Narad Bhakti Darshan - part 1 - Swami Shri Akhandanand Saraswati ji

0:01 The knowledge that one gains from Narada Ji is called 'Naar'. 'Nar' is also a symbolic representation of Narayana. So, the knowledge obtained from Nar-Narayana is called 'Naar'. And Narada Ji gives that knowledge; he bestows the gift of 'Naram Danad'. One who distributes that knowledge. The one who shares the knowledge imparted by Narayana is Narada. Another etymology of this was explained as follows.

0:50 Because I remember it from when I was studying. Narasya idam naaram nar, sambandh agyanam, do khandan tati iti Narada. The ignorance that resides in the human heart, That which removes that ignorance; the ignorance related to the human heart, He who shatters

1:36 that—meaning he who wipes away ignorance—is named Narada. 'Naar' means the Brahman, the Supreme Soul, the Lord himself, dwelling in the human heart, The Supreme Brahman in human form. 'Naar' means the Supreme Brahman in human form: the flute-player, the one dressed in yellow, the beautiful dark one, son of Nanda, The beloved of Radha, the Lord who wanders in Vrindavan, He who establishes Him in

2:23 the hearts of people is named Narada. It is said. At the beginning of the Kali Yuga, Narada Ji made a vow. " Tasvama sthapayami, gene, Jane nache naham hare daso, loke nava pravart." Before Bhakti, Narada Ji took this vow: "O Goddess Bhakti! If I cannot establish you in every home and in every heart, then I am no servant of the Lord." Meaning, it is Narada Ji’s

3:10 resolve that devotion to God should awaken in everyone's heart. Where did this resolve arise in Narada Ji’s mind? Its root lies in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Brahma Ji narrated the four-verse Bhagavatam to Narada Ji, and at the end, he said, "Narada, preach the Bhagavatam to all, but keep one resolve in your mind." What resolve? " Yatha harau bhagavati nrinaam bhakti

3:56 bhavishyati sarva atmana adhaare iti sankalp varnaya." Keep this resolve in your mind: that devotion to God should awaken in everyone's heart. So, Brahma Ji is also Narada's father. He is also his teacher and the one who instructed him in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Thus, following the command of his father, his guru, and the one who initiated him into the path of Bhagavatam, Narada Ji always keeps the resolve that devotion

4:42 to the Lord will arise in everyone's heart. Narada is mentioned in many places in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, and wherever he is described, it is said " Narada deva darshanat"—it is Narada's quality that whoever meets him is granted a vision of the Lord. Many of our friends who are engaged on the path of the Lord have advanced significantly on the path of devotion. By the grace of Narada Ji, they achieved great progress on the path of devotion, and

5:29 their minds moved much closer to God. Thus, among the preceptors of devotion, Narada Ji is a special acharya. Prahlad Narada Parashara Pundarika Vyasa Ambarisha, Shuka, Bhishma, Dalabhya, Rukmangada, Arjuna, Vashistha—I bow to these supreme devotees; these are considered the greatest of Bhagavat devotees. Among the 12 acharyas of

6:17 devotion, beginning with Svayambhu ( Brahma) at number one, Narada Ji Maharaja is the second acharya. These are the acharyas of devotion. All twelve are mentioned in the Bhagavata. The Pandit sitting there, please come here. Maharaj. Come here. Okay, now

7:08 look. In the Vedas, three Kandas ( sections) are recognized. One is Karma Kanda, one is Upasana Kanda, and one is Jnana Kanda. So, to deliberate upon these three Kandas, three types of philosophies are prevalent. For the deliberation of Karma, the Jaiminiya Mimamsa (Karma Mimamsa) is quite famous . It is the Adhvara Mimamsa. And there

7:54 is also a Karma Mimamsa by Bharadwaja, which is not very famous but provides a very scientific discourse on the science of action. And regarding the Jnana Kanda, our Vedanta philosophy and Siddhanta philosophy are both foundational philosophies. Vyasa's philosophy is mainly for defeating opponents through scriptural debate, and Siddhanta philosophy is primarily for instructing the process of Brahma-jnana. But as for the Upasana

8:42 Kanda, three philosophies are available today. One is Shandilya’s Shatasutri Bhakti Mimamsa philosophy. And one is of Angiras, Maharishi Angira, which is called Bhakti Mimamsa philosophy or Daivi Mimamsa philosophy. And the third is this Naradiya Bhakti Sutra; these three sutra texts regarding worship are available today. Among them, the

9:33 Shandilya Bhakti Sutra primarily indicates that the meaning of the Prasthanatrayi lies in devotion to God. This is what it tells us. And the Daivi Mimamsa philosophy, meaning the Madhyama Mimamsa, indicates that from the perspective of logic and science as well, devotion to God is mandatory. This Naradiya Bhakti Sutra has a very unique method. It is neither as difficult as the Shandilya Bhakti philosophy nor as logic-oriented as the Daivi Mimamsa philosophy. It is very

10:23 simple, sweet, and graceful; even an uneducated person reading its sutras can understand their meaning, and the feeling of devotion will awaken in their heart. So, this is a tiny little text of 84 sutras, just 84 sutras. And, not much is known about when it appeared or when it was created. Even

11:11 after searching, not much is found. But what has been said in this is very useful and beneficial for seekers. As the saying goes, wise men extract the essence from words. They do not get busy finding out who said this, who said that, who said it. If the matter is clearly understood, then what need is there for a mirror? Just see, it is

11:56 gold. If it is gold, then it is fine. Right? Now, which mine it came from and through which shops it reached your home, there is no need to trace that history. It is gold, isn't it? So, this is pure gold. And what is stated in it is very auspicious for us. Therefore, without much introduction, I will now explain the first sutra to you. The first sutra is the pledge sutra. In this, Devarshi Narada has pledged that

12:41 now we will explain devotion. Athato bhaktim vyakhyasyamah. Those who do not know Sanskrit pronunciation, please take a book in your hands. If you don't have a book, take one from here. Yes, there are many books here, about 500; so those who do not have a book, please take one. The first sutra is 'Athato bhakti vyakhyasyamah'. Now, it has one term 'Atha', second is 'Atah', and third is 'Vyakhyasyamah'. Let us look at the meaning of each word. Like the word 'Atha', the word 'Atha' has three

