahman. This distinction of jeevan mukthi and videha mukthi is only for explanation to the ignorant seeker. For a person who knows that the body is temporarily seen even as water is seen in desert, there is no body at all to vanish. Thus in reality there is neither jeevan mukthi nor videha mukthi but there exists only the nitya muktha atma (ever liberated Self).

What Narada is mentioning here is that even for saints or people who have realized, the activities of the body will go on when an ignorant person views the saints and his activities. This only means that basic needs of the body have to be supplied for the body else the body itself will become an obstacle for spiritual progress. Hence a seeker should not discard the body until he becomes a complete witness of all the activities of the body.

Ramana Maharshi has mentioned in many places in his works that a seeker should not discard the body and should satisfy the basic needs of the body. Narada after this sutra enters into the definition of Bhakthi by various bhakthi acharyas. We will see those from the next day.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 11 and 12

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Sutra 11 –
loka vedeshu tad anukoola aacharanam tadvirodhishu udaaseenatha

Word meaning
Tadvirodhishu udaseenathaa – Being indifferent to things against the Lord (is)
Aacharanam – doing activities
Loka vedeshu – both worldly and vaidik
Tad anukoola – with respect to the Lord.

Sutra meaning
“Being indifferent to things against the Lord” is doing all activities both worldly and vaidik with respect to the Lord.

Narada is here explaining the indifference to activities opposing the Lord quite clearly beyond any doubt or contradiction.

As explained earlier, Vedanta never stresses a person to renounce actions. Sankara does mention about two paths of Nivritti (renunciation) and Pravritti (activity) in his introduction to the Gita bhashya as well as in the Isha bhashya but it has been clearly mentioned in Atma Rahasyam (English commentary on the Ishavasya Upanishad) that pravritti and nivritti are not external – they are more to do with attitude than with the actions as such. Vedanta does speak about renunciation of all actions but this renunciation is not the mere external sanyaas that we know currently.

It cannot be that the sanyaasa which Sankara among other early Vedanta acharyas spoke the sanyaasa that we see today wherein people take resort to renunciation but just indulge in criticism of all philosophies except theirs. Thus we find the madhva mathas fighting against advaita and vishista advaita whereas the vishista advaitins fighting against advaita and dvaita. This fight goes to such an extent that instead of seeking the Ishwara who is almost same to all the three philosophies, great acharyas of even udipi, uttaradi mutt indulge in challenging advaita scholars. It is but the height that even at the old age of 90s, a learned scholar like B N K Sharma indulges in thorough criticism of advaita. And when it is seen that dvaita doesn’t get the publicity (this is the exact word to used as seen from the emotional outbursts of BNKS on advaita being accepted in many universities contrary to dvaita), all sorts of resorts are taken. It should be questioned to BNKS among other “scholarly” pundits who know nothing but to indulge in vaada-vivaada as to whether their respective acharyas (who propagated the system) did just speak about indulging in debates. This is not limited to dvaita scholars but learned scholars of advaita also even among various saints in the various traditional sankara mutts as well.

No criticism of any of the mutts or acharyas including the Sringeri and Kanchi mutt is meant here but these are few words to show the sad state of the world wherein instead of contemplating on the ultimate reality of Lord whether he is savishesha or nirvishesha, all other things which are prohibited in the scriptures are resorted to.

Mundaka Upanishad clearly speaks about a learned person not indulging in vaadas except for the sake of knowledge which is only between a guru and a shishya. We find all these open emotional outbursts and challenges only in the recent times. If we trace back to the time of Vidyaranya when Jaya Teertha was present as well as akshobhya teertha of Madhva philosophy as well as Vedanta desika of Vishista advaita, we find all of them teaching the respective philosophies in a calm way. Even though there are tradition about debates among them, they never indulged in emotional outbursts and open attack on other systems.

Alam athivishtharena – enough of this “non-useful” lecturing.

What is meant above is that the moment a person forgets the ultimate reality of Lord, he enters into all these controversies. He is but a fool who doesn’t spend time contemplating on the ultimate reality of Lord instead of entering into all these other resorts. Thus Narada anticipating all these says that indifference means not renunciation of actions but doing all actions remembering the ultimate reality of Lord.

Whether the action is worldly or vadik, a devotee should always offer it to the ultimate reality of Lord. This is real renunciation than the external renunciation which leads only to egoistic approach and intellectual indulgence in philosophical attacks. What Narada mentions as doing all activities with respect to the Lord is offering all actions unto the Lord thereby doing nishkaama karma or karma without desiring any fruit thereof.

