Reconstructing Devotion through Narada Bhakti Sutra

The Narada Bhakti Sutra is didactic and religious in spirit, but this new translation and interpretation by Dr Alka Tyagi is an attempt to elucidate bhakti in all its facets without the need for the religious paraphernalia. The focus of this text is to reveal bhakti as a methodical approach that can lead to an experience of Supreme Love by which it is defined. There are two streams of thought that go hand in hand in the text. The first line of thought indicates bhakti (the Supreme Love) as a progressive path towards a goal. The second line of thought conveys bhakti as a path which is simultaneously the goal as well. For those who are clearly emotionally inclined, it is easy to choose the second line of thought where bhakti is the goal itself. Those who are intellectually inclined might find it difficult in the beginning to exercise unconditional love. For them, the first line of thought will work better. They can consciously choose bhakti (the path of love) as a step by step progressive path towards fulfilment and joy in life. For them, the rules of truth, non-violence, non-duality along with the rituals of ekadasadha-bhakti (the elevenfold bhakti) as prescribed by Sage Narada could be helpful techniques. Bhakti, whether it is adopted as a process or is taken up as a goal, is a means to direct the emotional energy in every human being in a positive direction in order to experience and attain fullness in life.