13:31 meanings. One, that the text is now beginning. The word 'Atha' signifies a beginning. The word 'Atha' is used at the start of something. Secondly, this word 'Atha' is auspicious. It is auspicious. When starting any work, if you say the word 'Atha', it becomes auspicious. Mangaladini mangala madhyani mangalani shastrani prathante. Maha. The commentator said that brother , when you start any text, the

14:19 tradition and etiquette is to have auspiciousness at the beginning, middle , and end; only then can you proceed. This is auspicious. Why is it auspicious? They say it is auspicious because it is a name of God. Among the many names of God, 'Om' and 'Atha' are both sacred names of God. Moreover, Bharatendu Harishchandra has explained these sutras. Bharatendu Harishchandra wrote this explanation of Narada Bhakti Sutra titled 'Tadiya Sarvasva'. The name of that commentary is Tadiya

15:04 Sarvasva. So, in every sutra, he adds ' Om' at the beginning, like 'Om Athato bhakti...', 'Om Tasmin parama prema rupa...', 'Om Amrita swarupa...', and has divided them into sections. First Anuvak, second Anuvak, third Anuvak; just as there are Anuvaks in the Vedas, he has kept Anuvaks in this as well. So the word 'Ath' is the name of God. Omkarashcha atha shabdashcha dvavetau

15:50 brahmanah pura. Mangalika. When Lord Brahma was born from Narayana, a lotus emerged from Narayana's navel, and Brahma was seated on that lotus. Because when Brahma appeared from the navel of Narayana, both mother and father were united in Narayana, isn't that so? So When we see pictures of Narayana, it seems as if he might be small, but actually, understand that this sky, the sky in which East, West,

16:36 North, South, Up, Down are all considered, the distinction of directions exists. So this sky, its name in Sanskrit is Nabhi, Nabh, right? And Nabh is indeed Nabhi. The navel in the form of Narayana is the Nabh, and this entire universe of fourteen worlds that emerges from it is the lotus. The fourteen-world universe is the lotus, and the consciousness embedded within its inner instrument is called Brahma;

17:23 sometimes a living being also becomes Brahma through the power of penance, and sometimes God himself incarnates in the form of Brahma. So, the Brahma worshipped in the nine formations is in the form of God, and sometimes, through the excellence of devotion, a living being also becomes Brahma. So when Brahma appeared, the first words that came from his mouth were, "Om Athah; Omkarashcha atha shabdashcha dvavetau brahmanah pura kanthatha"—these two

18:09 words came forth piercing Brahma's throat, "Tena mangalika vibhav." Now, therefore, the children of Brahma, whenever they do any work, or when they wake up in the morning and want to speak, should first say "Om Ath," meaning they should speak by uttering the name of God; this is very auspicious. Malviya Ji Maharaj used to say that when a child is born in the house, before the umbilical cord is cut , one should write 'Ram' on the child's tongue with honey. Implant such values,

18:59 implant such a name of God, such values , that even when the child grows up, he believes in God, believes in Dharma, and believes in the scriptures. Because the values instilled at the dawn of life, the way the values are set every morning, that is how the time passes. Sometimes when we wake up in the morning, if the verse "Sarva dharman parityajya mamekam sharanam vraja" comes to mind first, then it keeps being remembered throughout the day. Similarly, the values that are instilled at the very beginning of a child's life, The impressions that are

19:46 formed leave their impact. So, the childhood impression of Brahma Ji is the primary one, that he first uttered the name of the Lord. Then Brahma Ji had a son, Narada, and he had to create the Bhakti Sutras. So, at the beginning of the Bhakti Sutras, he used the word 'Atha'. The third meaning of the word ' Atha' is sequence or succession. Like in 'Athato Brahma Jijnasa', Lord Shankaracharya says that 'Atha' implies succession after acquiring the four qualifications of self-restraint and control. So, what should be the

20:34 sequence here? If one says that a person who has attained self-restraint and control becomes qualified for Vedanta inquiry or knowledge of Brahman . In the same way, one who is endowed with self-restraint and control is qualified for the philosophy of devotion. Then this is not correct. Because when devotion comes, the heart becomes purified. Don't think that we will practice devotion only after the heart is purified. If you sit waiting for that, devotion will never come. Devotion itself is the means for purifying the heart. Don't think that "

21:22 when I am capable of drinking milk, the mother will come and feed me." Don't think like that. Right? When our eyes are closed, we cannot move our hands, we cannot open our mouths. At that very moment, the mother picks us up in her lap, opens our mouth, and forces her breast into it, squeezing a little milk so the child tastes it and starts drinking. Similarly, at a time when a person is completely unqualified. Their lineage is not good. Their conduct is not good either. Their knowledge is not good either. Their conscience is not pure either. In that very state, Mother

22:09 Devotion slowly, slowly enters their life. And just as a mother comes and washes away the filth from her child's body. In the same way, Mother Devotion comes into the heart and washes away the impurities of the devotee's heart. She purifies it. She erases lust, anger , greed, and attachment from it. She instills the nature of God within. She unites one with God. Therefore, do not say that the attainment of self-restraint comes first and devotion later. Rather, when devotion is attained, all virtues will come into your life by themselves. All virtues

22:58 dwell in the heart of one who has selfless devotion to the Lord. In whose heart the selfless devotion to the Lord appears. All deities come and reside in their heart along with all virtues, so this sequence...So they say that Devarshi Narada first represented the subject of Dharma Shastra. The Naradiya Manusmriti is famous; there is Narada

23:44 Smriti and also Naradiya Manusmriti. Just as the Smriti famous today by the name of Manusmriti is actually the Bhargava Smriti. It means the sages, having received the teachings of dharma from Manu, composed the Manusmriti, and there is also a Naradiya Manusmriti and a Narada Smriti. So, Narada Ji authored the treatises on dharma. After that, the scripture on worship, the Narada Pancharatra, which emphasizes Kriya Yoga; thus, Narada Ji explained how to perform the rituals of dharma, and he

24:31 also taught how to worship the Lord. Now, they say that to define love-based devotion, which is independent of other means and takes the form of love, to define this love-form devotion—where there is no need for elaborate rituals or extensive Kriya Yoga, and where one attains liberation simply through emotion—the word 'Atha' means that after describing dharma and worship, now is the time to define devotion to

