10-29-2005, 09:38 PM
<b>NARADA</b> (Bhakthi in charge)
All yogas aim at the purity of mind, the sole condition of knowing God. the three functions of the mind-- intellect, emotion and will--have to be purified of the dirt of ego. And the three yogas aim at achieving this. Jnana yoga purifies the intellect. <b>Bhakti yoga the emotion</b>, and the karma yoga the will; and a man is free to adopt anyone among the three paths in preference to the others. But the seeker would do well to attempt a synthesis of all the three paths, as it would be very helpful to achieve the aim more speedily.
<b>Bhakti was not a late appearance in Hindu religion.</b> Intense Bhakti or personal devotion, to the world-mother (Shakti), or world-father ( Narayana, or Mahadeva-Siva,) characterises all agama schools. The root of this attitude of Bhakti to a supreme Being, can be traced to , that spirit if Vedic Rishis, which made them praise as the highest, whatever God- High or Low, they happened to invoke at any time-- the spirit Max Muller labelled as Henotheism. the development of the agama schools, gave a great impetus to Bhakti movement, by concentrating the attention on one Deva, and this resulted in an extreme development of Bhakti, a devotion that expressed itself in an absorbing love, a complete self-surrender, sometimes going to the limit of singing and dancing. and this movement gave a great stimulus to art, temple-architecture, lyrical devotional literature; and poetry in Sanskrit and local spoken languages.
Let us see all references to the Great Narada, who commented (Vyaakhyamaha) on the Sastra of Bhakthi, which is prema towards the Para or Parama, in any inspiring form or otherwise, and in any pure and sincere manner, which gives pure satsfactory religious experince and contentment, which is pure, unselfish, positive, constructive,creative , and is available and possible of experience to one and all.
The earliest reference is in Rigveda VIII 13. wherein the devotional attitude is explicit. Also, jointly with his nephew rishi Parvatha in IX 104 &105. And he is associated with Sama Veda as Udgitr among Ritviks, in some Yagnas.
Besides several philosophical and mystical disquisitions like the Anusmrithi in Santhi Parva of Maha Bharata, Narada Bhakthi Sutra, Narada Smriti, Naradiya Siksha, Naradiya Parivrajakopanishad, Naradiya Purana, Naradiya Paancharaatra, Sangita Makaranda, etc.
Puranas refer to him as a wandering, heavenly melodist, singing the praise of lord Narayana, on the Lute Mahathi, he invented. Austerities and his contact with rishi Sanathkumara, equipped him with divine wisdom. Narada admits to Sanatkumara, that his vast erudition in the Vedas, its auxilieries, and secular sciences like mathematics, physics, medicine, chronology, polity, archery, logic and the rest could not remove the burden of sorrow. Sanathkumara gracefully,illumines Narada about the Infinite Bliss, Bhuma. (Chan Up. VII. 1.2.) He performed austerities and tapas, , by the side of a Himalayan lake, for a long period, and attained the vision of Savitri and of lord Vishnu, thereafter.
He is one of the ten spiritual sons of Brahma. and regarded as one of the 21 (3 rd) Avatharas.
It was through his inspiration that the Adi Kavi Valmiki commenced composing Ramayana. And Vyasa achieved self-fulfilment, through composition of Bhagavatha.
Puranas picturise him as a lively, and apparently at ease with all, but always under full self control, and only Loka-Kalyanam at heart. He is a divine messenger, the friend and philosopher and consoler of one and all -( Gods, men and Rakshasas ) , the intermediary between God and His creation.
The meaning derived for his nameis; one who gives knowledge of issues relating to God. (sabda kalpadruma). Another is that of a fomentor of quarrels. Kalahapriya. (Harivamsa). The latter looks a bit undegnified. But it was his special strategy aimed at the good and real welfare of all, as well as Dharma, effortlessly and in shortest possible time, with full knowledge of the nature and inclinations of the most of all species; -- men, gods, and rakshasas.
