The Way of Love - I by Swami Sarvapriyananda 

Topics covered with timestamp: 1:05 -- In a previous talk, it was discussed that the love of God is a great help in the path of knowledge. It's very helpful to have a devotional attitude towards God, when you are trying to discover the true Self. 1:30 -- In this talk, it is discussed that the path of love/Bhakti is not just a help or a second fiddle to the path of knowledge, Bhakti yoga is not just a support to Gyana yoga, but it is an independent path in itself, to realize the true Self. 3:00 -- Problem in the path of love/Bhakti: In the path of Bhakti, the problem is not ignorance, or restlessness of mind, the problem is that we do not have love for God, faith or shraddha in God, we do not surrender to God. 4:15 -- The specialty about the path of love: In all spiritual paths viz-a-viz Karma, Gyana, Raja Yoga, we seek a way out of suffering, but in the path of love, the Lord loves the Bhakta more than the spiritual seeker in other paths. Lord loves Bhakti / devotion. 6:30 -- Advantage of Bhakti over other paths: It requires no qualifications to pursue the path of Bhakti. In fact, Bhakti brings qualifications (that are required in the path of knowledge) in its own way. Bhakti gives instantaneous results. 14:30 -- How to love God? Add 'God' to the list of things that you want. It's as easy as that. Referring to the story of 'Jesus of Teresa', if you love God, God loves you back. In moments of intense emotions - when your heart melts for a while - at that moment, if you stamp the name/form of the Lord, the love for Lord will be engraved in your heart. 'Seva' - doing service for people - with an attitude of serving the Lord, is also a way to love God. Connect every activity of yours to God. 31:00 -- What are the splendours of divine love? -- Akshaya: the love doesn't decay. Love of God is immortal -- Sneha: there is always a glow / warmth of love in your heart -- NityaNootana: it is ever new; it never gets boring -- Vakrata: path of Love/Bhakti has a little twist/spice in it, which makes the path sweet -- Abhaya: Love of God brings fearlessness -- Dosha leads to Seva: If you see a defect in the beloved, you'll strive to protect/serve, not discard -- Love removes distance, time, and gap between lover & the beloved: The presence of God is always felt within 51:00 -- Practices to develop the love of God are very sweet: 1. Name of God - repeat the name of God 2. Form of God - meditate on the form of God 3. Vibhuti - whenever you see anything wonderful in the world, let it remind you of God 4. Sat-Chit-Ananda - witness God in every experience 5. One-ness - see the one-ness that unites all of us

Do not just listen.. PRACTICE Make notes if necessary, Rewatch again and again until you deeply remember it.

This lecture has struck me in the deepest of ways. I was born to a wonderful mother and father in India. They may not have money (being lower middle class with 2 gen of loans) but they were the most humble and service minded people I have ever seen till date, and they will do anything for Bakthi. They will always help poorer people in the surroundings, treat every person they meet with unconditional love. They also love their Gods soooooo much, their day revolves around the Gods. You can literally see God through their eyes. Unfortunately, because they were poor, they were heavily manipulated, bullied and shamed by their extended family(brothers, cousins etc.) that they are not smart enough in the world and didn't seek promotions and more money etc. etc. Since they were tired of this bullying, they invested all their efforts and money in my education and I worked extremely hard and successfully secured an undergrad degree at a top university abroad at the age of 17 itself. (the more popular version being the students going abroad from India at the age of 21 rather for graduate courses.) Anyways, since that was the time, for a 17 year old boy, with very little knowledge about how my hormones can run havoc and a lack of strong family presence, I lost all my godly values that I inherited from my parents. This was also the time when the attention economy peaked with the social media like facebook and instagram. I started seeking/giving attention especially from/to women, chasing them pointlessly, tanked my education, forgot my core values, zero self-discipline, terrible eating habits, 4 hr sleeps, got Americanized by binging their tv shows and the further reinforcement that is to get money -> get women, excessive porn as a vent to all my energy and further dopamine addiction, that was the ultimate happiness pursuit. And for that I need to direct my intelligence towards outsmarting others to get money/career advancement etc. etc. I started seeing every human as a threat, as a competition for material/women. The only caveat is that I didn't do drugs, consume alcohol or smoke. Every time I went back home, my parents are still the same. 10 years have passed, but my parents haven't aged a bit. You can still see the glow and youthfulness and energy in their eyes. But I have aged terribly. There is no resemblance between the picture of myself at the airport when I took my first flight ever (10 years ago) v/s today. Thankfully, maybe its the power of my parents and their devotion that the true stronger pursuit of happiness and love brought me into Vedanta lectures somehow. Since I was always aligned to the intellectual/logical line of thoughts and arguments and at many ups and lows the life didn't make sense and satisfying, I was immediately captivated by his jnana lectures and through it I have starting getting connected back to my roots again. But this lecture on Bhakti, really reminded me of my mother, how she used to fully immerse herself with love at the portraits of the gods we have in our house and I can get that heart welling feeling Swamiji mentions in this lecture. If I can change for the worst in 10 years, I can surely with Bakthi turn it around in the next 10 years. Swamiji, I will not question what made me take the blind decision to take the flight 10 years ago, away from my home, I will also not question my body and mind behaving the way they did in the past 10 years, nor will I question how on earth I landed on your lectures. I will happily assume it's all God playing tricks and laughing at my life in amusement. :') However, I thank you with the bottom of my heart, that you might have just saved and redirected this lost soul. With the right balance between the jnana path which I adore a lot and the renewed love for the Bhakthi path, I will come back again to this video and to this comment of mine and check for myself. This long comment is addressed to me, 10 years from now- 14/03/2020

