Narada’s Bhakti Sutras – Aphorisms on Love/Devotion (Full English Translation & Summary from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Talks)

December 31, 2007 Paras Universal Comments 0 Comment

Bhakti Sutras by Narada: Well originally by Narada but Sri Sri Ravi Shankar breaks it down for us. Bhakti means devotion or divine love, unconditional love… the ultimate form of love. Sutras means string… something to do with sutras being the string and you the kite. All sutras and translation below.

Summary
– Origin and goal of life is love. Nobody would want to live without it. All the problems also come from love, a distorted form of love. You need to connect the outside to the centre. We need that tiny thread to make the kite soar in the sky. That is what sutra means. There are those who live in the centre and others who live outside. You need a path from ideology to practicality.

– Narada was mischievous. So should your life be. So you need a spoke to connect the wheel to the centre. Narada does this for love.

– There is a love that is universal, unconditional, one that can’t be explained or put in words when you love someone. This is Bhakti. So many different types of love but Bhakti is the ultimate. A love for a child will change from parents to their own children. Bhakti is immortal.

– This knowledge will give you strength. It’ll make you immortal and bring perfection to life.

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– When dogs bite the bone their gums release blood so they think it’s the bone that is juice. That way you think other things are juicy but you are the one that is juicy. You have what you’re looking for. So desire give you more greed. But attaining this love you will be sufficient. You wont get excited about things. The greatest misfortune is feeling satisfaction when you have no love in life. A fulfilled or unfulfilled desire makes you unhappy. So you have to limit your desire by looking for contentment where it will be fulfilled.

– Desire brings grief and grief brings hatred. You’ve hated what you really desire.

– Excitement throws you off balance. Love will centre you. Lucky are those who don’t look for contentment in material things.

– When you want to go somewhere you get in the car and know where you’re going. You’re not getting excited at every turn. You’d spoil the ride if you’re a so feverish every second of the ride. There is well intended intention and there is feverish desire. Be centred, calm, stable, steady. Sanyas doesn’t only mean dropping everything and being a recluse. It also means being centred.

– Feeling one with the divinity is the slogan of love. No separation. Feel connected with nature, with the world, with existence. There will always be conflict. Air conflicts with fire but also makes the fire burn more. So be indifferent to something that doesn’t suit you. You don’t hate someone when you’re indifferent to them. Indifference takes you beyond the duality of love and hate. You’ll save your mind and heart.

– Paras note: In the gross English language love is an emotion TOO. But real love is what you are. The Polish language has so many words for love, Hindi too.

– Dropping others supports. Counsellors, therapists, etc. It may seem helpful but it’s so much better not to involve a third party. Don’t go complaining to others. You won’t feel the total oneness. We take so many crutches in life… money, fame, friendship, etc. You take support from someone who is taking support too.

– Take it for granted that you are being loved and being taken care of. Divinity loves you.

– Remember every action has a flaw, everything has a flaw. Nobel jobs like Doctors needs sick people to be prolific. But see good intention behind peoples actions. Child makes a mistake, husband loves wife so much that he lies to her. Love will always win vs. truth.

– Krishna means one who attracts everybody. His nickname was butter thief but it means consciousness thief (Chit chor).

– Love something that you do not know. People who love their religion but not others have the wrong conflicts. When Jesus comes back which church will win? So many religions say I am the only way has got the message wrong. Love knowns no difference. Jesus was the only way for those in front of him.

– Love has no rules.

– You don’t need a discipline when you love something but you have to preserve love. It’s good to have discipline especially when it doesn’t interest you. You love working so much that you forget to eat and then you collapse. So extremes should be dropped. You love talking to someone so much that they don’t want to listen to you after a while. Intense love burns off quickly.

– Have love to do puja. Puja is love that comes from the fullness of the heart. Nature loves you and gives you fruits, water, millions of flowers, feeds you, rotates sun and moon around you. So you do the same to the divine by arti (total ecstasy). Lighting a lamp and circling the person with it. When you love and are happy you can’t wait to share it with someone. Nature worships you.

– When you love someone you can’t stop talking about them. Look at grandparents, oh the baby kicked the ball he’s going to be a great player. Praising is a sign of love.

– Good company is when you feel light after walking away from them.

– Rejoicing in self without any conflict is another sign of love. Restlessness is another sign when you’re away from them, the longing. Longing is Radha, love is Shyam. An old Indian tradition was for the girl to go back to her mom for a month. No email back then so longing would be kindled.

– Say love has 3 levels.
Attraction – You see something and you are attracted. Lust generates.
Second you see, what you are attracted to is hard to attain so love develops. It seeps into your heart and you start aching for it and longing it. Love develops.
Third is when it is yet at another distance. Then love doesn’t destroy the respect. Respect needs a little distance and love can’t stand distance. Ego is wanting respect and wanting more and more respect is never ending.
So the thread is needed to connect it all. Communicating at an equal level. (Great example in Games People Play)

– Love has 2% lust. Lust has 2% love. Why a man falls in love with a prostitute. The rishis made sure to include lust in their knowledge. Lust is aggressive, feverish while love is submissive, giving, caring. Lust makes a person an object and stimulation of body, love raises the person and stimulation of the soul. If there is only lust then you don’t want to give comfort to others. Love rejoices in the joy of others. Prostitute only wants money and customer only wants satisfaction.

– One moment of Samadhi is 1000x of sex. You have been doing one for lifetimes, why not try achieve the other.

– No matter how close your love only grows.

– Love and pain are like twins. Why is heartbreak and loneliness so difficult. So how do you get to the pain-free love?
1 – Going inward. Mana is mind but when mind goes back to source is opposite namah. We are always identifying with our senses. Step back and see that you are not your senses. Senses will pull you in all directions. Retire from company, too much company will not help you get to the source. Sri Sri says those who have too many pictures of him are not really devotees as how can you forget him.
2 – Uninterrupted sharing bhajans, singing the glory of divinity. Share what divinity is. Don’t just surrender on special days for God.
3 – Even in your day to day see the sacredness. Appreciate divinity in the gravel, ants, cars, etc. You feel uplifted when you hear praises of others. The more loving you become the more you rejoice in others qualities. Also when you say truth that is not so nice make sure you don’t say it from a bad or bitter place. Listen to good things.

