PARA BHAKTI

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I request the learned members of the group to explain the

difference between the terms para bhakti and parama bhakti.What is

para jnAna?

adiyEn RAmAnuja dAsan

V.Srimahavishnu

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers,

 

Sri Mahavishnu had requested for the meanings/definition of parabhakti.

ParajnAnam and Parama bhakti.

 

The little about what I know of them is:

 

The bhakti/love that draws the devotee to the Supreme is Para Bhakti.

 

The knowledge / jnAnam or Vision that is granted due to the grace of

Emperumaan Sriman Narayanan to the devotee is Para Jnanam

 

The intensity to the highest degree beyond which one can not even

survive and the greatest tvarai (urgency) to see the Lord and reach Him

then and there, the inability to move away from seeing the Lord /

enjoying Him or the jnAnam/Vision that Emperumaan had blessed Him with

is Parama Bhakti.

 

Sri RamanujAchAryA prays for them in SaraNAgathy Gadhyam. PiraaTTi says

with affection: "asthuthE" (So be it).

 

Narayana Narayana

 

Narayana dAsan Madhavakkannan

 

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Srimathe Sri Lakshminrisimha Parabrahmane Nama:

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Srimathe Nigamantha Mahadesikaya Nama:

Srimathe Athivan Satakopa Yathindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

Srimathe Srivan Satakopa Sri Vedantadesika Yathindra Mahadesikaya

Nama:

Srimathe Sri Lakshminrisimha Dhivya Padhukasevaka

Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yathindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

If adiyen remembers it right, three statements in sanskrit define

these three states :

darshanam parabhaktih syat

parajnanam tu samgamaha

punar vishlesha bhitistu paramabhaktiruchyate

sight of lord is parabhakti. When an aspirant gets the sight of

lord in a particular mature state of bhaktiyoga which is usually attained

after self realization, which usually results from karmayoga and / or

jnanayoga. This darshana is not actual sight of lord, since Sri

ramanuja states that it is darshana samanakara - or equivalent to actual

sight (but not exactly). (NOTE: bimba -darshana or

sight of lord's form is taken as prerequisite for moksha in madhva system

of thought)

parajnana is actually meeting lord in bhaktiyoga. Even here meeting

means nearness, interaction involving intense affection of jivatman to

his only controller, support and seshin and reciprocal mercy and

outpourings of love from God. Here the bhaktiyogi's experience of

God is higher than that of the previous stage.

Then God, after revealing himself to the bhaktiyogi for a while, it

seems, usually disappears from his vision leaving this jiva in

utmost misery; in this state of misery it seems there is a powerful

yearning which is uncontrollable and unbearable to the jivatman to have

that sight again..... (thank GOD! this state of misery

usually does not befall unworthy souls like me ! or else this separation

would be unbearable) .. ( I am just making fun, even though this is a

very desirable state)

Then it seems, after a while GOd appears in vivid splendour to these

bhaktiyogis thus creating a surge of unlimited happiness in the aspirant

who is overwhelmed with joy. In that state of joy, itseems the

bhaktiyogi is subjected to great fear that he may lose sight of that

glorious Lord again and that he can never bear it. this is the

"punar vishlesha bheeti" or having fear again that he may lose

the sight of his dear Lord. this stage is parama bhakti.

"yada hyevaisha etasmin udaram antaram kurute atha tasya bhayam

bhavati tattveva bhayam vidhusho manvanasya" taittiriyopanishad

even if the sight of that lord is lost for half a moment, a great fear

takes over this mature bhaktiyogi (vidhushah). This is is the fear

for the learned vidwan or jnani or bhaktiyogi.

adiyen Krishna Kalale