Shandilya Bhakti Sutra

Shandilya Bhakti Sutra (Sanskrit: शाण्डिडल्यभक्तिसूत्रम्) is an ancient Sanskrit text of devotion to the God in Hinduism composed by the Vedic sage Brahmarshi Shandilya. It is the collection of one hundred bhakti sutras of the sage Shandilya. These one hundred bhakti sutras are collectively called as Shandilya Sutras.[1][2][3][4]

Shandilya Bhakti Sutra
शाण्डिडल्यभक्तिसूत्रम्
Information
ReligionHinduism
AuthorShandilya (Rishi)
LanguageSanskrit
Sutras100 Shandilya Sutras
The text of Shandilya Sutras

Description

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Maharishi Shandilya was a great teacher of devotion and a supreme devotee of Lord Vishnu. He composed hundred of Sutras dedicated to the devotion of God in Hinduism. These Sutras are called as Shandilya Sutras and the text of these Shandilya Sutras is called as Shandilya Bhakti Sutra. According to the scholars, the text Shandilya Bhakti Sutra seems more older than similar text Narada Bhakti Sutra because Shandilya is quoted in the text Narada Bhakti Sutra but Narada is not quoted in the Shandilya Bhakti Sutra.[4]

There are two well known commentaries on the Shandilya Bhakti Sutra, they are Shandilyasutram by the philosopher Svapneśvara and Bhakti Chandrika of Nārāyaṇatīrtha.[5] [6]

Contents

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In the text Shandilya Bhakti Sutra, there are three chapters. Each chapter is divided into two lectures known as Ahnika in Sanskrit.[5][2] The literal meaning of Ahnika is daily lesson or lecture. The first chapter is about the nature of devotion, the second chapter is related to the means of devotion and the third chapter is related to the object of worship. There are 9 and 17 sutras in the first and second lectures respectively of the first chapter. In the second chapter, there are 29 sutras in each lectures. In the last chapter, there are 8 sutras in each lectures.[5][2] The total number of sutras in the text is one hundred.

References

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  1. ^ Sri Shandilya Muni. Shandilya Bhakti Sutra.
  2. ^ a b c Adya Tripathi (2014-04-17). Narad Aur Shandilya Bhakti Sutra.
  3. ^ Bahirat, B. P. (1998). The Philosophy of Jñānadeva: As Gleaned from the Amṛtānubhava. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-1574-2.
  4. ^ a b Ranade, Ramchandra Dattatraya (1983-01-01). Mysticism in India: The Poet-Saints of Maharashtra. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-87395-669-7.
  5. ^ a b c Sinha, Nandlal (2007). Sandilyasutram. Cosmo Publications. ISBN 978-81-307-0520-0.
  6. ^ Sampurnanand University Varanasi. The Bhakti Chandrika Shandilya Sutra Of Narayana Tirtha Sarasvati Bhavana Granthmala No. 9 Part 1 Year 1924 Sampurnanand University Varanasi.