25:17 God, which connects one to the Divine through sentiment. That is why Devrishi Narada uses the word 'Atha' to define devotion only after having defined dharma and worship. This is why he uses the word 'Atha'. Now take the second word. The second word is 'Atah'. In the small book published by Gita Press, the Narada Bhakti Sutra, the meaning of the word 'Atah' has been omitted. In the larger book, the 'Prem Darshan', the meaning of the term 'Atah' is given in detail. But in the smaller book, in the

26:04 brief explanation provided, the meaning of the term 'Atah' was missed. So, the term 'Atah' also has two meanings. ' Atah' means 'because of the cause' and 'because of the purpose'. This cause and purpose, meaning the cause is here where we are. In the world. We are trapped in this world, and no one is without devotion, brother. Everyone has attachment somewhere or the other. Someone is devoted to their wife. Someone is devoted to their husband. Someone is devoted to wealth, someone

26:52 to family, someone is devoted to their village, someone to their nation, and some are devoted to their mother or father. Devotion always resides in the heart. Now observe, does one who is devoted to wealth have peace and happiness in their heart? Does one who is devoted to family, or devoted to the body, have peace and happiness in their heart? So the meaning of 'Atah' is that in this world, from the netherworlds up to Brahmaloka. Without devotion to God,

27:39 true happiness and true peace cannot be attained. 'Atah Bhaktim Vyasyam', therefore, we shall explain devotion. Look, whatever exists in the world, is in a constant state of running around. It keeps running from one place to another, and from that place to the next. The banknote in your hand today has run through so many places, searched through so many shops to reach you, and who knows where it will go

28:25 tomorrow. Everything in this world is moving from one country to another. Nothing is permanent. Neither the flame of a lamp is permanent, nor the river's flow, nor the fruit, nor our youth, nor wealth, nor knowledge, nor intellect. Nothing in this world is stable. Everything is visible yet vanishing. It is seen, and then it is destroyed. Whatever is seen is destined to be destroyed. Everything that comes must go. Whatever blossomed will wither, whatever was lit will extinguish.

29:10 Nothing in the world is constant. Everything is moving from place to place, and at the same time, it is transient. It is depleting, decaying, wearing out, heading toward death. Black hair is turning gray. A glowing face is moving toward wrinkles. Isn't it? These strong teeth are moving toward wobbling and falling out. So, in terms of time, all worldly things are changing. And in terms of space, they are moving from one place to another.

29:57 And if we try to define their true nature, what are they? We cannot say anything. The wheat becomes the stalk, and the stalk becomes the wheat. The father, stays on as a son, and the son becomes a father. In this way, the world keeps shedding its form. Thus, the entire creation is perishable. The Veda says, "Bhakti reva enam nayati," meaning, how will this soul reach God?

30:49 What vehicle or transport can take it there? It says only devotion carries this soul to the Divine. It means the distance between the soul and God is erased by devotion. Only devotion leads this soul to the Supreme; the soul is caught up in identifying with the body.

31:38 It claims the relatives of the body as its own. It is not about to reach the Almighty. It is not even prepared to go . To God. It is not ready to go to God. It is said that a worldly man came and bowed to a saint. The saint also bowed to the worldly man. The man asked, " Master, why do you bow to me?" The saint replied, "Why do you bow to me?" He said, "You are a renunciant, Master, that is why I bow." And you are a renunciant, so I bow to you. He asked, "How am I a renunciant?" He said, "How

32:25 are you a renunciant?" The father said, "You have renounced the world." He said , "Is the world greater or is God greater?" He said, "God is greater, Maharaj." He said, "I have renounced the world, which is a small thing, but you have renounced the greatest thing, which is God himself, so you are a greater renunciant than me, and I bow to you." Isn't it so? Yes. It is said that when Lord Narasimha appeared before Prahlad. Then Prahlad said, " Maharaj, this thought is arising in my mind that I should not accept

33:13 liberation alone while leaving behind these suffering beings in the world." It is in the Bhagavat, "Natan vihaya kripanan vimuksh". One I do not wish to go to your Vaikuntha alone while leaving these poor, miserable souls behind. If we go, everyone will go. Then Lord Narasimha laughed. He said, " Brother, should I take them when they want to go, or should I take them by force?" Then Prahlad said, "No, Maharaj , everyone will go." Who would not want to come to your abode? Everyone will want to go, please take everyone. He

33:58 said, "Alright, go and ask them." Now when Prahlad went to ask, no one was ready to go. They said, "We have to open a factory right now." They said, " We have to earn a lot of wealth, enjoy great pleasures, we have to go abroad, we have no time, Maharaj." When Prahlad could not find anyone, he felt very ashamed, wondering how to go back to God like this. He went to a pig and said, "Brother, will you come to God's abode?" Then he asked, "What is in God's abode?""There is great peace, great comfort, and great bliss.""There is only light there, only love, and

34:44 only joy, let's go there." He said, "Oh , is there a lot of joy?" He was ready to go. "But my wife, bring her along too." He said, "Okay, and our children? Bring them along too." He said, "Okay, let me go and ask everyone." He went to his home and a meeting was held. He said that in Vaikuntha there is great joy and great light. "You all come along." Then his wife said, "Joy is fine, and light is fine.""But the responsibility for food and drink remains with us, right?""Ask Prahlad if our food here will be available there or not." Now Prahlad said, "Oh, what

35:30 use is that in Vaikuntha?" Then they said, "Then we will not go to Vaikuntha ." So this is the situation of these people. So the Vedas said, "Alright brother, if you do not want to go to God, then we will tell you such a method that God himself will come to you." They said, "If God comes to us, then what more could we want?" Right? Then we will say in our lectures that one day the Prime Minister came to our house. One day the President came. One day God also came to our house. Right? When people introduce themselves, they give their introduction by saying that so-and-so came to our house. "Oh,

36:17 Maharaj, so many saints have already come to our house.""Yes, you are not the first one to come today." They said , "Come, let us bring God himself to your house." So, how will God come? Through 'Bhakti'. 'Bhakti' is the means to invite God to one's home. 'Bhakti' itself becomes the vehicle that brings God to our home. 'Bhakti' reveals God, 'Bhakti' provides the knowledge of God; the Supreme Lord is subservient to '