One of the best talks by revered Maharaj

You are so incredibly full of divine wisdom and I am so grateful to have these discourses available to listen to time and again. My eternal gratitude to you and your sacred wisdom. 💕🙏🏼💕

So deeply blessed to have listened to this. Seemed like God himself is expressing through Swami Sarvapriyanada. He is unparalleled. Shat shat naman SwamiJi. One of the best gems ever.

30:00 and forward - NO WORDS... This presence, this Love, God in form expounding on The Divine Truth. I bow to Thee O' Lord

I'm only attracted to very few teachers, and I mean very few. Not very many people can speak to me but this is one of them. Love you and thanks to those who supply the videos :) love to you!

Swami Sarvapriyananda the guru of the breakthrough! 🙏❤️

Such an enlightened soul you are Swami ji...koti koti pranam to you.

It is difficult to love the unknown. We need some image to love. Swamis lecture is fascinating.

Swami Sarvapriyananda is peerless.

I can only compare this with Swamiji's Inspired Talks. So full of Life, so animated, and yet so down-to-earth.

This is such good medicine. It gives me hope and softens my heart. Om Namah Shivaya.

34.25.....did anyone notice the pure love swamiji has for god....his voice changed....love for god...

Nārad Muni: The greatest exemplar of Nām japa - "Nārāyana Nārāyana"

Kaun kahte hai Bhagwan aate nahi ..hum meera ke jaise bulate nahi❤Krishna❤❤❤Thank you swami ji🙏

“Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this Divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or mental discipline, or philosophy-by one, or more, or all "----Swami Vivekananda .

Thank you Swami Sarvapriyananda once again for your wonderful Sunday Service Lecture. 💜🙇‍♀️

Pranam Maharaj.Your discussion on the topic is everlasting source of inspiration

I really wish you hold some lectures in UAE.we live in Dubai and don't sleep without hearing you daily

Music to my ears... 🎼🎶🎸

Thank you Swamiji, for your amazing talk. Enlightening as always. Thank you Sir, who kept the camera, recorded the work, editted and uploaded it. thank you for your contribution. A Million words of gratitude to you! I write this poem for you O swami Sarvapriyananda Ji, and all who work unseen and unthanked, for your great effort. What Else Is Love? Scorched in the sun, a cloud floats about, knowing not it gives shade to another soul! What else is love ? If not the carrying out Of Our small god given role Lying with hunger, the tree drops his fruits, knowing not he gives such a gift! What else is love? If not being the roots, that nourish, support and give all a lift! Looking for honey, the flower opens her heart for all to come and all to go What else is love? If not giving our part and let the bee fly out to gods shore What else is love? What else is love? What else can ever be love?

Pranams Swamiji ❤

Swamiji Pranam ..m so glad when we were almost getting dry with Gyana ..gyaana melted into love and it's glowing and flowing ! Much love ! God bless us all !

