Famous for his wisdom, devotion and compassion, Narada Muni was the one who inspired Maharshi Valmiki to write the Ramayana and Ved Vyasa to write the Bhagavatam. Whenever a devotee needs guidance, whether it is Dhruva, Prahlada or Valmiki, Narada Muni materialises to help. In the Kali Yuga, we find people singing the name of God and chanting various mantras. All this is nothing but the Narada effect.
Narada Bhakti Sutra is a text on devotion. The very first verse starts: Now, therefore, the doctrine of bhakti — devotion — we shall explain.
bhaga, all fortunes, in infinite measure. He is the abode of all virtues. The second sutra states: That devotion is of the nature of supreme love for God. It is to be noted that bhakti is of the nature of prema, love, but every prema is not bhakti. Nowadays we use the word ‘love’ frequently in various contexts: ‘I love sweets,’ or ‘I love music.’ Quite often it refers to things and beings. Param prema, supreme love, is different from all this.
The word ‘param’ is defined thus: where all degrees of comparison end. Once the superlative is used, there is no further comparison. We have different degrees of love for the things and beings of the material world. But in devotion, all degrees of comparison end. It is final.
The practical implication of param is that it is unconditional. Our love is generally conditional. If the conditions are fulfilled, then we love that person or thing. In business documents also, we generally find a tag at the end: conditions apply. Even our love for God is usually conditional and cannot be called supreme love — highest, unexcelled and unconditional.
There are various other elements in param prema. One of the essential elements is shraddha, faith. Faith has various stages. The first is belief in the existence of Paramatma; the second is trust in God. In worldly life, we may often love someone, but may not trust that person. And we may trust a person whom we may not love. In param prema, unconditional faith and total trust go hand in hand. The ideal devotee is endowed with supreme faith which never gets shattered. One mahatma has put it beautifully, “We generally call a person who does not believe in God an atheist, but truly speaking, those who believe in the existence of God and still do not trust Him and call him unjust are the real atheists.”The trust has to be unwavering and unconditional. Then it can be called param prema.
Another important factor of bhakti is reverence. Reverence will be there only when there is mahattva buddhi, when you understand the greatness of someone. Whom or what do we love? We love that which is the source of our joy. All objects of knowledge do not become objects of love. Only that which gives us happiness draws our love. And our love fluctuates depending on the joy that the object or person gives. What gives us joy at one time may become a nuisance later.
Param prema is possible only for that which is pure happiness — Ananda Swarupa itself. In the Chandogya Upanishad, there is a famous mantra: Yo vai bhuma tat sukham, na alpe sukham asti — ‘That which is limited and finite cannot become the source of true happiness; that which is unborn and uncreated, the Infinite alone can give true happiness.’ So param prema is possible only for Paramatma, who is ananda swarupa.
This analysis is from the highest standpoint. A beginner on the bhakti marga, the path of devotion, may have only one feeling — ‘I love God’. He may have no idea about God. It is not necessary that an object of knowledge be the object of love, but the object of love does become the object of knowledge. Love is measured in terms of identification. And the price we pay for love is sacrifice. The great freedom fighters gave up all their comforts to free the country, because they loved it more than their own life.
‘Param prema’ means ‘total identification’. It is the most purified form of love. It has shraddha; vishwasa, trust; tadatmya, identification; and readiness to sacrifice anything and everything.