37:06 Bhakti'. 'Bhakti' alone is the greatest . So the Shruti says, 'Bhakti' brings Him, 'Bhakti' reveals Him, 'Bhakti' leads to Him; the Lord is controlled by 'Bhakti', 'Bhakti' is indeed the greatest. They asked, "Then what is this 'Bhakti'?" People have interpreted 'Bhakti' in many different ways. Narada Muni said that people have defined ' Bhakti' in various ways. Some did it scripturally, some unscripturally, and some as they pleased. Actually, a verse

37:54 in the Padma Purana states that devotion contrary to the Vedas, scriptures, Puranas, history, and Pancharatra only causes chaos; one does not attain God through such devotion. So, devotion should exist, and it should be strictly according to scriptural methods, but in the name of devotion, people have spread much hypocrisy and show. The text says, " Atha Bhakti Vyakhyasya," therefore, we will now explain devotion. 'Atha' means therefore; because many types of hypocritical views have become

38:39 prevalent regarding devotion. So, to manifest Narayani devotion, Vedic devotion, and scriptural devotion, an explanation of devotion is now necessary. Now, let's see what devotion is. The word 'Bhakti' is derived from ' Bhajanam'. 'Bhakti' involves worship; devotion is indeed 'Bhajan'.

39:28 Worshipping God is called 'Bhakti'. What is this 'Bhajan'? In the Gopala Tapani Upanishad, this very question is raised: "Kim nama bhajanam?" What is called 'Bhajan'? Just as children ask questions, it asks, "Kim nama bhajanam? " What is 'Bhajan'? "Bhajanam nama rasanam." 'Bhajan' means to relish, to taste the essence. You see, when an ox eats its fill, it first eats quickly, and after eating, it sits contentedly and brings back what it has eaten to

40:14 chew on it; in Hindi, we call this ' pagur', or ruminating. It ruminates, crushing and grinding it thoroughly, making it flavorful, frothing it up, and savoring its essence. So, what is chanting and devotion? Tell me, have you ever heard the divine stories of the Lord or not? Have you ever attended a spiritual gathering or not? Have you ever listened to the teachings of the sages or not? That is just like someone who rushes to take it all in, filling their ears quickly. Now, the impressions that have settled in your heart, sit back with joy, and by

41:01 awakening those memories and recollections you heard earlier, enjoy them. Isn't enjoying this what we call devotion? 'Bhajanam' means relishing; yes, that is what devotion is. They say the word 'Bhajan' or 'Bhakti' also comes from the word 'Bhag'. 'Bhag' means a share; like when there are four brothers in a house and they divide things, they say this is his share, this is his share, this is his share, right? So, becoming a share of God— that is what devotion is. Whose share are you? Whose share are you? So, have

41:49 you become a part of God's share or not ? Surrendering yourself to God's share. Not letting yourself be a part of worldly relatives. Not letting yourself be a part of wealth and riches. Not letting yourself be a part of house and home. Surrendering yourself entirely to God. This is what devotion is. And ' Bhanjanam' in Bhakti means to crush the sufferings of this world, attachments, hatreds, ignorance, and afflictions; to shatter them so they can never touch you again—that is devotion, and devotion has been explained in many ways. If I were to start telling you,

42:38 understand that the definitions of devotion given in the Srimad Bhagavatam itself...In various places, it is described as the natural flow of the mind toward the Lord, through actions and senses, uninterrupted like the flow of the Ganges. As heard previously from the Guru, the scriptures, and the lineage, To conduct one's senses

43:24 accordingly. 'De nam guna ling nam', these deities attached to us—the eye-deity, ear-deity, nose-deity, tongue-deity—they lead us into worldly objects. The tongue asks, "How does it taste?" Look, the ear says, " What sweet music this is." The eye says , what a wonderful sight. They pull us towards them. So what should be done with them? Tell them to see only as much as our Guru and scriptures allow. Listen only that much. Listen only that much. Eat only that much, touch only that much. Right? Stop doing what goes against the teachings of the Vedas, scriptures, and the Guru. What will

44:12 happen if you do this? Sattva will increase in life, the mind will become focused, desires will vanish, and the mind will be fixed on God; when the consciousness turns towards God, it will burn away the five layers of the self. Just as fire digests food, the soul will attain the Divine. This is called devotion. This is called devotion. Elsewhere it is said: listening to the praises of God, tears come to the eyes, the body thrills with

44:58 joy, the voice chokes with emotion, the heart melts, and upon melting, it takes the form of God. Just as the stream of the Ganges flows into the ocean, let the continuous flow of your heart fall into God. Meaning, all the thoughts that arise should be for God. What comes to the mind? Sometimes clothes, sometimes a house, sometimes money, and sometimes relatives. It comes to the mind like that, doesn't it? Instead of this, how should it come to the mind? Every time, instead of the object, see God; God in place of the house, God in place of clothes, God in place of

45:45 relatives, God in place of money. Again and again, within your intentions, let only God arise. Let the image of Murali Manohar, the one in yellow robes, Shyam Sundar, Vrindavan Bihari, Nanda Nandan, and Radha Raman arise in your heart repeatedly. Understand then that the flow of your consciousness has turned towards God. This is called devotion. This very devotion erases desires. This removes the attachments and aversions of the world. So, this devotion is glorified in the Vedas. The term 'Bhaga

46:31 ' in the Vedas and Mantra Samhitas describes devotion. The Upanishads describe 'Upasana'. Devotion is described under the name of 'Upasti'. In the Shvetashvatara Upanishad: 'Yasya deve para-bhakti, yatha deve tatha guru '. One who has true devotion for the Supreme Soul, and has the same devotion for the Guru as they have for God. One who has equal devotion for both can grasp the meaning stated in the Upanishads. The meanings reveal themselves to that person. The meanings

47:17 of the Upanishads manifest within their heart. So, this devotion to God is a very significant thing. Now, to explain this. What is the explanation? We shall explain: Vi-a-akhyasyamah. 'Vi' means specifically, and 'a' means completely, right? And 'khyasyama' means to declare specifically and completely. Meaning, specifically tell the characteristics of devotion, and we will declare it completely. 'Khyasyama' means we will make it famous. We will make it

48:03 renowned. This is devotion's renown. This is devotion's renown. In this, we will make devotion famous. We will reveal what devotion truly is. So, this is the pledge sutra, the pledge sutra. Meaning, we have already explained dharma, and we have also explained knowledge extensively. But now, specifically pure devotion, 'vishesha karke' means pure devotion, that is, devotion based on knowledge and action —devotion is the favorable service of Krishna, free from knowledge and action —some ask, what is devotion? They say