Blessed!, blessed!, we are so blessed to immerse ourselves in this this jnana Ganga!

Thank you Swamiji for this class 🙏

Congratulations dear sir. Jayatu shree Swami vivekanand.

Thank you Swami ji for sharing this nectar of devotion with us..I bow down to you with utmost respect. 🙏

A beautiful amalgamation of both the paths understood myself better thank Swami ji🙏🙏🙏

We bless u on behalf of other mothers too u may believe along with a mother like me🤗👍

how beautiful is your creation, individual and indivisible in nature, completely connected to God.

Thank you for this beautiful teaching...I found myself smiling, loving through the entire talk.

Jai Sri Ramakrishna Jai Sri Ramakrishna Jai Sri Ramakrishna Jai Sri Ramakrishna Jai Sri Ramakrishna

Jai Swami!

Om, Oh...my...goodness! Pranams to All. The "gurus" on the net are children compared to Swamiji's Divine Wisdom and Holy Compassion. Love leads to fearlessness. Love is inclusive. Take refuge in the Nama of God. ♡♥♡♥♡♥♡♥♥ Shanti Shanti Shantih Hare Om tat sat Yogi Ramsuratkumar Yogi Ramsuratkumar Yogi Ramsuratkumar Jaya Guru Raya (Pranam)

Unparalleled ! Bhakti Joba explained explicitly by Swami sarvapriyananda

Thank you

How beautifully Bhakti and Jnana complement each other! Bhakti without Jnana, will be based on faith, there will not be a direct realization of truth. Jnana without Bhakti, will be purely intellectual, there will not be any emotional connect with God. We need both of them in equal measure. Pranaams!

🙏 True Gyani.

To Sa Sha I am from Hindu Bhakti Tradition (BAPS Swaminarayan), after following more than 30years of Vaishnava path and studying philosophy of Non-Dual and Qualified Non-Qual, I came on conclusion that we have to use all four nisthas what Bhagvan Swaminarayan, Lord Krishna and Swami Vivekananda gave us (Dharma (karma yoga), Jnana, Vairagya (Dhyana / Raj yoga) and Bhakti) Without Karma yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raj yoga, one will (particularly family man) not reach to real Bhakti called Sadhya bhakti (fruit of bhakti). In bhakti, the follower will easily fall down from path without remaining three in life. I noticed that most of Bhakti followers have assurance that god will take care so they wouldn’t like to change small bad habit of self and at end, same habitual guy is heading to death with worldly desire and attachments. In short we have to reduce the GAP in-between self-social Image vs self-reality. The end, we have to understand the real meaning of all four nisthas what Bhagvan Swaminarayan, Lord Krishna and Swami Vivekananda gave us and change our narrow perception. This is my understanding. may be we did not understand Swami's perception ?

The work and words of pandurang shastri are also based on Gita 's devotion and philosophy. Swami's divine discourse reminds me of him.

Wonderful subject. Thank you and God bless.

Such warmness in his voice and heart. Swamiji you were just wonderful. Such a loving voice which I feel cried out during the speech but you just kept it to yourself. Bless us all with the divine love and divine sorrow.

Thanks Swamiji

This is most welcome in today's difficult time. Beautiful music art poetry is a window directly into True Self where subject and object dissolve into real bhakti. So too are Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Swamiji here windows to love.

You are really amazing and loving vibhuti.

Thank you swami for the wonderful talk 🙏🏼

Highest and shortest path

I feel myself blessed. Pranam Swamiji.

Thank you Swami

Thank u for true spiritual enlightenment.🙏🙏

What a brilliant talk! So accurate. So wholesome. And every word is true. The last part is the best!

A teardrop on the cheek of eternity, not face of eternity...31.38 min.

Indescribable is the Joy as the revered Swami holds our finger and take us through the maze of the Vedanta.More over,Swami fills me with immense pride as a fellow Priya.Pranams to him.

Swami Sarvapriyananda is so multidimensional. This is the first message on love I have heard from him. He doesn’t just teach, he takes you by the hand and takes you there. I rejoice in the Light of his life.

I love you swamiji, you are very priya to me♥️

Wonderful.understanding.of.Love.to.GOD.thaks.and.Gretitude.Swami.ji.

