Sutra 52

The Narada Bhakti Sutra 52:

मूकास्वादनवत्॥ ५२॥

"Like the taste enjoyed by the dumb."

After saying that Devotion is really indefinable, Sage Narada proceeds to now clear some doubts about it nevertheless. Why is love indescribable? It is like a man born dumb, who has enjoyed the taste of some sweets. He has eaten the sweets and he knows the taste but he cannot describe it. He is one who has the equipment to experience but not the equipment to express it.

This Sutra metaphorically compares the experience of Divine Love to the experience of a mute person tasting something sweet. Just as the mute person cannot express the sweetness they taste, similarly, the Bliss of Divine Love is beyond verbal expression. It is an inner, profound experience that transcends the limitations of language and description.

We can delve into the nature of Divine Love as an ineffable experience. Divine love, according to Narada, is not just an emotion but a state of being that permeates the Consciousness of the devotee. It is a transformative experience that fills the heart with joy and contentment, yet it is so profound that words fall short of capturing its essence. This love is not dependent on external expressions or validations; it is self-sustaining and self-evident to the one who experiences it.

We can explore the implications of this Sutra for a devotee's spiritual practice. The Sutra suggests that the highest form of devotion is not about ostentatious displays of piety or the rigorous following of rituals, but about the silent, deep communion with the Divine. It is a reminder that the true measure of Devotion is not in the external but in the quality and depth of one's inner experience.

We can reflect on the universal nature of this teaching. While the Sutra comes from a specific philosophical tradition, the idea that the most profound experiences are beyond words is a common thread in many spiritual paths. This teaching encourages seekers of all traditions to look beyond the surface and seek the indescribable joy that lies in the depths of the heart.

The devotee experiences his Supreme Devotion for the Lord in his heart but he has no vehicle to convey his transcendental experiences to the world of listeners, to those who have not prepared their vehicle to receive the message of Love Divine. A devotee is thus in a strange situation indeed when he finds that he has instruments to experience the Divine Higher Consciousness but he has no instrument in himself to sing his song of joy.

Now, let's compare this with similar verses from Vedic texts:

Rigveda:

यो देवेभ्य आतपति यो देवानां पुरोहितः। पूर्वो यो देवेभ्यो जातः। नमो रुचाय ब्राह्माये॥

This verse pays homage to the Divine light that leads the gods, the primordial force that was present before the deities. It acknowledges the Divine essence that cannot be fully grasped or described, echoing the sentiment of the Narada Bhakti Sutra about the ineffable nature of the Divine.

Bhagavad Gita:

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे। गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः॥

In this verse, Krishna tells Arjuna that the wise do not grieve for the living or the dead, highlighting the understanding that the soul's journey is beyond the comprehension of the mind and thus cannot be lamented with mere words.

Mundaka Upanishad:

यथा नद्यः स्यन्दमानाः समुद्रेऽस्तं गच्छन्ति नामरूपे विहाय। तथा विद्वान्नामरूपाद्विमुक्तः परात्परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम्॥

This verse describes how rivers flow into the ocean and lose their name and form, just as the wise, freed from name and form, merge into the Supreme Divine. It conveys the idea that the Ultimate Truth is beyond names and forms, resonating with the theme of the inexpressible nature of Divine Love in the Narada Bhakti Sutra.

These verses from different Vedic texts highlight the common understanding that the deepest spiritual truths are beyond the realm of speech and thought, and can only be experienced directly in the heart.