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ishvarapranidhana

What have I done, O Lord, that Thou shouldst bestow any heavenly comfort upon me? I remember not that I have done any good, but have been ever prone to sin and slow to amendment.

-Imitation of Christ, Book III, Chapter LIX

As someone raised in the West, I have always thought of Bhakti with a negative association. Advaita Vedanta appeals to my Western, Englightenment-infused philosophical bent. But without Bhakti the practice of Vedanta and Yoga is dry and intellectual. There is not aim to the practice and the energy becomes diffused.

Without Bhakti to a Istadevata, Vedanta becomes difficult as it is hard to understand the ultimate realty without form. Raja Yoga becomes difficult because there is no centering to the focus. Karma Yoga becomes difficult because there is no one to offer the fruits of the actions. With devotion to and Ista, there is a form that we are offering out actions to. It is a form that we can meditate on and bring our focus back to.

Narada Bhakti Sutras​

Narada's Bhakti Sutras give the guidance on how to cultivate Bhakti. This sastra is a basis of the practice of Bhakti. It is the guide that I will be breaking down.

Notes​

  • Narada Bhakti Sutras by Swami Chinmayananda
  • Seek the Eternal by Chinmayananda
  • Adi Shankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam by Chinmayananda
  • Practice of Bhakti Yoga by Swami Sivananda
  • Essence of Bhakti Yoga by Swami Sivananda
  • Bhakti and Sankirtan by Swami Sivananda
  • Bhakti Yoga by Edwin Bryant