As there has been enough “lecturing” today, will stop with explanation of this sutra (as the meaning has been quite brought out in previous sutra explanations). We will continue with the next sutra in the next day.

Sutra 12 –
bhavathu nishchayadaardhyaadoordhvam shaastra rakshanam

Word meaning
Bhavathu - yet
Nischayadaadhyaad oordhvam – even after determination about the Lord has happened
Shaastra rakshanam – the scriptures have to be protected (through performance of scriptural injunctions).

Sutra meaning
Even after determination about the Lord or pure devotion has been developed, the scriptures have to be protected (through performance of scriptural injunctions).

Why scriptural injunctions have to be followed????

continued in next sutra..

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM
Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 9 and 10

Prostrations to all.

Sutra 9 –
Tasmin ananyathaa tadvirodhishu udaaseenathaa cha

Word meaning
(Nirodha is also)
Tasmin ananyathaa – having ananya bhaava in the Lord
Cha – and
Tad virodhishu udaaseenathaa – being indifferent (not doing) to things that are opposing to the Lord.

Sutra meaning
Nirodha is also having ananya bhaava in the Lord & being indifferent to things or actions that are opposing to the Lord.

We have previously learnt that spiritual path has two aspects to it – one being following that which is conducive to the path & second being not performing those activities which obstruct the spiritual path (these are termed as anukoola sevanam and prathikoola varjanam respectively). It is this same thing that Narada mentions as the nature of renunciation.

If the seeker asks the doubt that a devotee has to do activities in the world (which is inevitable as the Lord says in the karma yoga of Gita) and hence all actions cannot be renounced, Narada answers by telling that a devotee does only those actions which lead to more and more contemplation of the Lord. Those activities which obstruct the spiritual path by making the devotee forget the Lord is renounced.

Here if we see clearly, Narada doesn’t mention a devotee to attack actions which oppose contemplation of the Lord but only tells to be indifferent to those actions. We travel to office daily & witness many activities in the world even death. But we are totally indifferent to them because it doesn’t affect any of our kin and kith. Similarly those activities which oppose the spiritual path should be treated in the same way. Thus a devotee doesn’t do those activities which oppose the spiritual path & he just ignores the activities by being a mere witness to those activities & unattached to them. This attitude of indifference is important because only in this we become totally detached from the activity. The moment we term an activity as “bad”, we are getting attached to the activity and creating an emotion of aversion towards that activity. This is as good as getting attachment to the activity. Bhakthi is that in which the Lord alone gets primary importance. In order for a seeker to constantly seek the ultimate reality of Lord, all other activities whether they are good or bad have to be seen with the attitude of indifference.

It is not merely enough to see actions with the attitude of indifference – in which case, a devotee will not do any activity & thus remain like a insentient rock. Instead a devotee should perform those activities which lead him to the ultimate reality of Lord. These activities include bhajans, keerthans, naama sankirtan, chanting etc. Any activity which makes the devotee remember the Lord is an activity to be followed. Once the devotee starts doing such activities, his mind develops an ananya bhaava towards the Lord. Ananya means “without any other” – thus ananya bhava towards the Lord means nourishing those thoughts which lead to remembrance of the Lord.

The Lord says in Gita
Ananyaaschintayantho maam ye janaah paryupaasathe
Teshaam nitya abhiyukthaanaam yoga kshemam vahaami aham

Those devotees who worship me everywhere with ananya bhaava, I look after their good and bad as they are ever steadfast in me.

Thus it is this ananya bhajana which Narada mentions in this sutra. Thus renunciation is not complete renunciation of activities – instead it is renunciation of those activities which lead the devotee away from the Lord & having ananya bhaava on the Lord through performance of activities which help the devotee in remembering the Lord.

Any activity which doesn’t help in remembrance of the Lord is an activity to be renounced or seen with the attitude of indifference. Even the action of going to temple if it doesn’t make the devotee develop ananya bhajana of the Lord is an activity that has to be renounced. Going to temple doesn’t involve ananya bhajana when the devotee concentrates more on the people around or the condition around instead of the ultimate reality of Lord.

