N.B.S. 2 cotd.

[Guest guest]

Commentary on suutra 2: contd.

 

Sri Vidyaranya Swami has the following verses in Panchadashi:

 

iyamaatmaa paraananda parapremaaspada.n yataH .

maanabhuuva.n hi bhuuyaasamiti premaatmaniikshyate ..

 

tatpremaatmaarthamanyatra naishhamanyaarthamaatmani .

atastatparama.n te na paramaanandataatmanaH ..

 

This Atman is of the nature of Bliss itself, because it is

of the form of intense love. Hence, no-one has the feeling

that one should not exist; in fact one wishes for uninterrupted

existence. This is love for the Atman(Self). A creature loves the

Atman not for the sake of others, but one's love for others

is for the sake of the Self. Therefore, the Self is of the

nature of Beatitude.

 

Yajnavalkya has expounded this in numerous ways in the Brihadaranyaka

Upanishad.

 

na vaa are sarvasya kaamaaya sarvaM priyaM bhavati .

aatmanastu kaamaaya sarvaM priyaM bhavati ..

 

However, because of the lack of awareness of this Self due to ignorance, the

love is transposed to the non-Self entities, like the body, &c.

True love resides only on one entity; it does not brook any multiple

objects, because the latter are endowed with defects (like inertness,

filled with misery, &c).

 

Devotion is inborn in a creature, for it is aware of its imperfections.

One worships some entity that will remove this incompleteness.

For the fulfilment of desires, one may worship with faith and rituals, but

this would not amount to true devotion. Scriptures have described with many

different adjectives these types of devotion: arthaarthii, aarta;

saatvika-raajasika-taamasika,; uttama-madhyama-adhama;

saadhana-bhaava-prema; vaidhii-raagaanugaa; etc.

But true devotion is nothing but supreme love.

 

ananya mamataaa vishhNau mamataa premasa~Ngataa .

bhaktirityuchyate bhiishhma prahlaadoddhavanaaradaiH ..

[naaradapaa~ncharaatra]

 

To love Vishnu (the all-pervasive Divine) in an attitude of

inseparable self-awareness is called bhakti, thus say Bhishma,

Prahlada, Udddhva, and Narada.

 

N.B.S. suutra 2: to be contd.

 

 

 

 

____