Divine Love vs. Worldly Passion

Today, let us look at the profound wisdom of the 23rd Bhakti Sutra of Narada and also the meaning of the 141st Divya Nama of Vishnu Sahasranama, 'Chaturdamshtra' from:

चतुरात्मा चतुर्व्यूहश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रश्चतुर्भुजः

तद्विहीनं जाराणामिव

This Sutra holds a significant lesson on the nature of true devotion and the difference between divine love and worldly passion.

'तद्विहीनं जाराणामिव' translates to: A love without it—the sense of greatness of Bhagavan—is simply a passion like that a woman has towards her ever-changing lovers. In the absence of the sense of divine greatness, devoid of the understanding of Bhagavan's greatness, bhakti is like the fleeting and unstable passion of a woman for her lovers.

Consider a woman who loves different men based on their external attributes, such as looks or wealth. Her love is not rooted in any deep, enduring quality. Instead, it shifts from person to person, depending on who seems more desirable at that particular moment. Such love is unstable and changes easily. It is driven by selfish desires and is inherently fickle.

In stark contrast, let us reflect on the love of the Gopis for Bhagavan Krishna. The Gopis' love was not based on worldly attributes. It was pure, unwavering, and deeply rooted in their recognition of Krishna's divine nature. They saw Krishna not just as a charming youth but as the Supreme Bhagavan, the embodiment of all divine qualities. Their love was 'Shuddha Prema' – pure and untainted.

Sage Narada warns us that without the recognition of Bhagavan's greatness, our so-called devotion is no different from the unstable love of the woman for her various lovers. Real devotion, or Bhakti, must be like the love of the Gopis. It should be unwavering, pure, and focused on the divine.

Let us consider the life of a great devotee, Meera Bai. Meera's love for Krishna was pure and divine. Despite facing immense opposition from her family and society, her devotion never wavered. She saw Krishna in every aspect of her life and was constantly absorbed in His divine presence. Meera's love for Krishna exemplifies the essence of true devotion, which is unwavering and rooted in the recognition of Bhagavan's divine nature.

True devotion is pure and unchanging. It is not influenced by external attributes or selfish desires. It is a sacred bond that elevates the soul to the highest realms of divinity. When a devotee recognizes the divine greatness of Bhagavan, all worldly desires fade away. The heart becomes pure, and the devotee yearns only for the divine presence of Bhagavan.

Narada's Sutra guides us to understand that real devotion is not just about love for Bhagavan but about the quality and depth of that love. It must be free from selfish desires and rooted in the recognition of Bhagavan's divine greatness. As devotees, let us strive to cultivate this pure, divine love in our hearts, just like the Gopis and great devotees like Meera Bai.

Let us pray to Bhagavan to bless us with pure devotion and help us recognize His divine greatness in every aspect of our lives. May our hearts be filled with 'Shuddha Prema', and may we always remain devoted to the Supreme Bhagavan.

'Chaturdamshtra' (चतुर्दंष्ट्रः), which means 'He who is of Four Teeth'. Let us understand what this signifies.

'Damshtra' means teeth, not the protruding teeth of Varaha, but four beautiful teeth. The name 'Chaturdamshtra' refers to a unique form of Bhagavan Vishnu. In this form, Bhagavan is depicted with four prominent teeth. These four teeth are not literal but symbolic.

They represent the four Vyuhas or forms of Bhagavan: Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. These forms are different aspects of Bhagavan, each with its own divine functions and qualities. The number four is significant and represents completeness and stability. A table is stable because it has four legs. Anything supported by four pillars is stable.

The four teeth highlight the completeness and balanced nature of Bhagavan's divine form. Bhagavan’s body is described as perfectly symmetrical. The fourteen pairs of body parts, like eyes and ears, are perfectly aligned, showing divine perfection. Bhagavan's gait, or walking style, is described as being like that of a lion, tiger, elephant, and bull. This signifies His powerful and majestic presence.

Knowledge Bank

Why was Dhritarashtra blind?

Vichitravirya, son of Shantanu and Satyavati was the king of Kuru Vamsha. Ambika and Ambalika were his wives. Vichitravirya died of Tuberculosis. He didn't have children who would inherit the kingdom. Sage Vyasa was Satyavati's son from Sage Parashara. She called upon Vyasa to impregnate Ambika and Ambalika so that the vamsha would continue. Vyasa was a tapaswi and had a fierce form. When he united with Ambalika she closed her eyes in fear. Because of this, their son Dhritarashtra was born blind.

Are Sati Devi and Parvathy Devi the same?

Parvathy Devi is a rebirth of Sati Devi. Daksha Prajapati is Sati Devi's father. Himavan is Parvathy Devi's father.