The purpose of human life is to hunt the conclusion of the last word reality and join with the divine. Yoga goals to first carry us again to our true nature which is the soul (Atma) after which connects the soul with the Divine (Paramata).

There are numerous paths to attainment of the union with the Divine, nonetheless, the last word actuality is just one. Each particular person is presented with the identical set of property as physique, thoughts, mind, and coronary heart. Nevertheless, each human being has completely different persona traits.

• Some people are bodily & mentally very lively whereas others are extra contemplative.
• Some people function extra from the guts and are very emotional whereas others observe a realistic strategy in the direction of life.

Therefore, there are numerous paths of Yoga for every persona sort i.e. 4 paths of yoga:

1) Karma Yoga – The trail of motion (selfless service)
2) Bhakti Yoga – The trail of affection and give up
3) Jnana Yoga – The trail of information
4) Raja Yoga – The trail of the thoughts and meditation

People who find themselves emotional, loving and devotional principally observe the trail of Bhakti Yoga. So, first, let’s know what’s the Bhakti.

What’s Bhakti?

Whoever affords Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or just a little water – that, so supplied devotedly by the pure-minded, I settle for ~ Bhagavad Gita 9.26

Bhakti originates from the Sanskrit phrase “Bhaj,” that means love, attachment, religion, devotion, and prayer. It represents a deep and intense love of the devotee for the Divine. Bhakti is pure, unselfish, and exquisite, the place the devotee feels linked with God in each breath, loving God with out worry or egocentric expectations—that is known as “Parama Prem Rupa.”

Bhakti Yoga: Union By way of Love

We already know, the that means of yoga is union and the Bhakti is solely devotion or love for God. So, combining these two phrases collectively may give a transparent picture of Bhakti yoga.

Bhakti Yoga is a non secular path to liberation by uniting one’s Atman (true self) with the Brahman (true actuality) by intense love for God. It entails making Divine the middle of all of your worldly actions. By way of all these worldly actions, the devotee builds an intimate relationship with God the place he sees the divine manifestation in all creation.

The foremost bhakti motion developed in historic India provides rise to the trail of Bhakti yoga as a technique to liberate from the beginning and loss of life cycle. Let’s know extra about it within the historical past of Bahkti yoga.

Historical past of Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti Yoga is the oldest type of Yoga with its roots within the historic Indian scriptures like Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Bhagavad-Gita, and Bhagavad-Purana.  Nevertheless, it was solely after the composition of Bhagavad-Gita round 500 B.C that Bhakti Yoga was acknowledged as one of many paths to liberation (Moksha).

Up to now, Bhakti Yoga was the focus of the widespread Bhakti motion initiated by non secular reformers of medieval India (800-1700 BCE) to revive and reconceptualize numerous non secular practices related to the worship of God by Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.

Main reformers of the Bhakti actions had been Shankaracharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Namadeva, Tukaram, and Jayadeva. Saints akin to Bhagat Namdev, and Saint ‘Kabir Das’ had been the supporters of this motion.

Main reforms of the Bhakti motion:

1. Abolition of idol worship
2. Demolition of cult and pointless ritualism
3. Propagation of devotion primarily based on love
4. Introduction of free will to worship God of alternative (Ishta-devta-Rama, Krishna, Vishnu and so on)
5. The opposition of caste, gender biases in non secular paths
6. Preaching unity of God and equality for all religions.
7. Introducing new rituals of bhakti akin to Kirtan (at Hindu temple), Qawaali (at Mosque) and Gurubani (at Gurudwara).
8. Propagation of chanting for attaining liberation.

All main scriptures akin to Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavata Purana, and Padma Purana had been propounded throughout Bhakti motion.

Right here we have now described bhakti within the context of varied Hindu traditions which developed previously.

Bhakti In Context of Numerous Hindu Traditions

Completely different devotees observe completely different private God or Goddess in response to one’s religion akin to Krishna, Radha, Shiva, Vishnu, Saraswati, Durga, & Sita.

There are primarily 4 educating traditions (denominations) or devotional sections in Hinduism primarily based on the worship of various deities akin to Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti.

1. Vaishnavism /Vaishnava Bhakti
2. Shaivism /Saiva Siddhanta
3. Shaktism /Shakti Bhakti
4. Smartism /Panchayatana puja

1. Vaishnavism – Devotee of Vishnu

Devotees of Vaishnavism worship God Vishnu because the Supreme God. In addition they worship Vishnu’s ten incarnations (Avatars) out of which the 2 most-revered ones are Krishna and Rama.

