Sutra 55

The Narada Bhakti Sutra 55:

तत् प्राप्य तदेवावलोकयति। तदेव श्रृणोति। तदेव भाषयति। तदेव चिन्तयति॥ ५५॥

"Having reached the Supreme Love (that), the devotee sees (feels, comprehends) that alone, hears that alone, speaks of that alone, and thinks (contemplates upon) that alone."

This Sutra of Sage Nārada is directly and very closely reminiscent of the very beautiful and famous passage in the Chāndogya- Upaniṣad, which is an oft-repeated declaration of the Upaniṣads. It describes the stage of the highest spiritual experience, exactly as indicated here; the declaration of the Riṣhi of Upaniṣads is in the same language as this Sutra. 

The Chāndogya says: ‘There where you see nothing else, where you hear nothing else, nothing else you know or feel, that state is called ‘Bhūmā’ – the all-pervading, the infinite, the eternal, the immutable Brahman. There where you see other things, there where you hear other things, where you feel and understand other things ‘Tadalpam’ – that is the finite, the limited. That which is infinite is immortal that which is finite is mortal.’

This Sutra encapsulates the essence of Bhakti or devotion. When a devotee attains the highest form of love or Bhakti, their entire being is absorbed in the object of their Devotion. They perceive everything through the lens of this love, and all their senses are engaged in experiencing the beloved. This state of being is not just an emotional experience; it is a profound transformation where the devotee's Consciousness is entirely focused on the Divine.

In this heightened state of Devotion, the mundane aspects of life fade away, and the devotee exists in a world where every thought, word, and deed is an expression of their love for the Divine. This is not a passive state; it is an active, dynamic engagement with the Divine. The devotee's actions become worship, their words become hymns, and their thoughts become meditation. It is a holistic experience that transcends the boundaries of the self and merges the devotee with the Divine.

The Sutra also implies that in the state of Supreme Bhakti, there is no distinction between the lover and the beloved. The devotee's identity is lost in the object of their devotion, leading to a non-dualistic state often described in Vedic philosophy. This non-duality is the Ultimate Goal of many spiritual paths, where the separation between the individual soul and the universal Consciousness is dissolved.

Comparison with Similar Verses:

Chandogya Upanishad:

यत्र नान्यत्पश्यति नान्यच्छृणोति नान्यद्विजानाति स भूमाथ यत्रान्यत्पश्यत्यन्यच्छृणोत्यन्यद्विजानाति तदल्पं यो वै भूमा तदमृतमथ यदल्पं तन्मर्त्य्ं स भगवः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति स्वे महिम्नि यदि वा न महिम्नीति ॥ ७.२४.१ ॥

" Bhūmā [the infinite] is that in which one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, and knows [i.e., finds] nothing else. But alpa [the finite] is that in which one sees something else, hears something else, and knows something else. That which is infinite is immortal, and that which is finite is mortal.’ " 

Bhagavad Gita:

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति।

तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति॥

"He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am not lost to him, nor is he lost to Me." 

This highlights the unity of the devotee with the Divine, similar to the Narada Bhakti Sutra.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad:

यदा चर्मवदाकाशं वेष्टयिष्यन्ति मानवाः।

तदा देवमविज्ञाय दुःखस्यान्तो भविष्यति॥

"When humans will be able to cover the sky like leather, then, without knowing the Divine, the end of sorrow will come." 

This suggests that True Knowledge of the Divine is the end of suffering, resonating with the idea of Supreme Devotion leading to a state beyond pain.

These verses from different Vedic texts highlight the central theme of unity with the Divine and the transformative power of Devotion, akin to the teachings of the Narada Bhakti Sutra. They all point towards the Ultimate Truth of non-duality and the Realization of the Self as one with the universal Consciousness.