🕉🌾🍃🤗Hari Hari🤗🍃🌾🕉 🌾🍃🤗🌼How nice🌼🤗🍃🌾 🌾🍃🌺🌴Here we are with Bhakti Yoga...thank you Brother Sarvapriyananda 🌴🌺🍃🌾

For us Indians, Bhakti coupled with Vedanta is most suitable. Modern speakers preaching shushka Vedanta attract foreigners but Swamiji has worldwide audience so he has had to mix both ways, of course not deviating from Sri Ramakrishna tradition.

U make me cry with joy

भक्ती उत्तर ज्ञान 🙏 ज्ञानोतर भक्ती 🙏 फिर एक बार राम कृष्ण मठ ने११८ बरस के बाद स्वामी सर्वप्रियानंद जी (a perfect combination) के रूप मे दुनिया को एक बहुत बडी उपलब्धी दी है । ठाकूर जी ( श्री राम कृष्ण ) , स्वामी विवेकानंद जी और उनके पुरे शिष्य परिवार जी के त्याग और पवित्र स्मृती को प्रणाम , प्रणाम ,प्रणाम ....🌹🙏....🌹🙏....राम कृष्ण हरी.. मराठी मे गगना हून बाड नाम आहे (हिंदी मे गगन से बडा नाम का महत्व है (हरि पाठ ग्रंथ इति संत ज्ञानेश्वर महाराज आळंदी पुणे ( माऊली )🙏🌹

Thank you 🙏

The Oneness in which we are all united is the Truth.

Swami Sarvapriyananda, your talk about Bhakti is very inspiring. So, please, join the Mission of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and spread His glories ❤️

Divine nectar. Thank you Prabhu !

Thanks Swamiji for this precious gift in the form of "Divine Love"!!!............Indeed, Bhakti is suitable for the majority of people in the Kali Yuga as declared by Sri Ramakrishna

Namaskaram Guru 🙏 🙏🙏 🙏🙏 🙏🙏 🙏🙏 🙏

thank you Swami ji for your teaching on love :)

Love your lectures. There was something missing in my spiritual journey and now your talks has really helped me. Thank you guruji.

Pranam maharaj

Love and devotion is like the oil that lights up the lamp 🛋️ of Divine craving in the cave of the heart ❤️. Thank you very much Swamiji for reminding me this ancient truth.🙏

I can not imagine my life, if you Swami ji, Jasraj, Arindam, Lath and Ip would not have been there. Dhanyo'smi!!!

Sath chit Ananda.... Thank you Swamiji...

Just love this, especially when he recites Sanskrit - many thanks!

Swamiji gives beautiful examples from gaudiya vaishnav traditions. It hurts me when I see gaudiya people utters bad words about r.k mission monks.

I always sing a love song in my house and dedicate it to Divine Mother.

"Om Sri Durgai Namo Namaha."

🙏🏻❤❤

Very helpful hints Swamiji Thanks

Thank you so very much.

Thank you 🙏🏻💕

these may be my favorites

prem bhakti is supreme, you live in bliss

Thanks.

I love this discourse. Thank you so much 😊 🙏🏼

Simply beautiful!

Excellent as always!

16:40 - I always feel this cute feeling of mutual love between God and me. It is so infinitely joyful experiencing that❤❤❤ Even while realising the non-dual path, this perspective stays as a beautiful representation of that non-dualness in me❤❤❤

Amazing.... Pls accept my sincere gratitude and pranans.

Swami 🙏🏼

😊 Krishnam vande jagath gur Happiness 😊🔅

i can garuntee looking at the lord in tirumala cannot really be described in words

Lovely words Guruji 😇

Many thanks Swamiji !

Pranam swamiji.

Swami G sounds like innocent child..When he says 'No' 'Never'

What a feast of love! 🙏🏼💕 felt like a grand love story!

I only wish people understand the 'missing' feeling towards God when they feel like they may be separated as Love alone, and Not as Despair... it is only then, as you say, can it really be a satisfactory feeling even then, beyond the worldy things even then.❤ It eventually leads us to the conclusion that all confusions in life are nothing but waves in the mighty ocean of God.❤❤❤

This dude could be my guru.