– God created man and man kept chasing God with all complains and no satisfaction. So a saint told God to hide in the heart of men as that is somewhere they never go. Man has to wake God up after waking themselves.

– Company of the divine is the best. You want to be happy you keep happy company. It’s very difficult to get company of saints but if you do it cannot be described in words.

– The nun went to hell because god said she was praying to him and asking him for so many things on Earth while a bad driver went to heaven because people remembered god when they sat wit him.

– Shun bad company. People are not bad but tendencies are bad. Bad company creates desires, jealousy, anger, delusion, forgetfulness of life, loss of reason. When you go with a lot of problem to good company you’ll feel lighter.

– If you are happy in your own company you’re complete. Let your mind move into it’s source. Learn to relax in self.

– If you want to get depressed just sit and think ‘what about me, me, me’.

– You want to grow qualities in someone praise the qualities you want to see.

– Suppose you don’t get the opportunity to meet the divine through an enlightened, then you go into seclusion. Addiction, violence, bad qualities… go into seclusion. Fermented/unanswered questions turn into violence.

– You either want what you don’t have or maintain what you have. Maintaining or acquiring. So with seclusion you take care of this attachment.

– Third option is to drop the fruit of the action. Don’t regret or rejoice the action. Just keep moving. The worry will create anxiety and regret. If you drop all knowledge even Vedas you will be enlightened.

– Laughter happens when reasons don’t hold. Laughter will make you transcend the intellect. Such a person crosses the ocean of misery and helps others cross it.

– Ventanta is the pinnacle of knowledge, where knowledge ends. So it makes the intellect hollow and empty.

– Observing a child, you can get all the knowledge that you need. Or one who is like a child can guide everybody. Remember there is a difference between childish and childlike. A sadh-guru is your child and a child is like a sadh-guru.

– 5 qualities for a guru:
Sadness disappears,
Happiness wells up,
Awareness of knowledge is protected, wisdom is gained,
Abundance keeps coming, what is needed will come. A sense of it,
Skills, hidden talents blossom.

– If you can describe love you only touch the surface. When you’re so in love you make indescribable names. Bubu, patapu, etc.

– All individuals are like a see through pot with a light in them. The light shines through but most pots have some obstacles so it’s shines through here and there. Even opaque criminals have transformed into transparent vessels of love.

– Watch what you love. Do you love the persons attributes or the person. Through the eyes of a parent they’ll love the child beyond the qualities. I love you BECAUSE is the problem as there are strings attached.

– Love transforms. Child loves parents, then sweets, then friends, then opposite sex, then partner, then their own child. But in Bhakti love grows and goes deeper and deeper. Never breaks, no flaws, no conditions, you have no choice but to be in Bhakti.

– Boredom and love have repetition in common. You keep repeating your love.

– What you are is what you project. Listen to someone for 5 minutes you’ll get the flavour. Unhappy people feel uncomfortable with happy people. What you attain is what you like to talk about, think about, be about. Paras note: Reminds me of folks who say eat, drink, sleep football. So attaining Bhakti, even the people who come with bad intentions will be seen as people coming with love. When someone with good intention cooks for you but they burn the food, you will see the good intention. Doctors mistakes will still be seen as an attempt to save the person. Even terrorists have love, so much love for their ideals that they are ready to give up their life.

– Tamasik love is love that doesn’t do good for you. Like love for cigarette.
Rajasik love brings great excitement and then great depression. You can’t contain the love or get so excited you can’t experience it. It creates more and more desire. Conditional.
Satvik love brings peace, harmony, knowledge and sense of belongingness. Unconditional.

– 4 types of people looking for love and they group together.
Miserable (closed in),
Wealth, comfort (at least motivated by something),
Meaning in life,
Knowledgeable.

– Goal of knowledge is to attain love.

– To learn you need time, to like you don’t need time. To learn cooking or music takes time, to enjoy it doesn’t take time. So it’s so easy to be in love. It won’t be easy for you if you don’t accept people. So love is the easiest path. Love needs no proof. You spread the bliss and not like these cuckoo people who are trying so hard to show their bliss.

– Anxiety means you don’t have trust, faith in the divine, in the master plan. A rich man’s son doesn’t worry about his next meal. People are so worried about their prestige or honour or image. Who has time for them all the time?

– If you’re thinking of so much sex just go and get it out of the system so you can get back to self. Thinking of sex so much makes you dull and love is lost. Same for money. Sex, money, atheist and enemies conversations should be avoided.

– Don’t believe all that you see. Thinks don’t look as they seem. Think facebook narcissists lying about the awesome life they live.

– 6 Distortions of love:
Expectations,
Anger,
Greed,
Arrogance,
Jealousy,
Pride.

– Even if one of these distortions come up your peace of mind is lost and then when you come to your senses you have regret. A devotee should direct all the good and these bad to the divine. Be proud in being humble, be jealous in being generous, be greedy to give.

– Astrologers were clever to blame things on planets.

– 2 Types of love:
Master and servant – there is respect and distance,
Companion – distance is not tolerated.
When both these merge that is complete. So basically 3 types.

– Sharing makes love grow and makes you feel so full.

– Rejoice your own company. What are 2 bored people going to be but more bored. While 2 fountains of joy will be a river that goes running to the divine.

– Devotion is in your nature.

– One of attains Bhakti will have a choked throat and hairs stand up, blabbering, etc. Because of the inability to express their experience.

– There are people who give value to things and people who make things valuable. Someone values an expensive car while what Gandhi wore got value because he wore it.

– Nature has no boundaries. It loves everyone the same. I doesn’t say I don’t like this person so I’ll give it less oxygen. Beautiful or ugly is all the same. Boundaries and barriers are manmade and for a reason but not love. Sun shines on everyone equally.