Narada himself will be explaining as to what is ananya bhajana and udaaseena bhava in the next couple of sutras. It is enough to remember here that ananya bhajana is performance of those activities which lead the seeker to constantly contemplate on the Lord whatever the action is. It is for this reason that Dharmavyaadha (the butcher in Mahabhaaratha) was considered a jnaani and bhaktha by the Lord. Udaaseena bhaava or attitude of indifference is to be developed towards all actions which don’t lead to contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord. There shouldn’t be any emotion of aversion towards such action as that will lead to attachment (in the form of aversion) to that action. Instead the devotee should see the action with a sense of indifference even as a person doesn’t mind as to what is happening to a person whom he doesn’t know in the world.

Thus anukoola sevanam of ananya bhajanam and prathikoola varjanam through udaseena bhava is essential for a devotee to progress in the spiritual path towards pure devotion. This is what is meant as renunciation or Nirodha or total renunciation of all activities. Thus the doubt which was raised as to how will the devotee remain in the world without doing any action (until he is not realized) is answered as all actions are not to be renounced but only those actions which lead the devotee away from the Lord have to been seen with an attitude of indifference.

We will see Narada’s definition of ananya bhajanam and udaseena bhava through the next two sutras in the coming day.

Sutra 10 –
Anya aasrayaanaam tyago tasmin ananyathaa

Word meaning
Tasmin ananyathaa – having ananya bhaava in the Lord (is)
Tyaagah – renunciation
Anya aasrayaanaam – of all other resorts (support).

Sutra meaning
Having ananya bhaava in the Lord is renunciation of all other supports (and seeking the Lord alone).

We saw previously that ananya bhajanam is thinking about the Lord alone. This has been explained by Narada in a quite different way by telling that ananya bhajanam is renunciation of all other support.

The word Ananya itself means “without any other”. Narada here emphasizes that pure devotion is that in which everything else is renounced for the sake of the Lord. It is this renunciation of everything that the Lord mentioned in the end of Gita as “sarva dharman parityajya”.

We have been speaking about ananya bhajanam for quite long & hence it doesn’t require any more explanation of the same. Instead of explaining the same theoretically, let us today try to see few stories from puranas and the lives of various saints as to this ananya bhajanam and why it is essential for a seeker.

We find in the Mahabharatha that when Draupadi was tormented in the kaurava sadas by dusshasana removing her saree, Draupadi called out the Lord but by holding one hand to the saree as she didn’t want the saree to fall off completely. But the Lord didn’t arrive. Thus draupadi stopped holding the saree & with both the hands called out the Lord & then came support from the Lord. Until we totally seek the Lord by completely surrendering to the Lord, the Lord will not come to protect us. When Rama goes to Krishna asking for help & while asking for help, his attention is totally into what he is asking but unto the TV which Krishna is watching – Krishna will not help Rama. It is the same case with the Lord as well. The Lord is much more possessive than any other worldly person. We find that the mother is so possessive about her child that she wants all of her attention as well as all the attention of the child towards her. It is the same case with the Lord.

This possessive nature of the Lord is not against the sakshi or witness bhava of the Lord. The Lord is ever the same but until there is total surrender which opens up the heart, there cannot be the feeling of the presence of the grace of the Lord. The Lord as he mentions in many places in Gita that “I reside in the heart of all beings”, is thus present as each and everyone’s very nature of Consciousness. But this Lord is veiled by the ignorance of the mind. Until there is not the opening of the heart, the Lord cannot be seen as he is hidden in the chamber of heart whose door is closed. Thus when it is mentioned that the Lord is possessive and he doesn’t help the devotee unless there is total surrender, the real meaning is that only through total surrender there can be opening of the heart through which alone the Lord can come out to help the devotee. It is mentioned thus in order to create the passion (not a right word thoughJ) in the minds of the devotee so that the devotee seeks the Lord with all his might.

Regarding the possessive nature of the Lord, AMMA mentions a beautiful episode in the life of Baala Krishna. Once Baala Krishna was hungry and his mother was breast-feeding him. At that time, Yashoda had kept some milk in the kitchen for boiling. Even though Krishna was very hungry, Yashoda wanted to make sure that the milk doesn’t get spilled in the kitchen. Thus leaving the hungry Krishna, she went to look after the milk in the kitchen. After milk was boiled, she came back to see Krishna. At that time she found that baala Krishna (the mischievous kid that he was & as he was very hungry) had spilled all the butter in the house!!! Trying to save a little amount of milk in the kitchen, Yashoda had lost all the butter in the house.

