Bhakti is a vast ocean it is in finite like God is infinite.
No one Saint, realizes all the different aspects of bhakti to their completion.
It is like God, each devotee realizes bhakti differently
engages in bhakti differently. This does not mean that one person's realization
is correct and the others is wrong. Like you have heard that story of the ten
blind men who went to see an elephant. One person caught the elephant's tail,
He said, "this elephant is just like a rope". That is his realization.
The other put his hand on the elephant's stomach, he said, "the elephant is flat like a wall".
The third caught his ear, he said, "The elephant is like a fan."
The fourth cost got its tusks, he said, "the elephant is as pointed as a spear."
Now if these people start fighting,
"My understanding is right your understanding is wrong",
then somebody with eyes will come
and he will say, "Don't fight, you are all right
you are all describing the elephant
the only thing is you are describing a tiny part of this elephant and all this together
makes the entire elephant.
So there have been so many fights in history in the name of religion.
It is how amazing that religions teach love for God and the maximum wars
in history have been fought in the name of religion or should we say lack of
understanding of what religion is that is what makes people fight in the name of religion.
My religion is right your religion is wrong.
So Narad ji is saying that this bhakti is of different kinds and different varieties
you cannot just classify that this is bhakti. Each Acharya has described bhakti
in his or her own way.
Kripalu ji Maharaj describes that you know as a youth as a
sixteen year old he left the world for some time and he disappeared in the
forest. So he went to Chitrakuta which was a dense forest at that time.
Lions and all would roam around now of course there are ashrams roads have been built.
So he lived there in the jungles. So he describes that in a cave once he
saw this old Mahatma sitting.
The Mahatmaji was thin, he had long matted hair and he had a small piece of broken glass
and a comb with many teeth fallen.
So Mahatamaji would comb his hair see that he's dressed alright, or whatever,
make his looks to the best possible then he would look out of
the cave as if he was waiting for someone and after quite a few minutes of
waiting he would say, "Ha Shyamsundar", then he would look down disappointed.
Then again he would start doing his decoration.
Now seeing this Kripaluji Maharaji was astonished that on the one hand this old thin withered Mahatma and
then he's got this mirror in his hand and comb in his hand and he's combing himself.
So with great curiosity, Maharajji went and offered his respects
and said, "Mahatma ji, what are you doing?"
First, he was very reticent, not willing to reveal.
When Maharajji insisted, he said, "Beta, my son, Preeytam aate honge".
My beloved may come any time.
Shyam sundar my divine beloved, he may come anytime,
if he comes and sees that I am not dressed up properly he may not like it
that is why I comb my hair but he doesn't come.
Kripaluji Maharaj thought that what an amazing type of devotion he has got
at every moment he's waiting for the arrival of God.
When will he come, when will he come, when will he come?
That love has reached such an intensity. But is this devotion described anywhere?
Have the Shastras said that you sit in a cave with a broken piece of glass and tooth and keep waiting.
So nobody can describe the infinite kinds of devotion that are possible.
Similarly, the great acharyas have also
described devotion in different ways.