– Arguments have never changed peoples feelings. Just let it be.

– Take it for granted that there is love and everyone loves you. Don’t demand for love, love doesn’t need proof. If love can be proved it’s a greedy love which will ask for more proof.

– Anything that can kindle love in you. Do it!

– Try to nurture nonviolence, truthfulness, cleanliness, compassion, and faith.

– Singing is given so much prominence in all the cultures. Your body, mind and words are dedicated. Heart and soul go into it.

– Todays truth is different to tomorrow and yesterdays truth. And all your actions are dedicated to love. In all 3 dimensions love is supreme.

– 11 forms of attachment: Attachment to the Lord’s glorious qualities, to His beauty, to worshiping Him, to remembering Him, to serving Him, to reciprocating with Him as a friend, to caring for Him as a parent, to dealing with Him as a lover, to surrendering one’s whole self to Him, to being absorbed in thought of Him, and to experiencing separation from Him. This last is the supreme attachment.

Chapters
1 – The love does not die,
2 – Love is beyond desires,
3 – Love knows no conflict,
4 – Rejoicing without conflict,
5 – Love is pure communication,
6 – Love and respect,
7 – The means to divine love,
8 – Awakening the divinity within,
9 – Crossing the ocean of misery,
10 – Love cannot be expressed,
11 – Attaining divine love
12 – Love needs no proof,
13 – Love is supreme,
14 – The 6 distortions of love,
15 – Love, A hidden secret,
16 – Love knows no boundaries,
17 – Dwell in the divine,
18 – The ultimate truth.

This knowledge dates centuries back… what’s amazing about Bhakti sutras, Patanjali sutras, Vedas, puranas etc is that its vidya/unchangeable truths. Time normally changes lots of truths, yet these have stayed.

Original PDF

SÜTRA 1
athäto bhaktià vyäkhyäsyämaù

SYNONYMS
atha—now; ataù—therefore; bhaktim—devotional service; vyäkhyäsyämaù—we shall try to explain.

TRANSLATION
Now, therefore, I will try to explain the process of devotional service.

SÜTRA 2
sä tv asmin parama-prema-rüpä

SYNONYMS
sä—it; tu—and; asmin—for Him (the Supreme Lord); parama—highest; prema—pure love; rüpä—having as its form.

TRANSLATION
Devotional service manifests as the most elevated, pure love for God.

SÜTRA 3
amåta-svarüpä ca

SYNONYMS
amåta—immortality; svarüpä—having as its essence; ca—and.

TRANSLATION
This pure love for God is eternal.

SÜTRA 4
yal labdhvä pumän siddho bhavaty amåto bhavati tåpto bhavati

SYNONYMS
yat—which; labdhvä—having gained; pumän—a person; siddhaù—perfect; bhavati— becomes; amåtaù—immortal; bhavati—becomes; tåptaù—peaceful; bhavati— becomes.

TRANSLATION
Upon achieving that stage of transcendental devotional service in pure love of God, a person becomes perfect, immortal, and peaceful.

SÜTRA 5
yat präpya na kiïcid väïchati na çocati na dveñöi na ramate notsähé bhavati

SYNONYMS
yat—which; präpya—having attained; na kiïcit—nothing; väïchati—hankers for; na çocati—does not lament; na dveñöi—does not hate; na ramate—does not rejoice; na— not; utsähé—materially enthusiastic; bhavati—becomes.

TRANSLATION
A person engaged in such pure devotional service neither desires anything for sense gratification, nor laments for any loss, nor hates anything, nor enjoys anything on his personal account, nor becomes very enthusiastic in material activity.

SÜTRA 6
yaj jïätvä matto bhavati stabdho bhavaty ätmärämo bhavati

SYNONYMS
yat—which; jïätvä—having known; mattaù—intoxicated; bhavati—becomes; stabdhaù—stunned (in ecstasy); bhavati—becomes; ätma-ärämaù—self-content (because of being engaged in the service of the Lord); bhavati—becomes.

TRANSLATION
One who understands perfectly the process of devotional service in love of Godhead becomes intoxicated in its discharge. Sometimes he becomes stunned in ecstasy and thus enjoys his whole self, being engaged in the service of the Supreme Self.

SÜTRA 7
sä na kämayamänä nirodha-rüpatvät

SYNONYMS
sä—that devotional service in pure love of God; na—not; kämayamänä—like ordinary lust; nirodha—renunciation; rüpatvät—because of having as its form.

TRANSLATION
There is no question of lust in the execution of pure devotional service, because in it all material activities are renounced.

SÜTRA 8
nirodhas tu loka-veda-vyäpära-nyäsaù

SYNONYMS
nirodhaù—renunciation; tu—moreover; loka—of social custom; veda—and of the revealed scripture; vyäpära—of the engagements; nyäsa—renunciation.

TRANSLATION
Such renunciation in devotional service means to give up all kinds of social customs and religious rituals governed by Vedic injunction.

SÜTRA 9
tasminn ananyatä tad-virodhiñüdäsénatä ca

SYNONYMS
tasmin—for Him; ananyatä—exclusive dedication; tat—to Him; virodhiñu—for those things which are opposed; udäsénatä—indifference; ca—and.

TRANSLATION
Renunciation also means being exclusively dedicated to the Lord and indifferent to what stands in the way of His service.

SÜTRA 10
anyäçrayäëäà tyägo ‘nanyatä

SYNONYMS
anya—other; äçrayäëäm—of shelters; tyägaù—the giving up; an-anyatä— exclusiveness.

TRANSLATION
Exclusive dedication to the Lord means giving up all shelters other than Him.

SÜTRA 11
loka-vedeñu tad-anuküläcaraëaà tad-virodhiñüdäsénatä

SYNONYMS
loka—in society and politics; vedeñu—and in the Vedic rituals; tat—for that; anuküla— of what is favorable; äcaraëam—performance; tat—for that; virodhiñu—for what is opposed; udäsénatä—indifference.

TRANSLATION
Indifference toward what stands in the way of devotional service means to accept only those activities of social custom and Vedic injunction that are favorable to devotional service.