This is what we all try to do. Instead of seeking the all-possessive Lord, we go after worldly pleasures. What happens is that we not only are unable to retain the worldly pleasures, instead we lose everything as a result of forgetfulness of the Lord.

Thus what is required in the life of a devotee is seeking of the Lord after renunciation of all other supports. Whenever we require some help in life, we shouldn’t see the people in the world instead we should totally surrender & pray to the Lord. Along with the prayer to the Lord, we should try seeking help from worldly people (yes, the difference is that in this case there is surrender to the Lord which was lacking in the previous case). Thus renunciation of all other supports doesn’t mean that everything has to be renounced externally but it only means that the Lord has to be given prime importance – whenever there is some activity, we should always remember the Lord & offer the activity as an offering to the Lord.

Thus when we totally surrender to the Lord and thereby do worldly actions, we are in fact renouncing all supports except that of the Lord – for such a devotee, the Lord himself takes care of the activities and needs.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa proclaimed to Narendra whose family was suffering with poverty that you will get whatever bare necessity you need in life (you here means your family) as devi will take care of your needs.

But the interesting thing here is that a devotee doesn’t require anything apart from devotion to the ultimate reality of Lord. To that extent that most of the bhakthi literature speak about the bhaktha not even wanting moksha but wanting constant contemplation of the ultimate reality of Lord.

We will wind up this ananya bhajana sutra with a beautiful story mentioned by Ramana Maharshi. Once, Siva and Parvathi were playing in Kailas. At that time Siva said he had to go somewhere. Parvathi asked where you are going. Siva replied that a devotee was being attacked by some robbers in the forest & hence he had to save the devotee. Saying thus Siva started from Kailas. Within a minute, Siva was back. Parvathi asked as to why you are back so soon. Siva replied thus “I went to save the devotee but at that time found that the devotee used a stone and attacked the robbers – thus he didn’t require my help – so I came back”.

JThis is what happens when we try to take resort to worldly aids – the Lord cannot be realized if a person seeks worldly aids and doesn’t give importance to the Lord. In this case, the devotee was about to protect himself but how long can the devotee protect himself without the grace of the Lord? Only until death!! Death is inevitable until the devotee seeks the ultimate reality of Lord. When there is so vast experiences in the lives of saints like Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva among others as to how the Lord came to help these jeevan mukthas, it is wrong if we don’t show faith in the ultimate reality of Lord. Anything and everything in the world can be conquered or kept in control through worldly aids but the ocean of samsaara cannot be crossed over without the aid of the Lord.

Sankara thus says that:
Iha samsaare bahudhustaare kripayaa pare paahi muraare
This samsaara is very tough indeed to cross over & due to the grace of the Lord, it can be crossed over.

It is the same thing that the Lord mentions that
Maameva ye prapadhyanthe mayaam ethaam tharanthi te
He who takes refuge in me, he overcomes my delusive power of Maya (that which is tough indeed to cross over).

We have been reading about ananya bhajanam and how it helps a devotee through the lives of Sringeri saints by Neelakantan. The lives of those saints are testimony to this sutra that a real devotee will not take any other resort than the lord & such a devotee will be taken care of by the Lord himself.

We will continue with the next sutra in the next day.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God

Sutra 7 and 8

HARI AUM

Prostrations to all.

Sutra 7 –
saa na kaamayamaana nirodharoopatvaat

Word meaning
Saa – Bhakthi
Na kaamayamaana – doesn’t involve desire
Nirodharoopatvaat – as it is of the nature of renunciation.

Sutra meaning
Bhakthi or pure devotion doesn’t involve any desire in it as it is of the nature of renunciation.

There can be a doubt raised thus: even though bhakthi is attaining that after attaining which there remains no more desire but doesn’t bhakthi as well involve worldly desires in it? If it involves desire, then it cannot be pure. Bhakthi involves desire as there is the desire to realize or achieve the Lord.

Narada is answering this by saying that Bhakthi is of the nature of renouncing everything except the Lord & hence it doesn’t involve any desire at all whether it is material or spiritual. Narada will be explaining as to what is NIRODHA he is speaking about in the next few sutras.

Desires are there only when there is duality present. When the devotee has realized the ultimate reality of non-dual Lord, there is nothing apart from the Lord to either desire to be desired. When there is no duality whatsoever, there cannot be any desire at all. Narada already explained earlier that in pure devotion, there remains no desire whatsoever to be achieved or gratified. This also encompasses worldly desire as well as spiritual desire also.

