Daily Devotion - July 13, 2025 (English)- Bhakti’s Inner Science

Nārad Bhakti Darshan is a scripture comprising eighty-four sutras (aphorisms). Nārad Ji is a descendant of God. He was given the name 'Nārad' because:
narasyedaṁ nāraṁ nāraṁ dyati iti nāradaḥ -
He who destroys the ignorance of human beings and bestows Divine love is called Nārad.

The Vedas describe three paths - karma (action), gyān (knowledge), and bhakti (devotion). There are many scriptures for each of these paths, but primarily, there are two main scriptures for the exposition of the path of karma -

1. Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā Darshan - This was written by Sage Jaimini. It is very popular.
2. Karma-Mīmāṁsā Darshan - This was written by Sage Bhāradwaj. It is not particularly prevalent.

These scriptures describe the rituals prescribed in Karmakānd - what a Brāhmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shūdra should do according to the Vedas; what a Brahmacārī, Gṛhastha, Vānaprasthī, and Sannyāsī should perform in their respective stages of life is described in detail.

Similarly, there are two primary scriptures for the path of gyān -

1. Uttar-Mīmāṁsā Darshan - This is very popular. This is also called Vedānta, Brahmasutra, or Shārīrak Bhāshya.
2. Siddhānt Darshan - This has had very little propagation.
   Both these scriptures were authored by Vedvyās.

Now, let us come to the path of Bhakti. The scriptures written on bhakti are -

1. Nārad Bhakti Darshan - by Nārad Ji.
2. Shāndilya Bhakti-Darshan - composed by Sage Shāndilya. This scripture is very difficult to understand. Reading it deludes even the minds of great intellectuals.
3. Āṅgiras Madhya Mīmāṁsā Darshan - This was created by Sage Āṅgira. This is also called Devi Mimamsa Darshan. Its propagation is limited.

Nārad Bhakti Darshan is very simple. It was created for Kaliyuga, in which people have limited intellectual capacity. Nārad Ji composed it with the intention that even such people may grasp it.

Nārad Ji composed the Nārad Bhakti Darshan at the very end, after completing his other works -

1. First, he wrote Nārad Smriti, in which rituals of karmakānd are delineated.
2. Then he composed Nārad Pāncharātram, in which he combined bhakti with karma. But even that, from the people's perspective, appeared difficult and unclear. He himself was not satisfied with it. He felt that karma, gyān, and yoga had gotten mixed into it - it had become adulterated.
3. He composed Nārad Bhakti Darshan later. In this, he expounded pure devotion - one that does not rely on karma, gyān, or yoga. Therefore, it is considered the most supreme scripture.

Brahmā had instructed Nārad Ji:
sarvātmannakhilādhāre iti saṁkalpya varṇaya
"There is a brief exposition of devotion in the Bhāgavatam. Now elaborate upon it in detail so that devotion to Shri Krishna may quickly manifest in human beings."

Bhakti was very distressed that no one was accepting her in Kaliyuga. So Nārad Ji made a vow to Bhakti:
kalinā sadr̥śa: ko'pi yugo nāsti varānane। tasmiṁstvāṁ sthāpayiṣyāmi gehe gehe jane jane॥
"There is no age like Kaliyuga for practicing bhakti. Therefore, I shall establish bhakti in the hearts of all beings, in every home and every person."
Nārad Ji expounded the Nārad Bhakti-Darshan from that very perspective.

Let us now consider the first five sūtras of this Darshan:

Sutra 1 - Athāto bhaktiṁ vyākhyāsyāma:।.
This sutra comprises four words: i) Atha ii) Ataḥ iii) bhaktiṁ iv) vyākhyāsyāma:
i) The word 'atha' has no specific meaning here, but it is considered auspicious. Both 'atha' and 'Om' are regarded as auspicious in the Vedas. At the beginning of any scripture, it is customary to write Om or some such auspicious word.
ii) Ataḥ - means "after this." Nārad Ji first expounded karma in Nārad Smṛti, then karma mixed with bhakti in Nārad Pāñcarātra. Now, he says, "I shall expound only bhakti. This shall be my final exposition. There is no tattvajñāna beyond this."
iii) Bhaktiṁ - He is going to delineate siddhā bhakti (perfected devotion), not sādhana bhakti. There is one sādhana bhakti that you all are practicing, and another that is attained through the Guru after the purification of the mind. He is going to describe that perfected bhakti.
iv) Vyākhyāsyāma: - In this scripture, he will expound the inner science of this siddhā bhakti.

Sutra 2 - Sā tvasmin paramapremarūpā
All of you have two forms - one external, consisting of your nose, ears, eyes, mouth, and body. A person may appear beautiful, smiling, and well-mannered. But upon interacting with them, you experience their internal nature. You may realize, "Oh! he’s very cunning, very deceitful, very moody," and so on.

Similarly, Nārad Ji first describes the external form of bhakti:
Sā tvasmin parama prema rūpā
Sā - means "that" bhakti
Tvasmin - means "in Him" - in Shri Krishna.
Parama-prema-rūpā - the highest form of love; that alone is bhakti. The supreme limit of love for Shri Krishna is bhakti. This is nothing other than māmeṁkaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja - complete surrender.