SÜTRA 12
bhavatu niçcaya-däròhyäd ürdhvaà çästra-rakñaëam

SYNONYMS
bhavatu—let there be; niçcaya—of certainty; däròhyät—the firm fixing; ürdhvam— after; çästra—of scripture; rakñaëam—the observance.

TRANSLATION
One must continue to follow scriptural injunctions even after one is fixed up in determined certainty that devotional service is the only means for reaching the perfection of life.

SÜTRA 13
anyathä pätitya-çaìkayä

SYNONYMS
anyathä—otherwise; pätitya—of falling down; çaìkayä—because of anticipating the possibility.

TRANSLATION
Otherwise there is every possibility of falling down.

SÜTRA 14
loke ‘pi tävad eva bhojanädi-vyäpäras tv ä-çaréra-dhäraëävadhi

SYNONYMS
loke—in social behavior; api—also; tävat—for that long; eva—indeed; bhojana— eating; ädi—and so on; vyäpäraù—the activity; tu—and; ä-çaréra-dhäraëä-avadhi—for as long as one still has this body.

TRANSLATION
For as long as the body lasts, one should engage minimally in social and political activities and in such matters as eating.

SÜTRA 15
tal-lakñaëäni väcyante nänä-mata-bhedät

SYNONYMS
tat—of it (devotional service); lakñaëäni—the characteristics; väcyante—are enunciated; nänä—various; mata—of theories; bhedät—according to the differences.

TRANSLATION
Now the characteristics of devotional service will be described according to various authoritative opinions.

SÜTRA 16
püjädiñv anuräga iti päräçaryaù

SYNONYMS
püjä-ädiñu—for worship and so on; anurägaù—fondness; iti—so thinks; päräçaryaù— Vyäsadeva, the son of Paräçara.

TRANSLATION
Çréla Vyäsadeva, the son of Paräçara Muni, says that bhakti is fond attachment for worshiping the Lord in various ways.

SÜTRA 17
kathädiñv iti gargaù

SYNONYMS
kathä-ädtiñu—for narrations and so on; iti—so; garga—Garga Muni.

TRANSLATION
Garga Muni says that bhakti is fondness for narrations about the Lord, by the Lord, and so on.

SÜTRA 18
ätma-raty-avirodheneti çäëòilyaù

SYNONYMS
ätma—in relation with the Supreme Soul; rati—of pleasure; avirodhena—by freedom from obstruction; iti—so; çäëòilyaù—Çäëòilya.

TRANSLATION
Çäëòilya says that bhakti results from one’s removing all obstructions to taking pleasure in the Supreme Self.

SÜTRA 19
näradas tu tad-arpitäkhiläcäratä tad-vismaraëe parama-vyäkulateti

SYNONYMS
näradaù—Närada; tu—but; tat—to Him; arpita—offered; akhila—all; äcäratä—having one’s activities; tat—Him; vismaraëe—in forgetting; parama—supreme; vyäkulatä— distress; iti—so.

TRANSLATION
Närada, however, says that bhakti consists of offering one’s every act to the Supreme Lord and feeling extreme distress in forgetting Him.

SÜTRA 20
asty evam evam

SYNONYMS
asti—it is; evam evam—like each of these.

TRANSLATION
Bhakti is, in fact, correctly described in each of these ways.

SÜTRA 21
yathä vraja-gopikänäm

SYNONYMS
yathä—as; vraja—of Vraja; gopikänäm—of the cowherd women.

TRANSLATION
The cowherd women of Vraja are an example of pure bhakti.

SÜTRA 22
taträpi na mähätmya-jïäna-vismåty-apavädaù

SYNONYMS
tatra—in that case; api—even; na—there is not; mähätmya—of greatness; jïäna—of awareness; vismåti—of forgetting; apavädaù—criticism.

TRANSLATION
Even in the case of the gopés, one cannot criticize them for forgetting the Lord’s greatness.

SÜTRA 23
tad-vihénaà järäëäm iva

SYNONYMS
tat—of it (awareness of the Lord’s greatness); vihénam—devoid; järäëäm—of illicit lovers; iva—like.

TRANSLATION
On the other hand, displays of devotion without knowledge of God’s greatness are no better than the affairs of illicit lovers.

SÜTRA 24
nästy eva tasmiàs tat-sukha-sukhitvam

SYNONYMS
na—there is not; eva—indeed; tasmin—in it; tat—His; sukha—in the happiness; sukhitvam—finding happiness.

TRANSLATION
In such false devotion one does not find pleasure exclusively in the Lord’s pleasure.

SÜTRA 25
sä tu karma-jïäna-yogebhyo ‘py adhikatarä

SYNONYMS
sä—it; tu—but; karma—to fruitive work; jïäna—speculative knowledge; yogebhyaù— and mystic meditation; api—indeed; adhikatarä—superior.

TRANSLATION
Pure devotional service, on the other hand, is far superior to fruitive work, philosophical speculation, and mystic meditation.

SÜTRA 26
phala-rüpatvät

SYNONYMS
phala—of the fruit; rüpatvät—because of being the form.

TRANSLATION
After all, bhakti is the fruit of all endeavor.

SÜTRA 27
éçvarasyäpy abhimäni-dveñitväd dainya-priyatväc ca

SYNONYMS
éçvarasya—of the Supreme Lord; api—also; abhimäni—of those who are proud; dveñitvät—because of being one who dislikes; dainya—of humility; priyatvät—because of being fond; ca—and.

TRANSLATION
Furthermore, the Lord dislikes the proud but is pleased with the humble.

SÜTRA 28
tasyä jïänam eva sädhanam ity eke

SYNONYMS
tasyäù—of it (bhakti); jïänam—knowledge; eva—alone; sädhanam—the means; iti— thus; eke—some.

TRANSLATION
Some say that knowledge is the means for developing devotion.

SÜTRA 29
anyonyäçrayatvam ity eke

SYNONYMS
anyonya—mutual; äçrayatvam—dependency; iti—thus; eke—some.