With Hiranyakasipu, away at tapas; when devas were oppressing asura women, narada took the wife of Hiranyakasipu who was pregnant with future Prahlada, into his care, and made Prahlada what he became later on.
Narada was said to have been cursed by Daksha Prajapathi, to be ever itenerant,without any abode. Thus he wandered all over ther worlds, with songs of praise of the Lord Narayan on his Vina. Dazzling with spiritual spleandour, bereft of all sin, and immersed in austerities from time to time, Narada wandered all over the worlds. ( M. Bharata XII. 213 to 215)
Bhishma tells Yudhishtira, the greatness aand sterling qualities of Narada, as heard by him from Sri Krishna. --- Absence of pride of possessing high character, possessing spiritual dignity, glory, intellectual penetration, tact, humility, noble birth,observing austerities, heroism; possessing true self (atma)-knowledge, forbearance, tranquility, sense-control, straight forwardness, truthfulness in speech, firm love in god, undeluded mind---. He observes the diverse behaviour of men, without despising anyone, and is a master of reconciling with others. Not attached to anyone, he is found deeply interested in all. He has no dislike for other beliefs and practices of worship of God; but lives according to his own. He never wastes his time and remains a master of himself under all conditions and circumstances. Ever modest and with humility, he is always open toinstruction from others, if it helps to add to his perfection. He never divulges the secrets of others. He is not affected in either way, if he obtains or does not, the objects of desire.
The Bhakti Sutras of Narada, is far from being an intellectually spun out system of thought. But a simple record of spiritual experience,and a course of conduct to aid the spiritual realisation of the most exalted type. No attempt is made to refute or criticise, views and experiences which he does not endorse. The aspirant reading the sutras is left to make his own free choice, from the methods and realisations described in the Sutras. Narada is typical jnanin, yogin, and Bhakta, in one. <b>However he prefers to deal with Bhakti as being the easiest and the most efficient of all paths, available for all ; irrespective of caste, creed or sex. In their full maturity, Bhakti, jnana and karma merge into one another; but in the early stages, they appear to be different methods of approach to the one unity of spiritual experience.</b>
All yogas aim at the purity of mind, the sole condition of knowing God. the three functions of the mind-- intellect, emotion and will--have to be purified of the dirt of ego. And the three yogas aim at achieving this. Jnana yoga purifies the intellect. <b>Bhakti yoga the emotion</b>, and the karma yoga the will; and a man is free to adopt anyone among the three paths in preference to the others. But the seeker would do well to attempt a synthesis of all the three paths, as it would be very helpful to achieve the aim more speedily.
<b>Bhakti was not a late appearance in Hindu religion.</b> Intense Bhakti or personal devotion, to the world-mother (Shakti), or world-father ( Narayana, or Mahadeva-Siva,) characterises all agama schools. The root of this attitude of Bhakti to a supreme Being, can be traced to , that spirit if Vedic Rishis, which made them praise as the highest, whatever God- High or Low, they happened to invoke at any time-- the spirit Max Muller labelled as Henotheism. the development of the agama schools, gave a great impetus to Bhakti movement, by concentrating the attention on one Deva, and this resulted in an extreme development of Bhakti, a devotion that expressed itself in an absorbing love, a complete self-surrender, sometimes going to the limit of singing and dancing. and this movement gave a great stimulus to art, temple-architecture, lyrical devotional literature; and poetry in Sanskrit and local spoken languages.
Let us see all references to the Great Narada, who commented (Vyaakhyamaha) on the Sastra of Bhakthi, which is prema towards the Para or Parama, in any inspiring form or otherwise, and in any pure and sincere manner, which gives pure satsfactory religious experince and contentment, which is pure, unselfish, positive, constructive,creative , and is available and possible of experience to one and all.
The earliest reference is in Rigveda VIII 13. wherein the devotional attitude is explicit. Also, jointly with his nephew rishi Parvatha in IX 104 &105. And he is associated with Sama Veda as Udgitr among Ritviks, in some Yagnas.