Desires can be broadly classified as worldly and spiritual. Worldly desires are those which bind the seeker to the world whereas spiritual desires are those which help the seeker to get out of the ocean of samsaara. In the beautiful worlds of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, worldly desires are iron chains whereas spiritual desires are gold chains. As a thorn helps to remove another thorn, similarly spiritual desires help the seeker to get rid of worldly desires and helps in the progress of the seeker in the spiritual path.

Any desire which is for the sake of worldly pleasure in the form of physical, mental or intellectual is worldly desire. Desires create vasana or latent tendencies in the seeker. These tendencies are never ending & bind the seeker to again and again indulge in the same activity. The desire to eat good food causes a vasana of always eating good food. Thus whenever the seeker is hungry, he wants “good” food. The scriptures mention not to give emphasis to food – food is required just for the sustenance of the body. Food should be under the control of the seeker & not the seeker under the control of food. Vasana can be easily identified as that activity which binds the seeker or that activity under whose control the seeker is. Vasanas keep on increasing & they never end.

It can be doubted that cant a desire be destroyed by enjoying it. Manu beautifully answers this by telling that if a person thinks that he can destroy desires by enjoying them then it is like trying to extinguish fire by pouring ghee (fire will not extinguish but will burn even more).

Mundaka Upanishad speaks about this thus:
Kaamaan yah kaamayathe manyamaanah
Sa kaamabhir jaayathe tatra tatra
Paryaaptha kaamasya krithaathmanah tu
Ihaiva sarve pravileeyanthi kaamaah

A person who desires desire will be born again and again to gratify that desire whereas a person who is satisfied with all desires, ends them will overcome desires here itself.

Lord says thus as to what would happen for desirous people:

Kaankshantha karmanaam siddhir yajantha iha devathaah
Kshipram hi maanushe loke siddhirbhavathi karmajaa

He who desires something and does activity by worshipping appropriate devas, he will soon be born in the manushya loka to gratify the desire.

Thus as vidyaranya puts it in Panchadashi:

Kurvathe karma bhogaaya, karma karthum cha bhunjathe

A person does action to enjoy – he enjoys to do more action.

Thus desires-action continues again and again – they never end. They bind the seeker in the ocean of samsaara characterized by avidya-kaama-karma (ignorance-desire-action). So long as a person is in the samsaara, he will be suffering without any peace of mind or eternal bliss. It is easy to say that “I am enjoying now”, but we have to really ask whether we are really enjoying or not? Is the enjoyment that we have permanent or temporary? The enjoyment of worldly pleasures is like the enjoyment of the fish which have been caught in a net but are still in the dirt in the net thinking that “we are safe”.

Thus worldly desires have to be renounced either through the path of jnaana or through the path of bhakthi. The path of jnaana says that the seeker is the mere witness to all activities and thus cannot do any action or desire anything. The path of bhakthi is wherein the seeker surrenders completely to the Lord offering all actions to the Lord.

Spiritual desires are those desires which help in removing the vasanas as well as guiding the seeker further in the spiritual path. The foremost spiritual desire is the desire to get liberated (which is nothing but desire to merge unto the ultimate reality of Lord). If this desire is strong enough, then it itself removes all other desires and latent tendencies. Other subsidiary spiritual desires include the desire to do religious activities like going to temple etc., reading spiritual books, learning spiritual things, attending bhajans-discourses etc. All these subsidiary activities lead to constant remembrance of the Lord and surrender to the Lord. Thus any activity or desire which leads to remembrance of the Lord and surrender to the Lord is spiritual activity or desire. Remembrance of the Lord doesn’t mean simply remembering the Lord while seeing the idol and then cursing the person in front who is blocking the view of the idol. Remembrance means remembering the Lord as the substratum of the entire world, the all-pervading Lord as the essence of all beings.

Thus worldly desires are to be renounced by a seeker & spiritual desires should be cultivated in place of worldly desires. The spiritual desires will lead the seeker to the Lord and thereby all desires will end up. The third chapter of Bhakthi Sutras speaks about the various sadhanas or activities which help in attaining pure devotion.

Since pure devotion involves renouncing everything, thereby there is no desire in it – it is that state wherein all desires vanish.

We will see as to what Narada speaks about renunciation in the next sutra the next day.

Sutra 8 –
Nirodhasthu lokaveda vyaapaara nyaasah

Word meaning
Nirodhah tu – Nirodha is indeed
Lokaveda vyaapaara nyaasah – renunciation of all worldly and vedic activities.

