Narada Bhakti Sutras or aphorisms of love was a text written by Narada Muni. In this, he talks about the various attributes of Bhakti or Divine love. What are the different types of Bhakti as mentioned in it?
1 Answer
The reference to different types of Bhakti or Divine love is found the Shloka 82 of the Narada Bhakti Sutra.
Shloka
|Gunmahatmyasakti roopasakti poojasakti smaranasakti dasyasakti |
|| Sakhyasakti vatsalyasakti kantasakti atmanivedanasakti ||
|| tanmayatasakti paramavirhasakti rupa ekadha api ekadashadha bhavati ||
Translation
…Though it is only one, there are eleven flavours of Love:
Gunmahatmyasakti - adoring the qualities
Roopasakti - adoring the form
Poojasakti - worship
Smaranasakti - constant rememberance of the Divine
Dasyasakti - wanting to serve the God
Sakhyasakti - companionship, taking God as one’s beloved
Vatsalyasakti - considering God as one’s child
Kantasakti - considering God as one’s own partner. As centre of attraction of all sorts in life.
Atmanivedanasakti - Offering every moment, this entire body, mind - physical, mental emotional; entire life, total letting go.
Tanmayatasakti - Being immersed in knowledge that he is already in you and every part is immersed in Him.
Paramavirhasakti - longing, excruciating longing
Referenced from this commentary on the Narada Bhakti Sutras.