2. Shaivism – Devotee of Shiva

Devotees of Shaivism generally known as Shaivas or Shaivities consider in Shiva because the Supreme God. Shaivites pray numerous types of Shiva akin to Natraja (Cosmic Dancer), linga (Immeasurable) and lots of extra. There are twelve manifestations of Shiva.

3. Shaktism – Devotee of Shakti

Devotees of Shakti (Devi) generally known as Shaktas worship Goddess Shakti in numerous varieties akin to Kali, Lakshmi, Durga, and Saraswati.

4. Smartism – Devotee of All God

The department of Hinduism treats all deities as identical is known as Smartism. This custom follows two concepts of God (Brahman) that are the saguna Brahman and nirguna Brahman.

Sagun Brahman means divine with attributes like form, coloration, dimension and nirguna Brahman means the Brahman with out attributes. The last word actuality is the Nirguna Brahman; nonetheless, Saguna Brahman is taken into account a way to realize the last word divine.

A devotee can give attention to any deity akin to Vishnu, Shiva, Surya within the apply interval. As soon as the aspirant has achieved vital command in his non secular pursuits, his consideration will finally begin specializing in the true nature of final actuality and he’ll attain union with the Brahman.

Based on this Hindu custom, temples should embrace all 5 deities (Panchodevata) as a private manifestation (divine with kind saguna) of the Absolute, the Brahman (formless, nirguna). This custom treats all deities as equal and the devotee can select any deity in response to his religion. It additionally consists of different deities akin to Ganesha and Surya.

Varieties of Bhakti Yoga

Principally, forms of Bhakti yoga defines by what number of sorts one can commit thyself to God.

So, There are the next 6 forms of bhakti on which we are able to classify Bhakti yoga.

1. Apara (decrease) and Para (larger) Bhakti
2. Ragatmika (bhakti with out rituals) and Vidhi Bhakti (bhakti with rituals)
3. Sakamya (devotion with wishes) and Nishkamya Bhakti (selfless devotion)
4. Vyabhicharini (devotion for each worldly attachments and God) and Avyabhicharini Bhakti (devotion just for God)
5. Mukhya (major) and Gauna (secondary) Bhakti
6. Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Bhakti

1. Apara and Para Bhakti

Apara bhakti is the decrease type of devotion the place the devotee worships solely his favourite God by all rituals and ceremonies. This concept of devotion could be very slim because the devotee disregards all different types of God. That is rooted in wishes and ego.

Para bhakti is the very best type of love for God which is pure and with out egocentric wishes. A devotee loves God for the sake of affection and all the time wish to serve the Lord with none expectations. Para bhakti acknowledges the transcendental nature of God.

2. Ragatmika bhakti and Vidhi Bhakti

Ragatmika bhakti is a free circulate of affection for God with out observance of any rituals and ceremonies. Vidhi bhakti is devotion which follows guidelines, rituals, and ceremonies.

3. Sakamya and Nishkamya Bhakti

Sakamya bhakti entails worshipping God to satisfy private wishes of well being, wealth, and different materials features. God grants all needs if the devotion is intense and prayers are accomplished with real coronary heart. Nevertheless, the devotee by no means will get final satisfaction and liberation by Sakamya bhakti as a result of there’s all the time a egocentric want and the love for God just isn’t unconditional.

Nishkamya Bhakti is the very best type of bhakti one ought to aspire for. Right here, the devotees love God with the purest coronary heart with none wishes and really feel his presence always. The divine grace bestows upon the devotee and he will get all of the divine items (knowledge, energy and so on) from God with out asking something.

4. Vyabhicharini and Avyabhicharini Bhakti

In Vyabhicharini Bhakti, devotee’s love is split amongst household, materials possessions and God.
In Avyabhicharini Bhakti, the devotee loves solely God.

5. Mukhya and Gauna Bhakti

In Mukhya (major) bhakti, God is the first facet of devotee’s life. And devotee’s love for God is pure and spontaneous.
Guana (secondary) Bhakti is devotion as a secondary facet of devotee’s life and he loves God in response to his attributes or Gunas.

6. Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Bhakti

Sattvic Bhakti entails devotion to please God. The seeker solely aspires for God and has no wishes for materialistic considerations.
Rajasic Bhakti entails devotion to hunt materials riches.
Tamasic Bhakti entails devotion to realize success by unfair means.

For instance, a thief praying to God for fulfillment in a theft.

A devotee ought to aspire to progress from decrease varieties to larger types of Bhakti (Para Bhakti) the place he loves God with none wishes.

Based mostly on various kinds of Bhakti, there are additionally various kinds of devotee (Bhakt).

