para-bhakti

[ken knight]

--- Malolan Cadambi <mcadambi at YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> This verse is refered to in the corresponding
> chapters of the Svestasvataropanishad. I do not have
a standard
> copy with me here in the US. I hope to "upgrade" my
> library after my trip to Bharatha in August 2002.
>
> The words "Sharanam Prapadye" (I take refuge) and
> "para-bhakti"(Supreme Devotion) occur in the sixth
> chapter verses 18 and 23 respectively. I request
> members who have access to a copy of the upanishad
> to post the verses which would help this discussion.


Namste all,
Here are the requested slokas:

Yo brahmaanam vivadhatai purvam
Yo vai vedamscha prahinoti tasmai
Tam ha devam atmabuddhiprakasam
mumuksurvai saranamaham prapadye

He first created Brahmaa and then presented Vedas to
him. I, a seeker of liberation, take refuge in the
luminous Lord who reveals Self-knowledge in the mind.

Yasya deve paraa bhaktih yatha deve tathaa garau
Tasyaite kathitaa hyathaah prakaasante mahatmanah
Prakaasante mahaatmana iti.

he is truly a great soul who has steady love for the
Lord and for his teacher. The truths explained to such
a person will reveal their meanings to him.

My translation of Shankara's commentary on this sloka
says:
'True, it is necessary to have great love for both God
and for your teacher, but you must also be steady and
have great faith in them. When you have both love and
faith, you head is the on fire and you have no choice
but to try and get water immediately. In other words,
you will then feel your salvation lies only in
Self-knowledge.  A hungry man feels he must have some
food immediately. Similarly, you feel impatient for
the teacher to show you the way to God. When both the
student and the teacher are good, truth reveals itself
immediately.'

Sorry not to have used the correct transliteration of
the Sanskrit above but I have still been putting off
learning the correct keys.

Hope that this is of use.  My translation is by Swami
Lokeswarananda and published by the Ramakrishna
Mission at Calcutta.  I do have another translation
somewhere which I will check later today to see if
their are any interesting comments,

Om Sri Ram jai jai Ram


ken Knight

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