Shāndilya said the same thing:
Sā parānuraktirīśvare
Let there be supreme attachment to God - an attachment of the highest degree, supreme love. Anurāga is the servant of rāga. Anu means - "that which follows." Thus, anurāga follows behind rāga, or attachment.

God is filled with rāga. He tells us, "You are attached to your children - this is a very bad thing." But God Himself is attached to His children. He created the world for us. He designed the human body with such divine science that it develops in the mother’s womb. Then, from birth, He arranged for the nourishment of the child. First, He created milk in the mother’s breasts. As the child grew, He provided a variety of foods and, at the same time, remained ever-present, twenty-four hours a day. He kept a record of every single action. Such service cannot exist without attachment. He has attachment. That is why He is called sayujā sakhāya - a constant companion and friend. By remaining always with us, He protects and assists us endlessly.

If we truly understood His grace, if we genuinely realized it, there would be no need to do anything else. We would become mad in bliss, ecstatic, and surrender ourselves entirely. But we do not know. And even if we know, we do not believe. We are kṛtaghni - ungrateful beings who do not acknowledge favors.

He is helping us by bestowing so much grace upon us. Yet, we have forgotten Him. The souls have assumed the roles of father, son, wife, and husband among themselves.

The wave belongs to the ocean. If one wave rises near another, and a third and fourth rise and begin colliding, they may think they are friends - but it will all end in a moment. Only the ocean will remain. Today the father dies, tomorrow the son, the next day the wife, and then the sister. This world is such a drama. Everyone comes and goes. Then one is born to a new father and mother and gives birth to a new son. We perform so many unnecessary efforts, thinking someone is our own, and undergo so much anxiety - but what do we receive at death? Zero - nothing.

So the supreme love for God - this alone is called Bhakti.

Sutra 3 - Amr̥tasvarūpā ca
This is a very profound sutra. Now Nārad Ji is describing the inner nature of bhakti -
Amr̥tasvarūpā ca
Bhakti is of the nature of Amṛt - nectar.
First, we must understand the word Amṛt:
In the material realm, there are two types of Amṛt:

1. The Amṛt of this world - Ayurvedic physicians say, payo'mṛtam - milk is amṛt.
2. Amṛt of heaven - In heaven, there exists a liquid called amṛta. Those who drink it do not experience aging, disease, etc. - that is, no physical ailments. But even this amṛta is finite. One day it leads to death. Indra dies, Kubera dies, Agni dies, and Sūrya dies. All these celestial deities, although called gods and possessing great spiritual powers, are not eternal -

Yadyadvibhūtimatsattvaṁ śrī madūrjitameva vā।

Even that heavenly amṛt cannot make them immortal. Their bodies may remain youthful and disease-free, but the amṛt is bound by time. One day, it ceases to protect, and then they must leave heaven.

Therefore, neither of the above two types of amṛt can be called 'Amr̥tasvarūpā'. So, what is this Amr̥tasvarūpā ca?

Amṛt also means liberation:

Yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā ye'sya hr̥di śritā:। atha martyo'mr̥to bhavatyatra bramha samaśnute॥
When one relinquishes all desires and attains God, one becomes amṛt. Upon gaining knowledge of Brahm, one becomes Amṛt.

But this divine love - this divine bhakti - is not even that kind of amṛt, because the devotee does not even desire liberation.

So what is Amṛt?

1. One meaning of the word Amṛt is God Himself. Amṛt means God. So, bhakti is of the nature of God. That is the meaning here. Moreover, the one who attains bhakti also becomes Amr̥tasvarūpā. That is, he becomes Bhagavat-svarūpa - like God. Jānata tumahiṁ tumahiṁ hoi jāī। Further ahead, Nārad Ji says:
   Tasmiṁstajjane bhedābhāvāt। -
   There remains no difference between God and the devotee - Bhakti bhakta bhagavaṁta gurū caturnāma vapu eka।

Bhakti is in Bhagavān, Bhagavān is in bhakti, bhakta is in bhakti, bhakti is in the bhakta, Bhagavān is in the bhakta, the bhakta is in Bhagavān.
Thus, bhakti, bhakta, and Bhagavān all dwell within one another. Therefore, amṛta-svarūpā means "of the nature of God."

1. The word Amṛt has another subtle meaning. That is even more important. Actually, there are only three paths - karma, gyān, and bhakti. But sometimes yoga is also added as a fourth. So, excluding bhakti, three remain - karma, yoga, gyān.

The practice in all three involves strict rules:

1. In the path of karma - In sacrificial rites, six strict rules must be followed: regarding the materials used, the place, the time, the recipient, the means, and the recitation of Vedic mantras.
2. In the path of yoga - First, the desires of the mind must be restrained. Then one enters asamprajñāta samādhi, followed by samprajñāta samādhi. Only after this does one become established in the Self.
3. In the path gyān - One must first attain the ṣaṭ-sampatti (six virtues) such as śama and dama (control of mind and senses). Only then does one become qualified. Then come śravaṇa (listening), manana (reflection), nididhyāsana (contemplation), and the seven stages must be crossed. All of these are spiritual disciplines.

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Narad Bhakti Darshan