Besides several philosophical and mystical disquisitions like the Anusmrithi in Santhi Parva of Maha Bharata, Narada Bhakthi Sutra, Narada Smriti, Naradiya Siksha, Naradiya Parivrajakopanishad, Naradiya Purana, Naradiya Paancharaatra, Sangita Makaranda, etc.
Puranas refer to him as a wandering, heavenly melodist, singing the praise of lord Narayana, on the Lute Mahathi, he invented. Austerities and his contact with rishi Sanathkumara, equipped him with divine wisdom. Narada admits to Sanatkumara, that his vast erudition in the Vedas, its auxilieries, and secular sciences like mathematics, physics, medicine, chronology, polity, archery, logic and the rest could not remove the burden of sorrow. Sanathkumara gracefully,illumines Narada about the Infinite Bliss, Bhuma. (Chan Up. VII. 1.2.) He performed austerities and tapas, , by the side of a Himalayan lake, for a long period, and attained the vision of Savitri and of lord Vishnu, thereafter.
He is one of the ten spiritual sons of Brahma. and regarded as one of the 21 (3 rd) Avatharas.
It was through his inspiration that the Adi Kavi Valmiki commenced composing Ramayana. And Vyasa achieved self-fulfilment, through composition of Bhagavatha.
Puranas picturise him as a lively, and apparently at ease with all, but always under full self control, and only Loka-Kalyanam at heart. He is a divine messenger, the friend and philosopher and consoler of one and all -( Gods, men and Rakshasas ) , the intermediary between God and His creation.
The meaning derived for his nameis; one who gives knowledge of issues relating to God. (sabda kalpadruma). Another is that of a fomentor of quarrels. Kalahapriya. (Harivamsa). The latter looks a bit undegnified. But it was his special strategy aimed at the good and real welfare of all, as well as Dharma, effortlessly and in shortest possible time, with full knowledge of the nature and inclinations of the most of all species; -- men, gods, and rakshasas.
With Hiranyakasipu, away at tapas; when devas were oppressing asura women, narada took the wife of Hiranyakasipu who was pregnant with future Prahlada, into his care, and made Prahlada what he became later on.
Narada was said to have been cursed by Daksha Prajapathi, to be ever itenerant,without any abode. Thus he wandered all over ther worlds, with songs of praise of the Lord Narayan on his Vina. Dazzling with spiritual spleandour, bereft of all sin, and immersed in austerities from time to time, Narada wandered all over the worlds. ( M. Bharata XII. 213 to 215)
Bhishma tells Yudhishtira, the greatness aand sterling qualities of Narada, as heard by him from Sri Krishna. --- Absence of pride of possessing high character, possessing spiritual dignity, glory, intellectual penetration, tact, humility, noble birth,observing austerities, heroism; possessing true self (atma)-knowledge, forbearance, tranquility, sense-control, straight forwardness, truthfulness in speech, firm love in god, undeluded mind---. He observes the diverse behaviour of men, without despising anyone, and is a master of reconciling with others. Not attached to anyone, he is found deeply interested in all. He has no dislike for other beliefs and practices of worship of God; but lives according to his own. He never wastes his time and remains a master of himself under all conditions and circumstances. Ever modest and with humility, he is always open toinstruction from others, if it helps to add to his perfection. He never divulges the secrets of others. He is not affected in either way, if he obtains or does not, the objects of desire.
The Bhakti Sutras of Narada, is far from being an intellectually spun out system of thought. But a simple record of spiritual experience,and a course of conduct to aid the spiritual realisation of the most exalted type. No attempt is made to refute or criticise, views and experiences which he does not endorse. The aspirant reading the sutras is left to make his own free choice, from the methods and realisations described in the Sutras. Narada is typical jnanin, yogin, and Bhakta, in one. <b>However he prefers to deal with Bhakti as being the easiest and the most efficient of all paths, available for all ; irrespective of caste, creed or sex. In their full maturity, Bhakti, jnana and karma merge into one another; but in the early stages, they appear to be different methods of approach to the one unity of spiritual experience.</b>