Day 1
Life springs from love the origin is love and life seeks love. The goal of life is also love and, in between, life is sustained by love. There is not a single creature or living entity on this planet that has not known love or is devoid of love. Yet, love in its many distortions has brought so much misery in life.
Love is known as three different flavours of affection, love towards companion and respect appreciation If we are made up of a substance called love, then why don't we experience it? Why is there so much misery? If love is everywhere in creation, why is there a seeking for love? Why do we seek love?
When these questions start bothering the human mind, then one’s spiritual journey has begun. What is love? The Rishi Narad brought out these Bhakti Sutra saphorisms on love.
In the first sutra, He says : Athato-Now, let me enunciate what is ‘Bhakti' what is devotion. What is that love which is devoid of imperfection? What is that love which crowns all other love? What is that love which contains all other love?
Such love, such a pinnacle of love, is called devotion and I will enunciate it. What is that love? The most difficult thing to do is to describe feelings any feeling for that matter.
It is not easy to put feelings into words or to make someone understand intellectually what the feeling is. It is a humungous task. Narad ventured as only Narad can venture. One who has lived that devotion alone can venture into describing it.
In the first Sutra Narada says, "Now let me enunciate what is love.” One who has not been a seeker, one who has not understood life in its various facets, cannot grasp what Narad is saying.
First that urge has to come, "I want to know a love that is free from misery, free from attachment, free from entanglement, free from all sorts of hooks.” When that deep urge has begun, then the Master, the Rishi, the Muni can speak-can say words, which go directly into the heart of the person.
For such a seeker, Narad says, “Now let me enunciate bhakti, devotion.” The word, ‘Narad’ itself is so beautiful. It is the spoke that joins the circumference to the centre.
One who holds you towards the centre is Narad. Often love makes you uncentred, it throws you off balance, it makes you emotionally and physically weak. Though love is the greatest strength on this planet, without wisdom, the same love makes you weak, absolutely weak, isn’t it so?
Narad one who holds you to the centre, yet makes your life rise to the pinnacle of love. He says - “Devotion is ultimate love, the pinnacle of love in Him, in that. Often love turns into hatred, anger, sour feelings. But the love to the divinity does not”.