TRANSLATION
Others consider bhakti and knowledge interdependent.

SÜTRA 30
svayaà phala-rüpeti brahma-kumäraù

SYNONYMS
svayam—itself; phala-rüpä—manifesting as its fruit; iti—thus; brahma-kumäraù—the son of Brahmä (Närada).

TRANSLATION
But the son of Brahmä says that bhakti is its own fruit.

SÜTRAS 31-32
räja-gåha-bhojanädiñu tathaiva dåñöatvät. na tena räja-paritoñaù kñuc-chäntir vä

SYNONYMS
räja—royal; gåha—in a residence; bhojana—in a meal: ädiñu—and so on; tathä eva— just like this; dåñöatvät—because of its being seen; na—not; tena—by that; räja—of the king; paritoñaù—satisfaction; kñut—of hunger; çäntiù—pacification; vä—or.

TRANSLATION
This is illustrated by the examples of a royal palace, a meal, and so on. A king is not really satisfied just by seeing a palace, nor can someone placate his hunger just by looking at a meal.

SÜTRA 33
asmät saiva grähyä mumukñubhiù

SYNONYMS
asmät—ttherefore; sä—it; eva—only; grähyä—should be accepted; mumukñubhiù—by persons desiring liberation.

TRANSLATION
Therefore seekers of liberation should take to devotional service alone.

SÜTRA 34
tasyäù sädhanäni gäyanty äcäryäù

SYNONYMS
tasyäù—of it; sädhanäni—the means of development; gäyanti—sing; äcäryäù—the great teachers.

TRANSLATION
Standard authorities have described the methods for achieving devotional service.

SÜTRA 35
tat tu viñaya-tyägät saìga-tyägäc ca

SYNONYMS
tat—that; tu—and; viñaya—of sense gratification; tyägät—by rejection; saìga—of (material) association; tyägät—by rejection; ca—and.

TRANSLATION
One achieves bhakti by giving up sense gratification and mundane association.

SÜTRA 36
avyävåtta-bhajanät

SYNONYMS avyävåtta—uninterrupted; bhajanät—by worship.

TRANSLATION
One achieves bhakti by worshiping the Lord ceaselessly.

SÜTRA 37
loke ‘pi bhagavad-guëa-çravaëa-kértanät

SYNONYMS
loke—in the world; api—even; bhagavat—of the Supreme Lord; guëa—about the qualities; çravaëa—by hearing; kértanät—and chanting.

TRANSLATION
One achieves bhakti by hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord’s special qualities, even while engaged in the ordinary activities of life in this world.

SÜTRA 38
mukhyatas tu mahat-kåpayaiva bhagavat-kåpä-leçäd vä

SYNONYMS
mukhyataù—primarily; tu—but; mahat—of great souls; kåpayä—by the mercy; eva— indeed; bhagavat—of the Supreme Lord; kåpä—of the mercy; leçät—by a trace; vä— or.

TRANSLATION
Primarily, however, one develops bhakti by the mercy of great souls, or by a small drop of the Lord’s mercy.

SÜTRA 39
mahat-saìgas tu durlabho ‘gamyo ‘moghaç ca

SYNONYMS
mahat—of great souls; saìgaù—the association; tu—but; durlabhaù—difficult to achieve; agamyaù—difficult to understand; amoghaù—infallible; ca—also.

TRANSLATION
The association of great souls is rarely obtained, difficult to understand, and infallible.

SÜTRA 40
labhyate ‘pi tat-kåpayaiva

SYNONYMS

labhyate—it is gained; api—yet; tat—of Him (the Supreme Lord); kåpayä—by the mercy; eva—only.

TRANSLATION
The association of great souls can be attained—but only by the Lord’s mercy.

SÜTRA 41
tasmiàs taj-jane bhedäbhävät

SYNONYMS
tasmin—in Him; tat—His; jane—in the people; bheda—of difference; abhävät— because of the absence.

TRANSLATION
[One can attain bhakti either by the association of the Lord’s pure devotees or directly by the Lord’s mercy because] the Lord and His pure devotees are nondifferent.

SÜTRA 42
tad eva sädhyatäà tad eva sädhyatäm

SYNONYMS
tat—that; eva—only; sädhyatäm—should be strived for; tat—that; eva—only; sädhyatäm—should be strived for.

TRANSLATION
Strive, strive only for the association of pure devotees.

SÜTRA 43
duùsaìgaà sarvathaiva tyäjyaù

SYNONYMS
duùsaìgam—bad association; sarvathä—in all its aspects; eva—indeed; tyäjyaù—to be given up.

TRANSLATION
One should give up all kinds of degrading association.

SÜTRA 44
käma-krodha-moha-småti-bhraàça-buddhi-näça-sarva-näça-käraëatvät

SYNONYMS
käma—of lust; krodha—anger; moha—bewilderment; småti-bhraàça—failure of memory; buddhi-näça—loss of intelligence; sarva-näça—and total loss; käraëatvät— because of being the cause.

TRANSLATION
Material association is the cause of lust, anger, confusion, forgetfulness, loss of intelligence, and total calamity.

SÜTRA 45
taraìgitä apéme saìgät samudräyanti

SYNONYMS
taraìgitäù—forming waves; api—indeed; ime—these; saìgät—from material association; samudräyanti—create an ocean.

TRANSLATION
Rising like waves from material association, these bad effects mass into a great ocean of misery.

SÜTRA 46
kas tarati kas tarati mäyäà yaù saìgaà tyajati yo mahänubhävaà sevate nirmamo bhavati

SYNONYMS
kaù—who; tarati—crosses beyond; kaù—who; tarati—crosses beyond; mäyäm— illusion; yaù—he who; saìgam—material association; tyajati—abandons; yaù—who; mahä-anubhävam—the wise person; sevate—serves; nirmamaù—free from false proprietorship; bhavati—becomes.

TRANSLATION
Who can cross beyond illusion? One who abandons material association, serves the sages, and becomes selfless.

