upapannastallakṣaṇārthopalabdheḥ lokavat ..3.3.31..

is superior to that of fear

Vishaya: The author now establishes the superiority of the devotion of Love over that of Law.

Doubt: The doubt arises whether Vidhi Bhakti (or the devotion by following the path of law) is higher or the Ruchi Bhakti (or the devotion by following the path of love.)

Purvapaksha: The man following the path of law, performs fully all the portions required by the law formally and strictly, hence his devotion is superior to that of the other, who is always in a state of rapture and whose actions are unmethodical.

Siddhanta: The next Sutra shows the superiority of love.

SUTRA III. 3. 31.

 

उपपन्नस्तल्लक्षणार्थोपलब्धेः लोकवत्॥३.३.३१॥

upapannastallakṣaṇārthopalabdheḥ lokavat ..3.3.31..

 

…. Upapannah, he has attained prominence, … Tat, that (one-ness of attachment). … Lakshana, mark. He whose mark or characteristic is one-pointed attachment to His devotee who has such love. The love of the devotee evokes such love in the Lord. … Artha, object. The Purushartha or Summum Bonum, i.e., the Lord. Upalabdheh, on account of the obtaining. … Lokavat, as is the ordinary experience.

 

31. (The devotee on the path of Ruchi or love) has obtained superiority, because he has obtained (control over) the object-of-human-life, (namely, the Lord, who Himself) possesses this characteristic (of being the Devotee of His devotee, because He appreciates sweetness in others, since He Himself is All-sweet). As we see in the kings of the world also. — 392.

 

COMMENTARY

 

The person worshipping Hari by Ruchi Bhakti is Upapannah or one who has obtained superiority or in whom there exists superiority. Why? Tat-lakshanarthopalabdheh, because of his having obtained the object possessing that characteristic. The Lord has the characteristic, similar to that of Ruchi Bhakta, namely, he is solely devoted to such a Bhakta. Therefore, he is called Tat-lakshana, or possessing such a characteristic. He is Artha or the Object or the Goal of the human quest, for he is the Supreme Person possessing all sweetness. Tat-lakshanartha is a compound meaning «the object that has that characteristic». Upalabdheh means «because of obtaining». The Ruchi Bhakta is superior to the Vidhi Bhakta, because his devotion being of the nature of sweetness, is more pleasing to the Lord of Sweetness, and thus such a Bhakta, by the very fact of his self-forgetting devotion, brings the Lord under his control. The author illustrates it by an example, saying «as in the world». As in this world, a person is considered praiseworthy, who by his unwavering attachment and loyalty to a king (who appreciates the devotion and loyalty of his subjects) brings such a king under his control, so a Ruchi Bhakta, by his steady devotion to the Lord, brings the Lord under his control or influence. The Lord does not lose his independence by thus coming under the control of His Bhakta. On the contrary, coming under the control of His lovers is one of the most attractive attributes of the Lord. The sense is this. The Supreme Person is verily a Lover of sweetness, and he manifests his sweetness in these Ruchi Bhaktas, and when these Bhaktas, being attached to Him, offer themselves to Him, He accepts their self-surrender and is purchased by» the greatness of their love; and He makes them great so that they may fully experience His sweetness. Without this condescension on the part of the Lord, they could not have experienced the fulness of His love. As has said blessed Shuka:

This son of a cow-herd, Lord Krishna, is not easy of attainment to the embodied souls, whether they be Jnanis (those who have reached wisdom but yet have the consciousness of their bodies), or whether they are Atmabhutas (who have realised their self and are unconscious of their bodies), as He is obtainable here by those who are His Bhaktas of love.

Though His conquest is obtainable more or less, as a general rule, by all kinds of Bhaktas, yet His Bhaktas of love conquer Him thoroughly, and hence it is demonstrated that Ruchi Bhakti is the highest of all kinds of Bhakti.

Adhikarana XIV — Any single form of worship