48:49 worshiping God, surely worshiping God is devotion. Affection toward God is devotion—unalloyed affection for Vishnu, affection born of love is called devotion. Like Bhishma, Prahlada , Dhruva, Narada—affection toward God . Just as you consider your husband ' mine', your son 'mine', your father ' mine', just as you consider your body ' mine', include God in that list of ' mine'. If you have 100 'mines', make it 101. Consider God 'mine' too, and this affection toward God will grow so much that—like they say, give an inch and

49:35 they take a mile. You give Him a little space. Then, it is like the 'beggar's foot-stretching' logic, isn't it? Like a beggar who sat down, gradually stretched his legs—a beggar came and said, "Let me sit for a while." He sat down, sir; once he sat, how long would he stay still? He would say, "I will stretch my legs." He stretched his legs , then said, "I need to worship the Shaligram, I will place a pedestal," right? He said, "I need Tulsi leaves for that," then, "How to sit in the sun ? I will set up an umbrella," right? And at night he will sleep there, and in a few days a platform is built, and later a palace is built there! So, this is called the 'beggar's foot-stretching ' logic. So when God enters the heart,

50:21 when God enters the heart, at first He glows just like a tiny spark of fire. Then He begins to shine like a firefly. Just like a firefly, sometimes it glows , sometimes it doesn't. I told you. And after that, He starts to blaze like the flame of a lamp. After that, He settles down like a precious gem. Then, even if you try to remove Him, He won't leave. He clings to your soul and stays there. So, what is this devotion? How is it? This program will now continue for a month starting tomorrow, as per Maharaj Shri's command. How can I even express gratitude for the words he uses? It is

51:07 just like a parent encouraging their child and praising them. So then, this program will proceed starting tomorrow. Just look at the rules here once, as is the custom. Mamme Tasmai Shri Guru Shri

52:05 Na dharme na sadhaka kamoge Yad bhagyam tad bhavat bhagwan purva kar rupamat Prartham mama bahumatam janma janmant Nishchala bhakti rastu Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Yesterday, the meaning of the first aphorism was explained to you;

52:52 this is the pledge aphorism. This is called the Pratijna Adhikaran, the pledge section. In this, the word 'Atha ' signifies God, and the name Omkar is the auspicious invocation of the scripture. And 'Atha' This dharma and knowledge all provide joy. Devotion

53:39 comes even after dharma. Devotion comes even after knowledge. Devotion also exists even before the practice of dharma and the attainment of knowledge. Therefore, unlike the requirements for a seeker of Vedanta—who must possess discrimination between the eternal and transient, dispassion for worldly fruits, the six virtues, and a desire for liberation—devotion does not require these, as devotion itself draws all these means toward it. Knowledge requires a throne to sit upon

54:25 beforehand. You must prepare a throne for it to sit on when it arrives. But devotion possesses such humility, simplicity, and gentleness that it does not need a throne to be prepared in advance. It just arrives. It even sweeps the house. It prepares the cot. It decorates the throne as well. It even seats God upon it. When God is pleased, it goes and sits right beside Him. It even embraces His heart. It sits on the same throne. But it requires no preparation beforehand. Devotion can manifest even in the heart

55:11 of someone from the humblest background . And devotion can manifest even in the heart of the most sorrowful person, because sorrow may oppose the purity of the heart, but there is no opposition between sorrow and devotion. Even if a sorrowful person cries out, "O God, save me," devotion enters their heart. So, there is no question of qualification; we now begin to contemplate devotion, which comes without the need for the prerequisites

55:56 required by other means. This is the meaning of the word 'Atha'. And other scriptures contemplate the means that appear in the heart of a qualified seeker. So now we consider a means that is a common dharma for everyone, regardless of status, and is willing to enter every heart. And thus, the term has two meanings. First, there is a lot of suffering in this world. To escape this, 'Atha' means 'therefore,' because the world is full of suffering, struggle, animosity, and many conflicts

56:43 between the high and low. So, for the sake of reducing the burden of debate, rituals, and the need for a high intellect, as well as the strain of Yoga rituals like Pranayama and Asanas, Havan rituals in Dharma, and the mental strain of philosophical inquiries. Considering all these things, to avoid all these burdens, there is Bhakti.

57:30 This is the meaning of the word 'A'. And the second meaning is that Bhakti takes the Supreme Lord by the hand and brings Him to sit in our hearts, because Bhakti is very dear to God. It is said that God has two wives. One is Maya and the other is Bhakti. Goswami Tulsidas Ji has mentioned this in the Ramcharitmanas. That both Maya and Bhakti belong to the feminine category. So, sometimes even knowledge can get trapped in the enchantments of Maya. It is described as such. But the devotion

58:18 to God does not get trapped in the illusions of Maya. It does not get deluded. And the Supreme Lord loves this Bhakti very much. Bhakti is especially dear to the Lord. It is very dear to God, and it catches hold of the Lord and brings Him. It makes Him sit in the heart. Therefore, because it brings the Supreme Lord face-to-face, Bhakti is 'Vyakhyama'— 'Vi' means special, 'A' means complete, and ' Khyati' means to reveal. What is

59:03 special here? The specialty is that when ordinary people describe Bhakti, they describe it as mixed with ritualistic action or mixed with knowledge. So, the specialty is that the Bhakti described in the Narada Bhakti Sutras is not mixed with ritualistic action. It is not that you have to perform a fire sacrifice and offer it to God for it to be Bhakti. There is no need for such rituals here. Only love in the heart is required. And So, one might ask, should we first know the Lord and then practice Bhakti? The answer is no; here, whether known or

59:50 unknown, one should love the Lord in any way possible. This is what makes it special. The specialty of Bhakti is that it contains no mixture of ritualistic action or intellectual knowledge. This is pure devotion, and it is complete because what is obtained through karma can also be obtained through devotion. What is obtained through knowledge can also be obtained through devotion. There is completeness in the fruit, and there is no need for knowledge or rituals in its practice. Therefore, to begin the discourse on complete devotion, Devarshi Narada composes these sutras. Now, in the

1:00:39 explanation of devotion yesterday, I mentioned one or two forms of devotion to you. Meaning, it was stated in the Shrimad Bhagavatam that slowly turning your senses away from the world and towards the Lord, following the methods prescribed by the Guru, scriptures, and tradition—chanting His names, qualities, and forms. One form of devotion is that which ignites in the heart like fire, burning away all the filth and uniting one with the Lord.