Sutra meaning
Nirodha (mentioned in the previous sutra that bhakthi is nirodharoopa) is indeed renunciation of all worldly and vedic activities.

In the previous sutra Narada mentioned that Bhakthi doesn’t have desire in it because it is of the nature of renunciation. Renunciation or nirodha is explained by Narada in this sutra as well as in the next three sutras.

When Narada mentioned renunciation, there can be a doubt as to whether this renunciation is of worldly activity alone or of vaidika activity as well. Narada answers this by telling that all actions have to be renounced. It doesn’t matter whether the activity is laukika or vaidika – all activity has to be ended.

As we have mentioned in many places in the forum, activity is caused only by desire for something. Thus wherever there is activity, there has to be desire. Activity cannot be propelled without desire. Thus if there are vaidika activities then there should be desire behind the activity. Since bhakthi or pure devotion to the Lord is total surrender, therefore there is no scope for desire in it. There cannot be any desire because of total surrender or total renunciation of all activities. Narada will be explaining later that all activities have to be surrendered or offered unto the Lord but there the bhakthi sadhanas are being spoken whereas here it is para bhakthi or pure devotion.

In pure devotion, there is no doer as everything is but a play of the Lord. The world is a lila of the Lord – this lila is not real but only empirically real and hence this doesn’t go against the jaganmithyatva of advaita.

Activities in general can be categorized as laukika and vaidika. Vaidika activities include the nitya-naimittika karmas. Nitya karmas are those which have to be performed regularly on a daily basis. This includes sandhya, agnihotra etc. Naimittika karmas are those karmas which are performed on specific occasions like the naama karana, marriage etc. All other activities which are not mentioned by the Vedas but are required to be done for sustenance in the world is laukika karmas. These in the current time would include working, looking after children-wife etc. These are not adjoined by the Vedas but are essential for living in the world.

Both vaidika and laukika karmas are propelled by desires. Laukika karmas are propelled by desire for money, fame, power etc. whereas the vaidika karmas are done desiring punya, svarga etc. The Vedas themselves speak about a person who does punya karma as to going to svarga and other higher lokas. The nitya-naimittika karmas are essential because if they are not done, then papa will be added. If a person accumulates papa, then punya gets reduced & thus he will go into the lower lokas wherein he will suffer and not enjoy as in the higher lokas. Vaidika karmas other than nitya-naimittiaka include the various yajnas like jyosthitoma etc. which are done to attain a specific loka.
Thus both vaidika and laukika karmas are done desiring something. Since Narada speaks about bhakthi as not having any desire, therefore bhakthi doesn’t involve any activity but involves renunciation of all activities. For the devotee who has attained that which is to be attained, there remains no action to be performed & hence he doesn’t desire anything.

Through this sutra, Narada makes it quite clear that for a real devotee there is no action to be performed in the world. Whatever actions he might be doing at the empirical world are not actions at all as they are devoid of any doer but the devotee does actions only as an instrument in the hand of the Lord. Analyzing this a bit deeper, there remains no doer or actions in that state wherein the devotee has merged into the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus there is no duality whatsoever but the Lord alone exists – therefore there is no question of any actions or activities performed.

We should remember that here Narada is speaking about pure devotion and not means of devotion. The way to reach this state wherein all activities are renounced is “offering all actions” unto the Lord. It is through this sadhana of offering all actions unto the Lord that the devotee attains this state where there is total renunciation of all actions. Even when a devotee is doing action as the sadhana to attain the ultimate reality of Lord, he does it without any doer-ship and expectation of fruits – thus there is no action or desire at all there. Thus in both the states of pure devotion & when devotion is a means, there is total renunciation of actions.

It is for this reason that the Lord mentions in many places in Gita that actions don’t matter but the attitude of surrender and offering to the lord is what matters.

Speaking about a devotee of the Lord, Gita mentions thus:
Ye tu sarvaani karmaani mayi sanyasya matparaah

He who offers all actions unto me and is ever fixed in me, he is my real devotee.

With this sutra which says that all actions are to be renounced, there can be a doubt that then how will the devotee who is trying to attain pure devotion act in the world (as the Lord himself says in gita that “even for a single second, a person cannot remain without doing actions”). This doubt is being anticipated by Narada & is answered in the next sutra (again explained in the couple of sutras following the next sutra). We will see Narada’s answer the next day.

Prostrations to all.

HARI AUM

Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God