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Indian PhilosophyOS

प्रेम

Prema

prema

divine lovePure, selfless love for God — for many bhakti traditions the highest goal, beyond even liberation.
Editorial overview

In simple words

Prema means deep, selfless love. In devotional traditions, it is the love of the soul for God that asks for nothing in return — not even freedom.

What is it?

Prema is the mature form of devotion: love for God that is unconditional, free of desire for reward, and experienced as intense longing and joy. The Narada Bhakti Sutra describes devotion as supreme love for God, and the Bhagavata Purana presents the love of the gopis for Krishna as its model. Several Vaishnava schools, especially the Gaudiya tradition of Chaitanya, regard prema as the highest human goal, even above moksha. Sikh scripture also speaks of loving devotion to the One.

Scholar’s note

Gaudiya theology (Rupa Gosvami's Bhaktirasamritasindhu) analyses prema through the aesthetics of rasa, distinguishing relationships such as servitude, friendship, parental love and conjugal love. Swami Ramsukhdas describes prema as an ever-increasing love that is the fulfilment of all paths. Scholars note that the Gita's own vocabulary is primarily bhakti and priti rather than prema.

How its meaning differs

Editorial overview
Each tradition in its own terms. None is ranked.
Bhakti traditions

For many devotional traditions, love of God is the end rather than the means; liberation is secondary to the joy of loving service.

Vishishtadvaita Vedanta

Ramanuja describes bhakti as continuous loving remembrance of the Lord, which in its highest form is itself the experience of the Lord's presence.

Advaita Vedanta

Advaita values love of God as purifying and as a path, while holding that its culmination is non-dual knowledge; some Advaitins, such as Madhusudana Sarasvati, gave devotion a very high place.

Sikh philosophy (Gurmat)

The Guru Granth Sahib speaks of the soul's loving longing for the One, often in bridal imagery, as central to spiritual life.

Epics & Puranas (Itihasa-Purana)

The Bhagavata Purana's stories of the gopis present love for Krishna as the model of devotion.

Where it appears in the Gita

Full text available
9.26

A leaf, a flower, a fruit, water — offered with love

पत्र, पुष्प, फल, जल — प्रेमसे अर्पित

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति।

God does not need elaborate materials or rituals; whatever simple thing is offered with love, He accepts — indeed He eats it.

भगवान्को विशेष सामग्री या विधिकी जरूरत नहीं; प्रेमपूर्वक दी हुई साधारण वस्तुको भी वे स्वीकार कर लेते हैं, खा लेते हैं।

9.29

समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रिय:।

मैं सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें समान हूँ। (उन प्राणियोंमें) न तो कोई मेरा द्वेषी है (और) न कोई प्रिय है। परन्तु जो प्रेमपूर्वक मेरा भजन करते हैं, वे मुझमें हैं और मैं भी उनमें हूँ।१

10.9

मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्त: परस्परम्।

मुझमें चित्तवाले मुझमें प्राणोंको अर्पण करनेवाले (भक्तजन) आपसमें (मेरे गुण, प्रभाव आदिको) जनाते हुए और उनका कथन करते हुए नित्य-निरन्तर सन्तुष्ट रहते हैं और मुझमें ही प्रेम करते हैं।

10.10

To those who love Me constantly, I give the yoga of understanding

प्रेमसे भजनेवालोंको मैं बुद्धियोग देता हूँ

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम्।

Devotees who stay ever united with God and worship Him with love are given, by God Himself, the evenness of mind by which they attain Him.

नित्य-निरन्तर भगवान्में लगे रहकर प्रेमसे भजनेवाले भक्तोंको भगवान् स्वयं वह समता (बुद्धियोग) देते हैं, जिससे वे उन्हें प्राप्त हो जाते हैं।

12.13

No ill-will toward any being, friendly and compassionate — such a devotee is dear to Me

किसीसे द्वेष नहीं, सबका मित्र और दयालु—ऐसा भक्त मुझे प्रिय है

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्र: करुण एव च।

The realized devotee bears no hatred, is friendly and kind to all, free of mineness and ego, and even in pleasure and pain.

सिद्ध भक्त किसीसे द्वेष नहीं करता, सबका मित्र और दयालु, ममता-अहंकाररहित तथा सुख-दु:खमें सम होता है।

Where else it appears

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