Sutra 42

The Narada Bhakti Sutra 42:

तदेव साध्यतां तदेव साध्यताम्॥ ४२॥

"That alone is to be accomplished; That alone is to be accomplished."

Such practices as would enable us to take advantage of the Grace of the Guru and the Lord alone may be adopted at all times and in all conditions by the sincere seekers. The means of developing bhakti described earlier, may be fully and diligently pursued and entirely accomplished in one’s own life. This is the final conclusion arrived at by the insistent emphatic advice given by Devarṣi Nārada for the benefit of his students. 

Thus a devotee must try to spend his time in accomplishing such mental and physical changes in his ways of thinking and acting so that he will come to open up his heart in true Devotion to the inflow of Lord’s Grace, the blessing of the great ones who are again none other than the Lord Himself. All that stands between him, as he is, and his God which he is trying to attain and experience, is his own ego which is fed by his misconceptions and by the consequent body-mind identifications. When this ego is surrendered, the Supreme Consciousness explodes into Awareness and all the sense of limitations experienced earlier by the seeker is lifted off his mind in one great heave.

This Sutra emphasizes the singular focus on the Divine as the Ultimate Goal to be achieved. The repetition of the phrase "that alone" underscores the exclusivity and intensity of the Devotion one should have towards the Divine. It suggests that the practitioner should direct all efforts and aspirations towards realizing the Divine presence, making it the sole purpose of their existence. This form of Devotion is not just a part of life but becomes the very essence of one's being.

In the context of Bhakti Yoga, this Sutra serves as a powerful reminder that the path of Devotion is not about the multiplicity of practices or the diversity of deities but about the singularity of purpose and the unity of the Divine. It is a call to abandon all distractions and to concentrate one's energy and love on the Divine alone. This intense focus is what leads to the ultimate state of union with the Divine, which is the goal of Bhakti Yoga.

The Sutra also implies that the Realization of the Divine is not an external achievement but an internal state of Being. It is not something to be sought in the external world but something to be discovered within oneself. This internalization of the Divine presence transforms the practitioner's perception of the Self and the world, leading to a state of Bliss and contentment that is independent of external circumstances.

For comparison, here are similar verses from Vedic texts:

Bhagavad Gita 9.22:

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते।

तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्॥

"To those who are constantly devoted and who worship Me with love, I give the assurance of attaining that which they lack, and I preserve what they already possess."

Isha Upanishad (Verse 1):

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।

तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम्॥

"Everything in this moving universe is enveloped by the Lord. Enjoy what He has given by renouncing it; do not covet anyone's wealth."

Rigveda 1,164, 46:

एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति।

अग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः॥

"The one existence the wise call by many names: Agni, Yama, Matarisvan."

These verses, like Narada Bhakti Sutra 42, emphasize the importance of focusing on the Divine and the unity of existence. They convey the message that the Ultimate Truth is one, though it may be expressed in various forms and names. The essence of these teachings is to cultivate an unwavering Devotion and to see the Divine in all aspects of life, leading to God Realization and eternal Bliss.