Hari
OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
The Narada Bhakti Sutra is our guide for a while… the
nature of Love (with the capital 'ell') and a full exploration of it. As
always, you are encouraged to seek out the full text from Chinmaya Publications
(links in side-bar); but for those who prefer e-readers, this version is recommended. Whilst awareness and interest can be
raised by these posts on AV-blog, they cannot substitute for a thorough reading
and contemplation...and practice!
We
are exploring different views and definitions of Bhakti. Having concatenated
the concepts of Love Divine given prior within his own statement (sutras
19/20), Narada-ji, now seeks to offer the authority of example from scripture.
यwa
ìjgaeipkanam!.21.
Yathaa
vrajagopikaanaam ||21||
Just as the Love of the gopis of Vraja.
In
the Srimad Bhagavatam we lean the most about the life of Sri Krishna and how
all the gopis (cowgirls) of the village of Vraja fell completely in Love with
the Him.
The
pure devotion of the gopis extended to their leaving their homes, their
families and completely surrendering to the only focus of attention for them -
the Lord of Vrindavan. Whilst still performing their daily tasks, such as
tending the cattle, or cooking meals, their minds were ever engaged in thoughts
of the Lord. If for any moment they discovered they had lost any minutes not
thinking of Him, they would feel devastated. Krishna declares to them at one
point "Oh dear gopis, breaking asunder the strong chains of family ties,
you all have served Me. For this pure Love of yours, even if I serve you for
aeons My debts will not be cleared!"
Such
was the example set by the gopis that all Gurus now use them as reference for
the Love Divine. It might be noted here, that Yeshu also recommended this form
of devotion. He told his disciples that the only true way to reach the Lord was
to follow His own example and surrender home and family - not at the cost of
communications - sweet Mother Mary was ever a part of the Guru's life; however
it was always accepted that He was on a path different from most and any who
would wish to achieve the same spiritual understanding as His would be best to
follow the example.
tÇaip
n mahaTMyHanivSm&Typvad>.22.
Tatraapi
na maahaatmya-jnana-vismRtyapavaadaH ||22||
Even
there, in this condition of total-love, there is no bane of forgetting the
glory of the Lord.
One
of the very common mistakes made by casual readers of the Bhagavatam, and
indeed even by eager students, is thinking that the gopis were simply
sentimental, love-lorn women at the mercy of their hormones! This is us judging
the Bhaktas from our own point of view, rather than raising our thinking to see
through their eyes. It has often been said that the gopis were so 'blinded by
love' that they surely could not be engaging their intellect at all and could
therefore not ever attain the True Wisdom-Knowledge (jnaana). In fact, nothing
could be less true; there are many expressions in the scripture, of the gopis
appreciation for and understanding of the Lord's True Nature and that through
their bhakti, they came to similar level of spiritual bliss.
Indeed,
we find that they have a very clear acceptance of the Lord's Truth, that their
'cowherd' was no mere philandering mortal. They declare at one point, 'You are
not a mere child of the Gopa tribe, but you are the very Inner Self of a living
things… Thou art Sri Naryana Himself, who has incarnated to serve the world.'
Here we are being advised that blind faith is not what
is required for Bhakti. Absolute devotion still requires an active and
enquiring mind with clear vision of Truth. Ordinary men fail to achieve the
highest devotion due to mistaking love for Love; capital 'ell' Love has no
chemical element to it. It does not drive lust, jealousy or any other emotion
except for simple, pure compassion for one and all. Such a compassion can only
arise from a full and complete Knowledge of the True Nature of things - what in
Advaita is referred to as The Real. Those who follow the path of Bhakta still
have to be clear about what is Real and what is not real, but their expression
of this understanding is to sing the Lord's praises, call His name constantly,
serve with only Him in mind and heart. Thus we can find that there is common
ground. The paths of Jnaana and Bhakti seek the same Truth, merely taking
different forms of expression. Both hold themselves high and are not of the
base, common, lustful expression of love to which many of us so easily fall prey.
This
is explored further...