SÜTRA 47
yo vivikta-sthänaà sevate yo loka-bandham unmülayati nistraiguëyo bhavati yo yoga- kñemaà tyajati

SYNONYMS
yaù—who; vivikta—secluded; sthänam—a place; sevate—serves; yaù—who; loka—of mundane society; bandham—the bondage; unmülayati—uproots; nistrai-guëyaù—free from the influence of the three modes of material nature; bhavati—becomes; yaù— who; yoga—(desire for) gain; kñemam—and security; tyajati—gives up.

TRANSLATION
[Who can cross beyond illusion?] That person who stays in a secluded place, cuts off at the root his attachment to mundane society, becomes free from the influence of the three modes of nature, and gives up hankering for material gain and security.

SÜTRA 48
yaù karma-phalaà karmäëi sanyasyati tato nirdvandvo bhavati

SYNONYMS
yaù—who; karma-phalam—the fruit of material work; karmäëi—his material activities; sanyasati—resigns; tataù—thus; nirdvandvaù—un-affected by dualities; bhavati— becomes.

TRANSLATION
[Who can cross beyond illusion?] That person who renounces material duties and their profits, thus transcending duality.

SÜTRA 49
yo vedän api sanyasyati kevalam avicchinnänurägaà labhate

SYNONYMS
yaù—who; vedän—the Vedas; api—even; sanyasyati—renounces; kevalam— exclusive; avicchinna—uninterrupted; anurägam—loving attraction; labhate—obtains.

TRANSLATION
That person who renounces even the Vedas obtains exclusive and uninterrupted attraction for God.

SÜTRA 50
sa tarati sa tarati lokäàs tärayati

SYNONYMS
saù—he; tarati—crosses beyond; saù—he; tarati—crosses beyond; lokän—the people of this world; tärayati—he makes cross beyond.

TRANSLATION
Such a person, indeed, is delivered, and he also delivers the rest of the world.

SÜTRA 51
anirvacanéyaà prema-svarüpam

SYNONYMS
anirvacanéyam—beyond description; prema—of mature love of God; svarüpam—the essential identity.

TRANSLATION
The true nature of pure love of God is beyond description.

SÜTRA 52
mükäsvädana-vat

SYNONYMS
mükä—of a mute; äsvädana—the tasting; vat—like.

TRANSLATION
[Trying to describe the experience of pure love of God] is like a mute’s effort to describe what he tastes.

SÜTRA 53
prakäçyate kväpi pätre

SYNONYMS
prakäçyate—it is revealed; kva api—sometimes; pätre—to a fit recipient.

TRANSLATION
Nonetheless, from time to time pure love of God is revealed to those who are qualified.

SÜTRA 54
guëa-rahitaà kämanä-rahitaà pratikñaëa-vardhamänam avicchinnaà sükñma-taram anubhava-rüpam

SYNONYMS
guëa—material qualities; rahitam—devoid of; kämanä—material desire; rahitam— devoid of; prati-kñaëa—at every moment; var—dhamänam—increasing; avicchinnam —uninterrupted; sükñma-taram—most subtle; anubhava—consciousness; rüpam—as its form.

TRANSLATION
Pure love of God manifests as the most subtle consciousness, devoid of material qualities and material desires, increasing at every moment, and never interrupted.

SÜTRA 55
tat präpya tad evävalokayati tad eva çåëoti tad eva bhäñayati tad eva cintayati

SYNONYMS
tat—it; präpya—having obtained; tat—Him; eva—alone; avalokayati—one looks at; tat—Him; eva—alone; çåëoti—one hears about; tat—Him; eva—alone; bhäñayati— one speaks about; tat—Him; eva—alone; cintayati—one thinks about.

TRANSLATION
Having obtained pure love of God, one looks only at the Lord, hears only about Him, speaks only of Him, and thinks only of Him.

SÜTRA 56
gauëé tridhä guëa-bhedäd ärtädi-bhedäd vä

SYNONYMS
gauëé—secondary, mixed with the material modes; tridhä—threefold; guëa—of the material modes; bhedät—by the differentiation; ärta—of the one who is distressed; ädi —and so on; bhedät—by differentiation; vä—or.

TRANSLATION
Secondary devotional service is of three kinds, according to which of the three material modes predominates, or according to which material motivation—distress and so on— brings one to bhakti.

SÜTRA 57
uttarasmäd uttarasmät pürva-pürvo çreyäya bhavati

SYNONYMS
uttarasmät uttarasmät—than each later one; pürva-pürvaù—each earlier one; çreyäya bhavati—is to be considered better.

TRANSLATION
Each earlier stage should be considered better than the one following it.

SÜTRA 58
anyasmät saulabhyaà bhaktau

SYNONYMS
anyasmät—than anything else; saulabhyam—ease of attainment; bhaktau—in devotional service.

TRANSLATION
Success is easier to attain by devotional service than by any other process.

SÜTRA 59
pramäëäntarasyänapekñatvät svayaà pramäëatvät

SYNONYMS
pramäëa—means of valid knowing; antarasya—another; an-apekñatvät—because of not being dependent on; svayam—in its own right; pramäëatvät—because of being a valid authority.

TRANSLATION
The reason devotional service is the easiest of all spiritual processes is that it does not depend on any other authority for its validity, being itself the standard of authority.

SÜTRA 60
çänti-rüpät paramänanda-rüpäc ca

SYNONYMS
çänti—of peace; rüpät—because of (being) the form; parama—topmost; änanda—of pleasure; rüpät—because of (being) the form; ca—and.

TRANSLATION
Furthermore, bhakti is the embodiment of peace and supreme ecstasy.

SÜTRA 61
loka-hänau cintä na käryä niveditätma-loka-vedatvät

SYNONYMS
loka—of the world; hänau—about loss; cintä—worry; na käryä—should not be done; nivedita—because of having surrendered; ätma—one’s own; loka—mundane affairs; vedatvät—and Vedic duties.

TRANSLATION
After consigning to the Lord all one’s mundane and Vedic duties, one no longer need worry about worldly loss.

