Narada Bhakthi Sutras
Narada was a Devarshi. He was the son (manasa putra) of Brahma. He is a great devotee of Sri Maha Vishnu and goes everywhere saying ‘Narayana, Narayana!’ and singing the most beautiful devotional songs accompanied by his divine Veena (called Mahati).
It was Narada who suggested Sri Rama as the hero for Valmiki’s compostition. It was Narada who taught the Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya Manthram to Dhruva Kumara. Narada, who saved Prahlada’s mother from Indra when Hiranya Kasyapa was away doing Tapas. The stories of Narada abound in our puranas. He is often called a kalahapriya ., because, trusted by all parties, he acts in a manner to accelerate inevitable conflicts so that Lokakalyanam (good of the world) can happen.
Narada is the author of :
- Narada Bhakthi Sutra
- Narada Smrti
- Naradiya Siksha
- Sangita Makaranda
- Narada Parivrajaka Upanishat
- Naradiya Purana
- Narada Pancharatra
in addition to Anusmrti in SantiParva and similar formal discourses and dissertations. He is the rshi of some Rg Vedic Sukthas (8.13, 9.104, 9.105.) Narada was specially associated with the Sama Veda. He was the Udgata in some Yajnas as per Harivamsa 2.169. The Mahabharata tells us that he was the maternal uncle of Parvata. He gave excellent advice to Yudhisthira on aspects of how to rule a kingdom.
The Narada Bhakthi sutras are in complete accordance with the Bhakthi Yoga chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. The 44th Sutra uses a phrase ‘Kama Krodha Moha Smrti Bhramsa Buddhinasa’ which is explained in a verse of the Bhagavad Gita. The 48th Sutra clearly refers to ‘Yah Karma Phalam Tyajati’ which is the famous Nishkama Karma philosophy taught in the Karma Yoga chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
In the 83rd Sutra, Narada lists the following as the great teachers of Bhakthi: Kumara (Sanat Kumara), Vyasa (Narada’s Student), Suka (Vyasa’s son), Sandilya, Garga, Vishnu, Kaundinya, Sesa (Lakshmana?) , Uddhava, Aruni, Bali, Hanuman and Vibhishana.
Narada definitely lived from the Vedic – Upanishadic times which overlapped through Rama’s and Krishna’s time. See Also : Generations between Rama and Krishna.
Some Links to the Sutras and their translations:
http://www.krishnamedia.org/e-books/Narada_Bhakti_Sutra.pdf
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