Varieties of Devotee (Bhakt) in Bhakti

4 forms of males start to render devotional service unto me (God) — the distressed, the inquisitive, the seeker of fabric wealth, and the one who has already realized data of the Absolute ~ Bhagavad Gita, chapter 7

A easy analogy to grasp the forms of devotee is: 

A river provides water to everybody, nonetheless, how a lot water you get relies upon upon your vessel. Equally, God has equal love for all beings. Nevertheless, primarily based upon distinctive temperaments of all people, every devotee has a unique expertise of the divine love.

Folks strategy God for various causes. Based on Bhagavad Gita, there are 4 forms of devotees:

1. Artha (the distressed)
2. Artharthi (the seeker of fabric wealth)
3. Jijnasu (the inquisitive)
4. Jnani (the self-realized)

1. Artha Devotee

Artha devotees bear in mind God to alleviate struggling. When the issues get solved, these devotees once more return to their state of doubt in regards to the existence of God.

2. Artharthi Devotee

Artharthi devotees need materials issues like wealth, household, fame from God. Their devotion to God is for the success of wishes and needs.

3. Jijnasu Devotee

A jijnasu is curious to learn about God by inquiry and examine of scriptures.

4. Jnani Devotee

Jnani bhaktas are self-realized devotees who know the last word reality of life i.e. God (Brahman). They’re in contact with their divine nature and completely immersed within the love of God.

How Bhakti/Love Develops for God

Religion is the place to begin of affection and devotion. First, a devotee feels absolute religion in his God. Then, the devotee feels intense admiration and attraction for the Creator (God ). He will get drawn increasingly to know, worship, pray and love God. Step by step, all his mundane worldly wishes drop and he feels contentment and single-mindedness. As soon as that degree of devotion is reached, the devotee lives each second of his life in remembrance of God.

Within the highest degree of Bhakti, all attachments of the devotee with worldly objects fade and he feels attracted solely in the direction of God. This results in a state the place devotee feels one with God.

There are 9 levels by which devotion (Bhakti) develops in Bhakti yoga in an individual.

9 Stage Course of for Growing Devotion to God

1. Shraddha – Religion
2. Satsanga – Affiliate with devotees and spiritually superior folks
3. Bhajana-kriya – Carry out and take part in devotional service
4. Anartha-nivrttih – Develop into free from undesirable materials wishes
5. Nishta – Stability in devotional apply
6. Ruchi – Develop a style for bhakti
7. Asakti – Develop attachment to God
8. Bhava – Feels numerous feelings of affection for God
9. Prema – Pure love for Krishna.

Based on Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the method of Bhakti Yoga is defined as beneath:

Bhakti begins with a want to know God. To start with, there have to be religion. Then a devotee begins associating with Saints and Sages to advance in his non secular journey. Thereafter, a devotee turns into initiated by a non secular grasp beneath whose steering he performs all devotional service. By way of devotional service, the devotee’s coronary heart is purified and he turns into free from pointless materials wishes. As soon as a devotee turns into free from wishes, his consideration on God turns into regular which helps him to additional develop a style for listening to and speaking about God.

Step by step, the devotee turns into connected to God and he begins feeling completely different sorts of feelings of affection for God. That is the preliminary stage of pure love for God.
Lastly, a devotee reaches the ultimate stage of Bhakti the place he feels one with the Divine. That is stage of pure love for God generally known as Prema.

5 Feelings of Bhakti

On the subject of apply Bhakti yoga, the very first thing pops up within the thoughts the is our feelings. In devotion, an individual has the next 5 sorts of feelings which performs a vital function within the apply of bhakti-yoga.

1. Shanta – Peaceable emotion
2. Dasya – Servant devotee
3. Sakhya – Buddy Angle
4. Vatsalya – Motherly emotion
5. Madhurya – Beloved emotion

These feelings (bhavas) characterize completely different psychological attitudes which a devotee can take whereas experiencing his relationship with God. A devotee can love God like a good friend, a loyal servant, a loving mom, and a beloved.

Apply Bhakti yoga in whichever emotion fits your temperament.

1. Shanta Bhava

The devotee is calm, poised and peaceable. He doesn’t exhibit many feelings, nonetheless, his coronary heart is filled with intense devotion. He silently and peacefully loves God together with his coronary heart full of affection and pleasure.

Instance: Bhishma. All renunciants have Shanta Bhava.

2. Dasya Bhakta (Devotee)

When a devotee aspires to serve God whole-heartedly with a servant perspective, this is called Dasya Bhav.

Instance: Sri Hanuman used to serve Lord Rama whole-heartedly like a devoted servant. He discovered pleasure and bliss within the service of his Grasp Within the holy metropolis of Ayodhya, the overwhelming majority of individuals worship God with dasya bhava. Their names are like Ram Das, Siyaram Das.