SÜTRA 62
na tatsiddhau loka-vyävahäro heyaù kintu phala-tyägas tat-sädhanaà ca käryam eva

SYNONYMS
na—not; tat—of it (devotional service); siddhau—in the achievement; loka—mundane; vyävahäraù—business; heyaù—to be abandoned; kintu—rather; phala—of the results; tyägaù—abandonment; tat—of it (devotional service); ca—and; käryam—must be done; eva—indeed.

TRANSLATION
Even after one has achieved devotional service, one should not abandon one’s responsibilities in this world but should rather continue surrendering the results of one’s work to the Lord. And while still trying to reach the stage of pure devotion, one must certainly continue executing prescribed duties.

SÜTRA 63
stré-dhana-nästika-caritraà na çravaëéyam

SYNONYMS
stré—of women; dhana—wealth; nästika—and atheists; caritram—stories; na çravaëéyam—should not be listened to.

TRANSLATION
One should not find entertainment in news of women, money, and atheists.

SÜTRA 64
abhimäna-dambhädikaà tyäjyam

SYNONYMS
abhimäna—pride; dambha—deceit; ädikam—and so on; tyäjyam—should be given up.

TRANSLATION
One should put aside false pride, hypocrisy, and other vices.

SÜTRA 65
tad arpitäkhiläcäraù san käma-krodhäbhimänädikaà tasminn eva karaëéyam

SYNONYMS
tat—to Him; arpita—having offered; akhila—all; äcäraù—actions; san—being; käma— desire; krodha—anger; abhimäna—pride; ädikam—and so on; tasmin—toward Him; eva—only; karaëéyam—should be done.

TRANSLATION
Offering all one’s activities to the Lord, one should feel desire, anger, and pride only with regard to Him.

SÜTRA 66
tri-rüpa-bhaìga-pürvakaà nitya-däsya-nitya-käntä-bhajanätmakaà prema käryaà premaiva käryam

SYNONYMS
tri-rüpa—of the three material forms (the qualities of goodness, passion, and ignorance); bhaìga—the breaking; pürvakam—preceded by; nitya—perpetual; däsya

—servitude; nitya—perpetual; käntä—as a lover; bhajana—service; ätmakam— consisting of; prema—pure love; käryam—one should manifest; prema—pure love; eva—alone; käryam—one should manifest.

TRANSLATION
After breaking through the aforementioned coverings of the three modes of nature, one should act only in pure love of God, remaining perpetually in the mood of a servant serving his master, or a lover serving her beloved.

SÜTRA 67
bhaktä ekäntino mukhyäù

SYNONYMS
bhaktäù—devotees; ekäntinaù—exclusive; mukhyäù—principal.

TRANSLATION
Among the Lord’s devotees, the greatest are those who are dedicated to Him solely as His intimate servants.

SÜTRA 68
kaëöhävarodha-romäçrubhiù parasparaà lapamänäù pävayanti kuläni påthivéà ca

SYNONYMS
kaëöha—of the throat; avarodha—with blockage; roma—with bodily hair (standing erect); açrubhiù—and with tears; parasparam—among one another; lapamänäù— conversing; pävayanti—they purify; kuläni—their communities; påthivém—the earth; ca —and.

TRANSLATION
Conversing among one another with throats choked, hair standing on end, and tears flowing, the Lord’s intimate servants purify their own followers and the whole world.

SÜTRA 69
térthé-kurvanti térthäni su-karmé-kurvanti karmäëi sac-chästré-kurvanti çästräëi

SYNONYMS
térthé—into holy places; kurvanti—they make; térthäni—the holy places; su-karmé—into auspicious works; kurvanti—they make; karmäëi—works; sat—pure; çästré—into scriptures; kurvanti—they make; çästräëi—the scriptures.

TRANSLATION
Their association makes holy places holy, works auspicious, and the scriptures authoritative.

SÜTRA 70
tan-mayäù

SYNONYMS tat—with Him; mayäù—filled.

TRANSLATION
The intimate servants of the Supreme Lord are fully absorbed in loving Him.

SÜTRA 71
modante pitaro nåtyanti devatäù sa-näthä ceyaà bhür bhavati

SYNONYMS
modante—become joyful; pitaraù—forefathers; nåtyanti—dance; devatäù—demigods; sa-näthä—having good masters; ca—and; iyam—this; bhüù—earth; bhavati— becomes.

TRANSLATION
Thus the pure devotees’ forefathers become joyful, the demigods dance, and the world feels protected by good masters.

SÜTRA 72
nästi teñu jäti-vidyä-rüpa-kula-dhana-kriyädi-bhedaù

SYNONYMS
na asti—there is not; teñu—in them; jäti—of class; vidyä—education; rüpa—beauty; kula—family; dhana—wealth; kriyä—occupation; ädi—and so on; bhedaù—difference.

TRANSLATION
There are no distinctions among such pure devotees in terms of social class, education, bodily beauty, family status, wealth, occupation, and so on.

SÜTRA 73
yatas tadéyäù

SYNONYMS yataù—because; tadéyäù—His.

TRANSLATION
Pure devotees are not distinguished by externals like social class, for they belong to the Lord.

SÜTRA 74
vädo nävalambyaù

SYNONYMS
vädaù—debate; na—not; avalambyaù—to be resorted to.

TRANSLATION
One should not indulge in argumentative debate.

SÜTRA 75
bähulyävakäçatväd aniyatatväc ca

SYNONYMS
bähulya—for excessiveness; avakäçatvät—because of involving opportunities; aniyatatvät—because of not being decisive; ca—and.

TRANSLATION
Such argumentation leads to excessive entanglements and is never decisive.

SÜTRA 76
bhakti-çästräëi mananéyäni tad-bodhaka-karmäëi karaëéyäni

SYNONYMS
bhakti—of devotional service; çästräëi—the scriptures; mananéyäni—should be respected; tat—by them; bodhaka—made known; karmäëi—prescribed activities; karaëéyäni—should be executed.

TRANSLATION
One should respect the revealed scriptures of devotional service and discharge the duties they prescribe.