1:01:29 The second form of devotion is that which takes the form of Mother Ganga. Just by hearing, the mind enters Him; as one listens to the praises of the Lord, the heart softens and melts— observe whether your heart melts or not . When you hear about someone, when you listen to their praises and hear of their divine pastimes. When you hear the description of their beauty. When you hear of their kindness and their gentleness. Then your heart turns to

1:02:15 water and flows towards them. Whenever an impressive object appears before us, for instance, if you see a beautiful form while walking on the street, its impression remains in the heart for a while, and you keep remembering it. If you see fragrant, beautiful flowers while strolling in a garden, it occupies your mind for some time. Thus, all things in the world affect our hearts. Sometimes, if you get to eat very delicious food or wear very soft clothes, you remember them even later. It leaves an impression, a mark, on the

1:03:02 heart. This means, the scriptures state that this heart of ours is like molten metal, like tin. When heat reaches it, it melts, and whatever it melts for, its impression and mark are imprinted upon it. So, melt your heart completely once, and after melting it, pour it into the mold of Shri Krishna. Like

1:03:49 copper in a mold, it takes that form! Likewise, just as copper is melted and poured into a mold, and it takes the shape of that mold, first melt your heart in the same way. How to melt it? Let the yearning for the Lord arise in your heart. The beauty of the Lord, His sweetness, the sound of His flute, His melodious voice, His gentle touch, His supremely beautiful form. His essence, the fragrance of His body—remembering this, meditating on it, describing it,

1:04:34 and hearing it, let it enter your heart such that your heart melts for Him. How compassionate He is that He remembers each and every one of His devotees and weeps. Rising at dawn, He meditates upon Bhishma. He sends the wealth of all three worlds to Sudama without him even asking. He sends a message to Rukmini saying that He cannot sleep without her. He places His head in the laps of Nanda Baba and Mother Yashoda and weeps, saying, "Father, without serving you, my life has been spent in vain." He tells the Gopis, "Look how

1:05:21 restless My heart is for you." So, when we remember this love of Shri Krishna, tears come to our eyes. Our bodies experience a thrill of divine ecstasy. Our throats choke with emotion. Our hearts melt, and when the heart melts, place within it the image of Murali Manohar, the yellow-robed Shyam Sundar. Then, in that heart, place the image of the bow-wielding son of Dasharatha, Lord Ramachandra, the consort of Sita, or the image of Kashi-pati Vishwanath, Lord Gauri Shankar. When that image settles in, and when the heart has completely melted and that image dwells

1:06:09 within, then the heart, which used to wander here and there seeing worldly objects, stops wandering. So, what is the meaning of Bhakti (devotion)? The meaning of Bhakti is that first, you must create two divisions. One is named the world. Divide, divide, divide first . Create a division, create a partition . One is named the world, and the other is named God. Now, we will not attach ourselves to the world. We will attach ourselves to God. So, what did Bhakti do? Bhakti created a distinction. Yes, Bhakti created a distinction, a separation. It turned our minds away from the world and connected them to

1:06:56 God. So, this is what is called Bhakti. "Bhakti is the continuous flow of the mind towards the Lord, like the flow of water," Madhusudan Saraswati, the author of Advaita Siddhi, defines Bhakti. Madhusudan Saraswati, who defined Bhakti, was a very great scholar. He belonged to the Advaita tradition. His Siddhanta Bindu, his Vedanta Latika, and his Advaita Siddhi are peerless texts in the Advaita Vedanta tradition. One day, while writing Advaita Siddhi, the Maharaj was

1:07:42 sitting in solitude, and there was no one else around. A Paramahamsa, wearing only a loincloth and covered in dust, entered his hut, and while Madhusudan ji was sitting below writing, he came and sat above him. Madhusudan ji looked and thought, "I am such a great scholar .""I am so learned, the author of so many texts, sitting down here, and this naked Paramahamsa comes and sits above me." A thought occurred. He said, " Madhusudan, tell me the truth: when there is a debate, and a strong scholar

1:08:27 , a Naiyayika or Mimamsaka, comes before you to debate the scriptures." When there is a back-and-forth and you cannot find an answer to the logic he provides. Does your mind experience anxiety, thinking, "Oh no, what if I lose?""Tell the truth." Madhusudan ji said, "Yes, it happens." Isn't it? He said, "Alright, and when you defeat a great scholar, when you conquer them, does a thrill of joy arise in your mind or not?""Great joy." He said, "It does, Maharaj." He said, "That you are

1:09:15 Brahman is true." Isn't it? This is an absolute truth, true in all three times , that you are Brahman. But the attachment to the inner self has not broken as much as it should have. He said, "Yes, this is also true." He asked, "Why has it not broken?" Because you have not yet attained the state of being a realized soul that you should have possessed. You have not yet attained that qualification. He asked, "How will that happen?" He said, " Worship Shri Krishna.""Worship Shri Krishna so that humility comes to your inner self, the contemplation of worldly subjects ceases, and pride vanishes." Then see how the manifestation of Brahman occurs in the

1:10:01 body. Look. Let the knowledge of Brahman light up your life. Madhusudan ji said, "Tell me, Maharaj, how should I do it?" One mantra. Enjoying its moonlight. There is great joy in looking at the moon. Favorable, favorable engagement with Krishna. If we contemplate the moon with a favorable attitude, have we become devotees of the moon? No, not yet a devotee. Then why? He said, "You take pleasure from the moon, you look at the

1:10:49 moon, you find peace, delight, and moonlight by watching the moon; but do you have any sense of belonging with the moon, that 'the moon is mine'?""The moon is mine." This connection of belonging. He said, "No, that connection of belonging is not there." If the connection of belonging is not there, then devotion has not come yet. Devotion comes then. Devotion comes only when a sense of belonging is formed. "He is my master.""I am his servant.""He is my friend.""He is my son.""He is my guru.""He is my husband. " When a sense of 'mine-ness' is attached in some way, only then does devotion arise. And devotees say that exclusive devotion, affection for

