A Flower At Thy Feet, Oh Lord
Early this year, a few high-souled devotees of Sri Gurudev Sivananda expressed their eagerness to study bhakti yoga at the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy. At the behest of Sri Gurudev Sivananda, I took that class, with Narada Bhakti Sutras as the text.
Is was a revealing experience for me. There we were, all of us, students of Sri Gurudev Sivananda - studying this glorious scripture - and each sutra conjured up before our mind's eye the glorious life of Sri Gurudev Sivananda and His life- transforming teachings. If there was an abstruse idea, Gurudev Sivananda's life - some anecdote - came in handy to make it clear. As we proceeded with the study, we discovered that Gurudev Sivananda's illustrious, fruitful, and divine life itself was the best commentary on 'Narada Bhakti Sutras' - nay, all the important scriptures in the world. I am extremely grateful for this experience.
As I spoke, I realised that I was myself a student in the class - and it is Gurudev Sivananda's own radiant life and teachings that played the part of the preceptor. Not a single idea contained in this volume is mine - every good thought presented herein is a particle of the dust of Sri Gurudev Sivananda's Divine Lotus Feet. May the radiant Dust of His Feet guide us!
The notes I had kep of the talks, assumed the present shape at the holy abode of Sri Rani Sivananda-Kumudini Devi of 'Sivananda Griha', Secunderabad, in her motherly, affectionate and extremely hospitable care. To her I owe inexpressible gratitude.
May God bless them all!
20th November, 1960
Swami Venkatesananda
Introduction
Om Sri Satguru Paramatmane Namah. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Namah Parama Rishibhyo
Namah Parama Rishibhyah.
Before taking up the study of the Narada Bhakti Sutras themselves, let us for a moment dwell upon the meaning of the three words, which form the title of the book.
In days of yore, before printing was invented, knowledge of scriptures had to be imparted to the student, by the preceptor, by word of mouth. Records could be preserved only on the palm-leaves; each copy was produced at expense of time and energy. Therefore, the preceptors and the students, too, resorted to the sutras. An elaborate discourse was condensed into a brief sutra, which constituted the double-distilled essence of the discourse. The sutra was more an aid to memory. To the 'initiated', each sutra called up a world of thought and ideas.
The various Schools of Philosophy have their own sutras, which are regarded as the primary Source-Books. The sutras are always terse and often enigmatic - and they invariably require a commentary, to be understood.
Bhakti
Bhakti comes from the root 'bhaj', which means 'to be devoted to', 'to be in love with'. Bhakti is love. It is universal. Everyone has love in his heart. He who has a heart, has love in it. Even the cruelest man loves somebody or something. This is common, not only to all mankind and animals, but even to plant-kingdom. The sun-flower and the lotus are in love with the Sun.
It is true that the modern man is moved more by the heart than by the intellect. Emotions govern and prompt his actions. That is indeed an excellent sign - for he who responds readily to emotion is capable of developing devotion, too. That is why Gurdev Sivananda says that, in kali yuga, bhakti yoga is the quickest, safest, and surest way to self-realisation.
But, the modern man's emotions are stirred more by the instinct than by intelligence! Therefore, he is swayed easily by every passing wind - he swings to the side that stirs his motions more deeply, without pausing to think whether that is the right direction or not.
Bhakti is emotion plus discrimination. Bhakti is love. But all love is not Bhakti, as we shall see later.
Narada
Before we take up the study of any book, it is better to look at the name of the author. Then we shall whether the book is authoritative, whether it will guide us aright, or not. Otherwise, we shall suffer the fate of the blind men led by a blind man.
Narada is one of the greatest bhaktas. He is continuously God-conscious. He is roaming the three worlds, singing the Lors's Names, awakening all to the glory of His Names, and instilling in all intense and supreme love for God. Hence, he is an authority on bhakti.
Three stories connected with Narada are of interest to us here. They contain object-lessons which every student of bhakti yoga ought to bear in mind.
Power of Satsang
The first is about Narada's own previous birth. He was then the son of a non- Brahmin widow, who was serving Mahatmas in a village where he had camped for the rainy season. The boy used to listen to their discourses, and also eat their uchchishtha - leavings. These had purified him and created in him an intense longing to realise God. One day, a cobra bit the old woman and she passed away. The young son was happy! Such was the power of satsang. He felt that the one bond that tied him to samsara - worldly life - had been severed by God. He approached the Mahatmas for their blessings, as they were leaving the village. They blessed him and initiated him into bhakti. He did intense sadhana. The Lord appeared to him and granted him the boon that, in the next birth, he would be born as a great bhakta.
Satsang is indispensable for one to grow in devotion.Name whenever possible, and eventually, always, by force of habit.
Practice and Experience
Narada was himself restless once, and went to Sanatkumara for guidance. He gave Sanatkumara a long list of all the scriptures that he had studied. Sanatkumara dismissed all that knowledge as mere 'word', without meaning, as a mere intellectual burden, as chaff! He then initiated Narada into Brahma Vidya, and exhorted him to attain the direct realisation of the Infinite.
Whatever be the path we choose, practice, and practice alone, can enable us to reach the goal. No amount of theory - however lofty and good - will be of any avail, unless it is translated into practice.
The Greatest Devotee
Folklore ascribes the following story to Narada. Even this divine devotee of the Lord once felt that there was none who excelled him in devotion. The Lord Who is the Indweller knew this and wished to remove this vanity from the heart of Narada.One day, He called Narada and asked him to 'enquire about the welfare of My greatest devotee on earth', naming a humble householder. Narada was puzzled and disappointed; who could that blessed person be, who excelled even him, Narada? He went to the place mentioned by the Lord and watched the devotee throughout the day. The latter awoke in the morning with the Lord's Name on his lips; and lay down at night uttering the Lord's Name once more. The rest of the day he was busy serving his parents and masters, with narayana-bhav - i.e. feeling that thereby he was serving the Lord Himself. Narada returned to the Lord's abode, and his downcast look expressed his disapproval of the Lord's exaltation of that poor householder over Narada himself, in devotion.On another occasion, the Lord called Narada again and requested him to take a pot filled to the brim with oil, and hand it over to Lakshmi, the Lord's Contort. Not a drop was to be spilt. Narada, the great yogi, did as the Lord bade him do, and reported back to the Lord. The Lord asked him, "Oh Narada, when you were taking that pot of oil, how many times did you utter My Names?" Narada confessed that he was so completely absorbed in the task on hand that he did not utter His Name even once. The Lord said, "If such was your devotion, is not that man who had to toil throughout the day, serving his parents and masters, the greater devotee for taking My Name twice during the day?" Narada had to agree!
Let us carry on our daily duties, discharging them selflessly, for His sake - and at the same time let us remember Him and repeat His Name whenever possible, and eventually, always, by force of habit.