SÜTRA 77
sukha-duùkhecchä-läbhädi-tyakte käle pratékñamäëe kñaëärdham api vyarthaà na neyam

SYNONYMS
sukha—happiness; duùkha—unhappiness; icchä—hankering; läbha—profiteering; ädi— and so on; tyakte—having given up; käle—the time; pratékñamäëe—being waited for; kñaëa—of a moment; ardham—one half; api—even; vyartham—vainly; na neyam— should not be wasted.

TRANSLATION
Patiently enduring till the time when one can put aside material happiness, distress, desire, and false gain, one should not waste even a fraction of a second.

SÜTRA 78
ahiàsä-satya-çauca-dayästikyädi-cäritryäëi paripälanéyäni

SYNONYMS
ahiàsä—of nonviolence; satya—truthfulness; çauca—cleanliness; dayä—compassion; ästikya—faith; ädi—and so on; cäritryäëi—the characteristics; paripälanéyäni—should be cultivated.

TRANSLATION
One should cultivate such good qualities as nonviolence, truthfulness, cleanliness, compassion, and faith.

SÜTRA 79
sarvadä sarva-bhävena niçcintair bhagavän eva bhajanéyaù

SYNONYMS
sarvadä—always; sarva-bhävena—with all one’s feeling; niçcintaiù—by those who are free from doubt; bhagavän—the Supreme Lord; eva—indeed; bhajanéyaù—should be worshiped.

TRANSLATION
Those who are free of doubts should constantly worship the Supreme Lord with all their hearts.

SÜTRA 80
sa kértyamänaù çéghram evävirbhavaty anubhävayati bhaktän

SYNONYMS
saù—He; kértyamänaù—being glorified; çéghram—quickly; eva—indeed; ävirbhavati— appears; anubhävayati—gives realization; bhaktän—to the devotees.

TRANSLATION
When He is glorified, the Lord swiftly reveals Himself to His devotees and allows them to know Him as He is.

SÜTRA 81
tri-satyasya bhaktir eva garéyasé bhaktir eva garéyasé

SYNONYMS
tri—in three ways (by his mind, body, and words); satyasya—for one who is truthful; bhaktiù—devotional service; eva—alone; garéyasé—most dear; bhaktiù—devotional service; eva—alone; garéyasé—most dear.

TRANSLATION
Devotional service is the most precious possession of a person who honestly uses his mind, body, and words.

SÜTRA 82
guëa-mähätmyäsakti-rüpäsakti-püjäsakti-smaraëäsak ti-däsyäsakti-sakhyäsakti- vätsalyäsakti-käntäsakty-ä tma-nivedanäsakti-tan-mayäsakti-parama-virahäsakti-rüpai kadhäpy ekädaçadhä bhavati

SYNONYMS
guëa—of the (Lord’s) qualities; mähätmya—to the greatness; äsakti—attachment; rüpa —to His beauty; äsakti—attachment; püjä—to worship; äsakti—attachment; smaraëa —to remembrance; äsakti—attachment; däsya—to service; äsakti—attachment; sakhya—to friendship; äsakti—attachment; vätsalya—to parental affinity; äsakti— attachment; käntä—as a conjugal lover; äsakti—attachment; ätma—of one’s self; nivedana—to the offering; äsakti—attachment; tat-maya—to being full of thought of Him; äsakti—attachment; parama—supreme; viraha—to separation; äsakti— attachment; rüpä—having as its forms; ekadhä—onefold; api—although; ekädaçakhä —elevenfold; bhavati—becomes.

TRANSLATION
Although devotional service is one, it becomes manifested in eleven forms of attachment: attachment to the Lord’s glorious qualities, to His beauty, to worshiping Him, to remembering Him, to serving Him, to reciprocating with Him as a friend, to caring for Him as a parent, to dealing with Him as a lover, to surrendering one’s whole self to Him, to being absorbed in thought of Him, and to experiencing separation from Him. This last is the supreme attachment.

SÜTRA 83
ity evaà vadanti jana-jalpa-nirbhayä eka-matäù kumära-vyäsa-çuka-çäëòilya-garga- viñëu-kauëòilya-çeñoddhaväruëi-bali-hanümad-vibhéñaëädayo bhakty-äcäryäù

SYNONYMS
iti—thus; evam—in this way; vadanti—they speak; jana—of ordinary people; jalpa—of the gossip; nirbhayäù—unafraid; eka—of one; matäù—opinion; kumära-vyäsa-çuka- çäëòilya-garga-viñëu-kauëòilya-çeña-uddhava-aruëi-bali-hanümat-vibhéñaëa-ädayaù—the Kumäras, Vyäsa, Çuka, Çäëòilya, Garga, Viñëu, Kauëòilya, Çeña, Uddhava, Aruëi, Bali, Hanumän, Vibhéñaëa, and others; bhakti—of devotional service; äcäryäù—the founding authorities.

TRANSLATION
Thus say the founding authorities of devotional service: the Kumäras, Vyäsa, Çuka, Çäëòilya, Garga, Viñëu, Kauëòilya, Çeña, Uddhava, Aruëi, Bali, Hanumän, Vibhéñaëa, and others—speaking without fear of worldly gossip and sharing among themselves one and the same opinion.

SÜTRA 84
ya idaà närada-proktaà çivänuçäsanaà viçvasiti çraddhate sa bhaktimän bhavati sa preñöhaà labhate sa preñöhaà labhata iti

SYNONYMS
yaù—one who; idam—this; närada-proktam—spoken by Närada; çiva—auspicious; anuçäsanam—instruction; viçvasiti—trusts; çraddhate—is convinced by; saù—he; bhakti-män—endowed with devotion; bhavati—becomes; saù—he; preñöham—the most dear (Supreme Lord); labhate—attains; saù—he; preñöham—the most dear; labhate—attains; iti—thus.

TRANSLATION
Anyone who trusts these instructions spoken by Närada and is convinced by them will be blessed with devotion and attain the most dear Lord. Yes, he will attain the most dear Lord.