Narada Bhakti Sutra

Sutra in Hinduism

The Narada Bhakti Sutra (IAST: Nārada Bhakti Sūtra) is a well known sutra venerated within the traditions of Hinduism, reportedly spoken by the famous sage, Narada. The text details the process of devotion (Bhakti), or Bhakti yoga and is thus of particular importance to many of the Bhakti movements within Hinduism. It has received particular attention among the Vaishnava and Vedanta traditions. Sri Ramakrishna, the mystic saint, hails this work as, "The best path to union with God is to follow the way of divine love as taught by Narada." Sanskrit scriptures often appear in variant editions which may show differences in organization and verse numbering. For example, in the translation by Swami Prabhavananda there are eighty four verses arranged in nine chapters, whereas in the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust translation by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his disciple Satsvarupa dasa the eighty four verses are organized into five chapters.

Within the text, Narada explains the perfectional stage of pure devotion; the process to achieve this state; gives quotations from other Vedic personalities on the subject matter; things to avoid when developing bhakti; and finally, explains the nature of selfless love and the different forms of attachment to the Supreme person.

Firstly, bhakti itself is defined as being "the most elevated, pure love for God" which is eternal by nature and through following which one obtains perfect peace and immortality (release from samsara). The symptoms of such devotion are that one no longer has any selfish desires, nor is affected by the dualities of loss or gain for himself being fully content with (and experiencing ecstasy through) the process of bhakti itself. Narada describes that lust is absent in those who execute bhakti purely because they naturally have no personal desires to fulfill. The aspirant bhakta is encouraged to renounce "social customs" and "religious rituals" and to focus purely on service to God with exclusive dedication, being indifferent to whatever may stand in the way of such service. Activities of social custom and religious rituals that are favorable to devotional service are still promoted but devotional activities are given as "the only means for reaching the perfection of life." The text then goes on to quote Vyasa, Garga and Sandilya in terms of their opinions on what is bhakti, giving the opinion that all three are correct but declaring in conclusion that "bhakti consists of offering one's every act to the Supreme Lord and feeling extreme distress in forgetting Him". The Gopis (cowherd women) of Vrindavan are given as an example of devotees who display this form of pure bhakti, but a warning is also given about 'false devotion' that imitates this perfectional stage. Narada follows this warning by stating, "Furthermore, the Lord dislikes the proud but is pleased with the humble".

An important point is made in verse 30 in regard to the relationship between bhakti and knowledge: "But the son of Brahma [Narada] says that bhakti is its own fruit". In his commentary, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada further describes in regard to this verse that "bhakti is not dependent on anything else for nourishment" being complete in itself, without dependence on the paths of either knowledge or renunciation.

Alongside the acceptance of positive practices in the cultivation of bhakti, the text also describes items which should be avoided by the aspiring bhakta. Intimate dealings with others who are against the path of bhakti or who indulge in sinful habits is described as potentially dangerous for one attempting to purify their consciousness: "Material association is the cause of lust, anger, confusion, forgetfulness, loss of intelligence, and total calamity". It further explains that only one who abandons such material association, serves the sages and becomes selfless in their dealings, renouncing desires for profit or gain, can cross beyond the ocean of illusion. Even the Vedas are given as an object to renounce for one who wants to obtain pure and uninterrupted love for God. In later chapters, however, an instruction is also given that respect should be shown for all scriptures which promote bhakti (devotion), and an aspirant bhakta should endeavour to follow the instructions of such texts.

The text states that the true nature of the pure love of God is beyond description, but this does not restrict God from revealing it to those who are qualified. Once this pure love is obtained, it says that a person "looks only at the Lord, hears only about Him, speaks only of Him, and thinks only of Him". Secondary forms of this love are given as stepping stones which bring one to the perfectional stage, with each stage nearer to perfection being better than those preceding it. It is also stated that perfection is attained much more easily by bhakti than by any other process. The reason is that "bhakti does not depend on any other authority for its validity, being itself the standard of authority. Furthermore, bhakti is the embodiment of peace and supreme ecstasy. ".