Naradabhakthisuthra=adhyaya1-sutra1

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Naradabhakthisuthra-adhyaya-1-Parabhakthisvarupam

 

suthra-1

 

aTHAtho bhakthim vyAkyAsyAmah

 

Now, therefore, we shall expound the divine love.

 

Suthras are aphorisms which tell the truths in short form like a formula. Brahma suthra by Vyasa serves the purpose of establishing the real purport of the upanishads while Dharmasuthra by Jaimini relates to the karamamarga or ritualistic discipline and the Pathanjali yoga suthra outlines the yoga discipline.

 

Narada extolled the path of bhakthi to Vyasa to pursuade him to write Bhagavathapurana. He begins with the words 'then therefore' as in the other works on the suthras. The word 'aTHa, then ,' denotes the Anantharya or the sequential action to something that precedes the knowledge of bhakthi. It refers to the necessary qualification of one who desires to follow the path of Bhakthimarga.Devotion cannot be instilled in any one at random but the person should already have the inclination for it.The arTHithva, intense desire to learn, the capacity shakthathva,to understand and exposure free from obstacles aparyudhasthathva should be present to make the study of any subject effective.

 

The path of bhakthi is open to all irrespective of caste,creed etc.who have belief in the grace of the Lord and faith in the path of devotion as an effective means of freeing one from the cycle of birth and death which causes the suffering in samsara.This fact is confirmed by Lord Krishna in Gita by saying that even those who have been born in lowliest of birth will attain the highest goal by taking refuge in Him.

 

Ramanuja mentions in sribhashya seven requisites for pursuing the path of devotion.They are:

1.vivEka, discrimination,

2.vimOka ,freedom from desires,

3.abhyAsa , practice,

4.kriya , doing good to others,

5.kalyaNa- auspicious qualities like nonviolence, straight forwardness, mercy etc.

6.anavasAdha,cheerfulness and

7. anuddharsha- absence of excessive hilarity.

 

These are explained exaustively in sribhshya of Ramanuja.

 

The next word in the suthra athah,therefore gives the reason for explaining the bhakthi suthra by Naradha. Bhakthi is the easiest means of attaining salvation . it is easily followed. it is the only path available to all. It is necessary even to those who acquire jnana for the simple reason that it softens heart of even a stoic vedantin without which he will dry up.Narada who has experienced it, wishes to share the joy of it with the world.

 

Then he says 'bhakthim vyAkhyAsyAmaha, we shall explain the pathof devotion.' Here the word 'we' is not used in the sense of reverence but it means that he is going to explain something which has been expounded and experienced by others before him and hence it is used in the plural sense only.By this it is implied that this is not a discourse on principles based on reason but an exposition based on actual experience.