The Supremacy of Para Bhakti (25-33)

Shloka 25: सा तु कर्मज्ञानयोगेभ्योऽप्यधिकतरा॥ २५॥

sā tu karma-jñāna-yogebhyo’pyadhikatarā.

सा - that supreme devotion (Parā bhakti); तु - indeed; कर्मज्ञान-योगेभ्यः - than path of action, the path of knowledge and the path of yoga; अपि - even; अधिकतरा - superior or greater

The supreme devotion (bhakti) is indeed, as a technique even superior to the path of action (karma), the path of knowledge (jñāna), and the path of disciplined contemplation (yoga).

Narad Ji is saying that Bhakti is superior to karma, jnana and yoga because Bhakti gives us the most complete realization of God.

In chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna had said:

ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते।

श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः॥ २०॥

ye tu dharmyāmṛtam-idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate,

śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktās-te‘tīva me priyāḥ.

Those who honor this nectar of wisdom declared here, have faith in Me, and are devoted and intent on Me as the supreme goal, they are exceedingly dear to Me.

Shri Krishna declares that a devotee who fully practices His teachings on the path of bhakti, or devotional service, is "atīva priyāḥ" - exceedingly dear to Him. While upāsana, or worship, may be done briefly and then forgotten, paryupāsana is constant worship of the Divine, 24x7. Shri Krishna affirms that a devotee who follows His teachings with "śraddhā" (faith) and "niśchayena" (conviction), keeping Him as the ultimate goal, is especially beloved.

And in the 18th chapter, Shri Krishna has said:

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वत: |

ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम् || 55||

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaśh chāsmi tattvataḥ

tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśhate tad-anantaram

Only by loving devotion to Me does one come to know who I am in Truth. Then, having come to know Me, My devotee enters into full consciousness of Me.

Shri Krishna declares that only through "bhakti" (loving devotion) can one truly know His true nature (tattvataḥ). Once a devotee has achieved this understanding, they enter into full consciousness of Him. Shri Krishna emphasizes that bhakti is the only path for realizing Him completely and in fact, all other paths should ultimately lead to bhakti. By adding bhakti to all other "yogas", they become complete.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Shri Krishna has said:

न साधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्यं धर्म उद्धव ।

न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो यथा भक्तिर्ममोर्जिता ॥ २० ॥

na sādhayati māṁ yogo

na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava

na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo

yathā bhaktir mamorjitā

My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga, Sāṅkhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study, austerity or renunciation.