3. Sakhya Bhava

In Sakhya Bhava, the devotee loves God like a good friend.
This bhava is troublesome to expertise as devotee and God are on equal phrases as associates. This bhava calls for purity, understanding, openness, and braveness to expertise a relationship of a deeply intimate friendship with God. This Bhava could be attained solely by people who find themselves very mature and developed in Bhakti.

Instance: Relationship between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.

4. Vatsalya Bhava

The devotee loves God as his little baby. The devotee loses all fears and egocentric wishes on this Bhava as a mom can’t be afraid of her loving baby. Nor can she anticipate something from a small son.

Instance: Yashoda’s love for her son, little Krishna.

5. Madhurya Bhava

In Madhurya Bhav, the devotee shares a relationship of the lover and the beloved with God. That is the very best type of Bhakti. The devotee and God really feel one with one another whereas nonetheless being separate. Madhurya Bhav is completely completely different from earthly love as the previous is selfless love for Divine whereas the latter is a egocentric primarily based on ego wants.

Instance: Lord Gauranga, Jayadeva, Mira, Andal and lots of extra.

On summing up all of the feelings in Bhakti yoga, there are 9 methods to apply the Bhakti yoga for various sorts of practitioners.

9 Methods to Apply Bhakti Yoga

Devotion to God could be developed in 9 other ways. A devotee can select any technique from the information supplied under, which fits him/her the most effective.

1. Sravana – Listening to God’s Tales

Sarvana is listening to of God’s tales from discovered and clever males. When a devotee will get absorbed in listening to of Divine tales, his thoughts merges within the considered divinity and loses attraction for the fabric world. A devotee ought to sit with discovered lecturers and listen to the preaching of the scriptures.

Instance: Parikshit attained liberation by this mode of Bhakti.

2. Kirtana – Chanting /singing of His Glories

Kirtana is singing of God’s praises with a pure coronary heart. The devotee’s thoughts is all the time inclined in the direction of singing God’s glories and has no real interest in the worldly considerations. Kirtana purifies the guts and dissolves the ego. Devotional music, dance, chanting and studying scriptures are all a part of the Kirtana.

Instance: Sukadeva Goswami narrated Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit.

3. Smarana – Remembrance of His Identify and Presence

Smarana means remembering God always. Chanting, listening to of tales regarding God, speaking to God, educating others about God, a meditation on the attributes of God and so on is all a part of the remembrance of God. The devotee’s thoughts continuously meditates on glories of God, his virtues, Names and he will get absorbed within the love for God.

Instance: Prahlada by no means forgot Krishna regardless of all tortures from his father.

4. Padsasevana – Service of His Ft

Pad means ft. Padasevana is serving the Lord’s ft. Padasevana could be accomplished solely by Goddess Lakshmi or Parvati. No mortal being is bestowed with the fortune to carry out this type of Bhakti as God just isn’t seen to the bodily eyes. A devotee can serve the Lord’s ft by the worship of the idols in temples or psychological picture of God.
One other technique to do Padasevana is to serve the sick, needy and poor. By serving humanity, a devotee supplies service to God.

Instance: Goddess Laxmi serves the ft of the Lord.

5. Archana – Worship of God

Archana means the worship of God. Worship could be accomplished both by a picture or psychological kind. A devotee can worship with exterior objects like flowers, candles, fruits or just by deep inside emotion. A devotee attains the very best type of worship when he considers all creatures as God and serves them as a gesture of service to God. God seems in all varieties. Serving the poor and worshipping saints purifies the guts by the give up of ego and love of God.

Instance: King Prthu supplied all his royal possessions in pure devotion to the Lord.

6. Vandana – Prostration to Lord

By way of prayers and prostration to God, one’s ego will get dissolved fully, the Divine Grace descends upon the devotee and man turns into God.

Instance: Akura was deeply immersed in prayers of Lord Krishna all through his journey to Vrindavan.

The Bhagavata says:

7. Dasya – Cultivating the Bhava of a servant for God

A devotee loves God like a devoted servant. Worshipping the idols in temples, cleansing the temples, serving the saints and devotees, and serving the sick and poor who’re types of God is a part of Dasya Bhakti.

A dasya (servant) bhakt follows the scriptures and acts in response to the directions of the Vedas contemplating them to be direct phrases of God. He’s all the time concerned in serving the devotees, saints, and sages who’ve data of God. A dasya bhakt (devotee) aspires to all the time be with God in order that he can serve him whole-heartedly, win His Divine Grace and thereby, attain liberation.

Instance: Hanuman, worshipped Lord Rama like a loving servant. He would fulfill all his instructions regardless of all difficulties.

