Narada Bhakti Sutram with Commentary in Sanskrit

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In the ancient days the sages of India used to compose their treatises on various subjects both sacred and secular in the form of sutras or aphorisms in Sanskrit. These sutras though packed with a lot of information were too laconic to understand. Since it was easy to memories them and detailed instructions were transmitted orally there was perhaps no need for composing explanatory on them then.

However as time passed and the topics were subjected to criticism and reply as also counter criticism there arose the great need to write bhasyas and tikas (commentaries) on the sutras to make them intelligible to the future generations as also to preserve the knowledge intact. This is how sutra literature has evolved over the centuries.

The Narada Bhaktisutras seems to be a solitary exception to this general trend. Though most of the sutras are simple and direct yet they do need a commentary to elucidate them especially since they bear upon the sadhana aspect of spiritual life. However no bhasya or Sanskrit commentary on it has come to light so far.

Keeping this fact in mind a short Sanskrit commentary had been composed by me in November 1968. Due to various reasons beyond my control it could not be published.

As a result of further study and teaching of the subject to earnest aspirants I prepared more detailed notes. This was utilized to brings out a book in Kannada entitled Devarsi Naradara Bhakisutragalu in 1992 with the original sutras in Kannada script and an exhaustive running commentary also in Kannada. The same was reprinted in 2000.

A suggestion was offered that if the book in Kannada was translated into Sanskrit since I had no time to undertake it my self it would benefit the student of Sanskrit to understand the work well. I readily agreed to the proposal and requested Dr. M.E. Rangachar a great scholar himself not only Sanskrit but also in philosophy to take up this task.

He has discharged the task with such speed grace and efficiency that I do not have sufficient words to thank him. My God bless him in every way is my humble prayer!

The difficult job of looking through to proofs was accomplished by Vidvan Prabhulinga. I am grateful to him.

As usual Sri B.N. Nataraj of Sri Nithyananda Printers has fulfilled the work of printing the book elegantly by taking every care to make it as perfect as possible. My hearty thanks to him too.

I earnestly hope that both the scholar and the student of Sanskrit will welcome this treatise too as a useful addition to our religious literature.