1:11:35 Vishnu, the union of love, and devotion like that of Bhishma and Prahlada, emerge as a sense of ownership towards God. Ownership means "He is mine." God is mine. God is mine. God is mine. Samya maso mamma. The essence of pure love is that the heart should be soft; there should be no stubbornness or harshness in it. This is a trait of a lover, that a lover is stubborn in only one place. It is said that everywhere else, he is completely soft. His stubbornness is that he cannot let go

1:12:22 of his beloved. If someone says to cast Him out of your heart. Right? So, by listening to people, he may even try to cast Him out. But he cannot cast Him out. So, knead your heart, just like you knead dough, refine it completely, and seat God within it. And say, "God is mine, God is mine; I am Yours, You are mine.""Lord, I am Yours, You are mine," in Braj. In Braj, great souls sing this: "Lord, You are mine, I am

1:13:07 Yours." Lord, You are mine, I am Yours; You are mine and I am Yours. Now, this "mine-yours" relationship has become so deeply intertwined that it can never be broken. They say, brother, just by this "mine-yours" connection—You are mine and I am Yours—devotion becomes complete. So, devotees say that no, just having this internal affection is not enough. This affection should also manifest outwardly. Then, how should this affection manifest outwardly? So, they say, 'Hrishikesha sevanam bhaktir uttama'—the highest devotion is that

1:13:55 you should not keep devotion only within your mind. Serve your Lord with whatever you have. Walk with your feet for His service. Work with your hands for His service. Speak with your mouth for His service. Listen with your ears for His service. See with your eyes for His service. Touch with your skin for His service. Meaning, groom yourself, dress up, and adorn yourself so beautifully before going to Him, that He becomes happy seeing you. Conceive

1:14:42 of yourself in this way. Do not think, "Oh, He is the source of supreme bliss. ""What need does He have for happiness? " Once, our Maharaj, Shri Sriya Baba Ji Maharaj, had a fever. He had a fever of over 105 degrees. On the day of Shivaratri, what did the devotees do? They made him sit on a wooden plank. And they placed many garlands, flowers, jewelry, and bel leaves on his head and started pouring Ganges water. Right? He said, "Hey, what are you doing? The Maharaj has a fever." They said, "Oh, he is powerful, he is God. Does he have a fever? What will it do to him?" He replied, "No brother, this is not in

1:15:28 accordance with the divine spirit." Hari Baba Ji immediately set a guard, " No, as long as there is fever, no one should pour water over him. Remove the bel leaves, remove the flowers, remove the garland." Thinking that he is God and he has great beauty, what will our beauty appeal to him? Right? Yes, he has great servants, what will our service appeal to him? Isn't it? Not this, but to fulfill your life, to make your life successful, with all your ability, by making your body beautiful, your mind beautiful, your heart

1:16:13 beautiful, decorate yourself and present yourself in the service of God. So O Lord, be happy by seeing the sparkle in our eyes, it has the sparkle of love indeed. Yes, be happy by seeing our smile because this smile is not just of the lips. It is of love. Be pleased by eating these four grams and four grains of rice of ours. Because these grams and this rice are not made of mud. They are made of love. Of love, so in this way, soak all your things in the syrup of love. Soaking them in the

1:17:01 syrup of love, making them juicy with the essence of love, presenting all your things before the Lord is 'Shri Krishna Priyatam'. Through this, our beloved, our Shri Krishna, should be satisfied and pleased; the devotees named this 'Bhakti'-Rishikena Rishikesha Sevanam Bhakti Uttama-there are great interpretations of Bhakti in the scriptures. Now, which Bhakti will Narad Ji explain? Should we consider God as the master and ourselves as his

1:17:49 servants, or consider him a friend and be his companion, or consider him a son , or a father, or a guru, or a husband? With which emotion and which relationship should we perform devotion to God? Narad Ji further explains that this is fine, which is why there is a need to state the characteristics of Bhakti. Recognize Bhakti. What is Bhakti? How will you perform Bhakti without recognizing it, brother? So now , 'Bhakti Vyakhya Syama' means that Devarshi Narad has to describe pure Bhakti, the Bhakti which is not covered by knowledge or rituals. That is why he has stated two characteristics. The

1:18:36 first two characteristics of Bhakti. Its name should be 'Bhakti Darshan' only. Why? The goal here is devotion, and love is its characteristic. So, a text should be named after its goal, not its characteristic. Therefore, it should be named Bhakti Sutra, Bhakti Darshan, or Bhakti Mimamsa. Now, what is the characteristic of devotion? Two characteristics are described. One external and one internal. So, what is the external characteristic and what is the internal one? This external is also , in fact, internal. Actually, it is one form and one essence. There is a

1:19:24 difference between form and essence. Form is on the outside, and essence is on the inside. So, "Sashmin parama prema rupa amrutasvarupa." Bharatendu has accepted this reading. Om, sa tasmai parama prema rupa, Om. Om, Amrutasvarupa ca Om; they chant Om at the beginning and end of every sutra, and the first sutra is 'Athatho Bhakti Vyakhyasyamah', the second is the form,

1:20:14 and 'Amrutasvarupa' is the essence. So, what is the form of devotion? It is said that supreme love is the form of devotion. Let there be supreme love. What is the form of devotion? That there should be supreme love in our hearts. One might ask, what is love and what is supreme love? There is the root 'pri'. It is called 'priya'(beloved/ dear). This is derived in four ways.

1:20:59 According to Panini's grammar, 'prayati '. Priti, priyate, prayati, priyati. The word 'prema'(love) is derived in five ways. Yes, 'prema' from 'pri'(to satisfy). 'Priyati iti priya', the state of 'priya' is 'prema'; there is an 'imanich' suffix and a 'manin' suffix. The word 'prema' is formed from both. One is 'prema' in the neuter

1:21:46 gender and one is 'prema' in the masculine gender; in Sanskrit, we say ' prema'. So, 'parama prema eva rupam yasya sa parama prema rupa'. Now look, let us take it from 'sa tu'. 'Sa tu asmin parama prema rupa', 'sa' means who? The one whose explanation has been promised. That devotion, that devotion is 'asmin parama prema rupa', 'asmin'. And 'kasmai', there are two readings,

