"Bhakti as the Goal of Life". Satsang with Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati.

Discourse by Revered Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati given on 28 March 2026 at Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram. Swamiji continues his series on the Principles of Bhakti Yoga, reading from the teachings of Narada Muni from the Srimad Bhagavatam, Skanda 51, Discourse 5 (translation by Swami Bhajanananda):

 

1.5.8

śrī-nārada uvāca

bhavatānudita-prāyaḿ yaśo bhagavato 'malam

yenaivāsau na tuṣyeta. manye tad darśanaḿ khilam

Sri Narada said:

"You have not praised the stainless glories of Bhagavan. This does not satisfy Him. I think such philosophy incomplete."

 

1.5.9

yathā dharmādayaś cārthā. muni-varyānukīrtitāḥ

na tathā vāsudevasya mahimā hy anuvarṇitaḥ

"You have repeatedly described dharma and the rest (dharma, kama, artha, moksha) as the goals, but although a great sage, have not described the glories of Vāsudeva."

 

1.5.10

na yad vacaś citra-padaḿ harer yaśo. jagat-pavitraḿ pragṛṇīta karhicit

tad vāyasaḿ tīrtham uśanti mānasā. na yatra haḿsā niramanty uśik-kṣayāḥ

"Words, however beautiful, that do not describe the glories of Hari, which purify the world, are places of pilgrimage to crows, and not to swans who take pleasure in transcendental bliss."

 

1.5.11

tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo

yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api

nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ńkitāni yat

śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ

"But those words, however badly composed each verses is, that describe the names etc (name, form, abode, qualities, activities) of the Infinite, destroy the sins of all people. Such words are heard, sung, and accepted by sadhus."