8. Sakhya – Cultivation of the Buddy-Bhava

Sakhya-Bhava entails devotion to God with the sentiment of a good friend. The devotee’s relationship with God has the identical dynamics as skilled in shut friendships. The devotee shares a really deep and intimate bond with God.

Instance: Intimate friendship bond between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.
Arjuna was so near Krishna that the Lord supplied Himself to develop into his chariot driver and serve Arjuna and his brothers in numerous methods.
“Oh, how great is the fortune of the folks of Vraja, of cowherd Nanda whose expensive good friend is the right, everlasting Brahman of Absolute Bliss!”. Bhagavatam

9) Atmanivedana – Full Give up of the Self

Right here, the devotee surrenders all the pieces to God together with his physique, thoughts, and soul. He considers himself an instrument within the arms of God and therefore, there isn’t a sense of being or doership. Such a devotee loves God for the sake of solely love and doesn’t anticipate something in return, not even liberation. He feels solely the presence of God and his loving Grace.

Instance: king Bali gave away his all the pieces together with physique to Sri Vamanadeva even when his non secular grasp was towards it.

Advantages of Bhakti Yoga

Once we observe the path of karma yoga, it routinely develops caring nature inside us & with caring nature, one can benefit from the fruits of Bhakti yoga.

1. Much less dependence on the exterior world

A devotee is much less dependent upon the exterior world –relationships, conditions, fame, cash, and so on. for love and happiness. He has discovered an ocean of everlasting peace and love by his unselfish devotion to God.

2. Removes all doubts and fears

Bhakti removes all fears of the devotees, even the worry of loss of life as a real devotee solely aspires for the love of God and needs nothing else.

3. Cultivates compassion and love for everybody

A devotee has equal love for all beings as he sees the Divine in all types of creation. All destructive feelings arising out of Dvesha (robust dislike) evaporate. He can not bear negativity for any dwelling being even a toxic snake. He’ll preserve an acceptable distance from the supply of ache, nonetheless mentally he’ll keep the love for every body.

4. Gives emotional and psychological stability

A devotee stays impartial by the thick and skinny of life and sees the troublesome conditions as part of the method of non secular progress. A real devotee sees all occasions of life as drama and results of Prarabdha Karma (Previous life Karma skilled by current life). Therefore, when issues don’t go as per plans and wishes, a devotee by no means loses his emotional stability. There aren’t any indicators of anger and painful emotional outburst in a real devotee. He respects the opinions of others as completely different factors of view.

5. Dissolves the ego

A real devotee has no attachment and sense of possession for folks, possessions not even his physique. A devotee’s objective of life to serve God and he feels an instrument within the arms of the Divine. He lives in a state of absolute give up to God.
A bhakti yogi performs all worldly karma with none wishes as he has discovered the everlasting bliss and pleasure of the divine love in his coronary heart. He’s content material inside himself and therefore, just isn’t distracted by the ability of worldly Maya.

6. Present the power to discriminate

A devotee develops a capability to discriminate between momentary happiness (Maya) and everlasting pleasure (Divine love). A devotee observes and passes by all sides of the exterior world (pleasure, ache, magnificence, novelty and so on) with out attachment. He is aware of the ever-changing actuality of worldly happiness. Therefore, a devotee is aware of that the data of the last word actuality, Brahman is the one safety.

7. Purifies the guts

A devotee by no means feels envious to see anybody extra blessed than him as he sees God in each being. He needs good for every body.

8. Improves confidence

A devotee is actually assured in him as he’s and he by no means tries to please anybody. He’s equanimous in all conditions and will get together with every kind of individuals and conditions fairly effortlessly.

Conclusion

The trail of Bhakti yoga is best amongst 4 paths of yoga because it calls for just one’s religion for divine and, all the pieces else routinely begins working then. It dissolves impurities from practitioners Chitta, and exchange it with love for the Divine self.

There are following advised readings if you wish to be taught extra about Bhakti yoga.

1. The apply of Bhakti Yoga by Sivananda
2. The Yoga of Religious Devotion: A Trendy Translation of the Narada Bhakti Sutras by Prem Prakash
3. Bhakti-yoga by Swami Vivekananda
4. Narada’s Means of Divine Love: The Bhakti Sutras by Swami Prabhavananda
5. Bhakti and Philosophy by R. Singh
6. Bhakti-Yoga: The Yoga of Love and Devotion by Swami Vivekananda
7. The Nectar of Devotion: The Full Science of Bhakti-Yoga by Swami A. C. Bhaktivedanta and A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
8. A Sequence of Classes in Bhakti Yoga by Bhikshu