1:22:34 so listen to the analysis of both. The common meaning is simply that supreme love for God is what is called devotion . This is its general meaning. But the distinction in 'asmin' and 'kasmai' is not fully captured by just saying 'God' . 'Asmin' means 'in this', in this Lord ; the term 'asmin' refers to the immediate, visible God before us; the supreme love in that God is the form of devotion, the idol of devotion; if you

1:23:24 want to see the vision of devotion, what is the form of devotion? What is the beauty of devotion? It says, love the Lord who is right in front of you. One thing here is that by saying 'asmin ', the Lord who is present comes into focus. And by saying 'Kasmai', those of you who recite the Sahasranama must know that 'Ka', 'Sarva', 'Kim', 'Kam' are all names of the Supreme Being. Say , it is a name. 'Kim' is a name of the Supreme Being, that is... 'Kim'? So it

1:24:12 was said, "Tell me, is 'Ka' meaning ' who', and 'Kim' meaning 'what', a name of the Supreme Being?" Speak in Hindi, is 'Ka', meaning 'what' or 'who', a name of the Supreme Being? Is 'Who' and 'What' a name of the Supreme Being? Oh! Really, what kind of names are 'who' and 'what', brother? They say, be it the Vedas, Shastras, or Puranas, when they begin to describe the ineffable Supreme Being, they have to end it by asking what He is. Who is He? What is He like? The one regarding whom the questioning never truly comes to an end

1:24:59 . Keep inquiring, keep contemplating, right? Where the intellect eventually ceases. All questions end, and that 'Ka ' remains as 'Ka'. The second meaning of the word 'Ka' is supreme. 'Ka' means head in Sanskrit, you see. 'Ka' means head. He who sits at the head of all is called 'Ka'; having supreme love for that God who sits at the head of all is the form of devotion. Alright, take the third meaning, 'Ka' means essence (rasa ) in Sanskrit. 'Rasa' means water or

1:25:49 bliss; knowing the blissful Brahman, one fears nothing. Having supreme love for that Supreme Bliss form of the Lord is devotion. The meaning of 'Ka' is ' Prajapati', meaning the one who is the cause of the entire creation. The father of the universal creation. The one who is the father, the Lord, the Supreme Bliss, the supreme one, regarding whom no one can describe exactly, the supreme love for that Lord

1:26:37 is the form of devotion. Now, let's talk a little about supreme love. So, first love, then supreme love, then that form. Look, the impulses that arise in our inner conscience. Regardless of which impulse it is. The inner conscience is formed only by the sattvic tanmatra (subtle element). The inner conscience is not formed by the tamasic tanmatra, otherwise, there would be no knowledge, and the inner conscience is also not formed by the rajasic tanmatra; it is formed by the sattvic tanmatra, which is why all

1:27:23 impulses in the conscience are considered results of 'Sat'. It is a result of the sattva guna alone. Because the information we get, the experience we have, if there were no sattva guna, no light, no internal illumination, how would we gain knowledge? 'This is our enemy, be angry at him,' that is also information, isn't it? And 'this is our son,' clutching him to one's chest, what if he dies, what if he is a corpse? These monkeys who stay deluded, clinging to their son in their lap, caught in attachment, 'that this is our son,' that is just information within them, right? So, in Tamasic delusion, there is knowledge, a result of impure Sattva

1:28:10 , and in Rajasic passion and anger too, there is a result of Sattva, but...What is the matter with devotional love? He says, there is a specialty in it. When anger comes, it is directed at an enemy , right? So, even if the knowledge in your heart came from Sattva, when it met the enemy, it became Rajasic; when it met the family, it became Tamasic; and when it met a deity, samadhi, meditation, or yoga practice, then it became Sattvic. But when that result of your soul's true nature met God, then what happened? He says, then it became

1:28:57 devotion, didn't it? Look, even though the inner self is the same, what did it encounter? Right? What did it encounter ? A person has eyes. Understand. The eyes are fine. The eyes have knowledge, so they have the power to see. But what do you see with them? Right? If you see something dirty with them, that is a different matter. If you see something alluring with them, that is a different matter. If you are beholding the flow of the Ganges with them, that is a different matter. And if you are beholding God with those same eyes, that is a different matter. Right? So, this affection in our inner self, affection means satisfaction, right?

1:29:43 Belovedness, love, who is it for? That is the question. Is it for Him or not? Is it in Him or not? Right? Is it for the Supreme Soul or not? Is it for God or not? This is the question. Meaning, the experience of satisfaction that you get, everyone gets the experience of satisfaction. "Wow, wow!" Today was so blissful. "Many of our sages, saints, Brahmins; after eating a full meal of kheer, when they get up, rubbing their bellies and letting out a burp, they say," Brother, brother! Such satisfaction, today was truly blissful. "Right? So, this great satisfaction, this great bliss, where did it come from? He says, it came from the kheer.

1:30:32 Now they say a man remembered God, and in his heart appeared the beautiful flute-player, the yellow-clad Shyam Sundar, who played the flute with a gentle smile. Now he woke up from meditation and said," Yes, I felt great joy, great satisfaction. "So where does your satisfaction reside? Where is your affection? Isn't it? Now look, this will reveal where your love lies. Isn't it? He said, brother, sometimes there is satisfaction in eating, sometimes in wearing something, sometimes in meeting someone, or in seeing someone. He said, no, no! This is your momentary love. We are talking about the love that is

1:31:18 supreme love. Seven aspects of supreme love. It is mandatory for seven things to be present in love. Count them. I will tell you. First, love should not diminish for any reason. Only then is it love. Whatever does not break due to any cause, that which remains devoid of all destruction, that is called love. What is called love? Whatever reasons there are in the world for a bond to

1:32:05 break, if it does not break even when those come, that is called love; yes, the first one. The first condition with love is that it should not be false or diminish for any reason. Protecting it is the second matter, after the first. The second thing is that the heart should remain lubricated, affection should remain; there should never be any harshness or dryness toward your beloved. This is the second aspect of love. This is called 'Sneh'(affection).

1:32:50 'Sneh' means ghee, butter, milk, yogurt —these never become dry. Similarly, your heart should remain like ghee, like butter, like milk, like yogurt. There should never be any dryness or harshness in it. This is the second thing. Yes. And what is the third thing in love? When the moon is full, it becomes perfectly round. But love, even when complete, does not become round. It remains a little crooked. There is a bit of teasing that goes on in it. Isn't it? Yes. So sometimes they get upset, and they coax each other.