Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga (Sanskrit: भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (भक्ति मार्ग, literally the path of bhakti), is a
spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal
deity.[1][2] It is one of the three classical paths in Hinduism which lead to moksha, the other paths being
jnana yoga and karma yoga.
The tradition has ancient roots. Bhakti is mentioned in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad where it simply
means participation, devotion and love for any endeavor.[3][4] Bhakti yoga as one of three spiritual paths for
salvation is discussed in depth by the Bhagavad Gita.[5][6][7]
The personal god varies with the devotee.[8][9] It may include a god or goddess such as Krishna, Radha,
Rama, Sita, Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, Parvati, Durga, and Surya among others.
The bhakti marga involving these deities grew with the bhakti movement, starting about the mid-1st
millennium CE, from Tamil Nadu in South India. The movement was led by the Saiva Nayanars[10] and the
Vaisnava Alvars. Their ideas and practices inspired bhakti poetry and devotion throughout India over the
12th-18th century CE.[11][10] Bhakti marga is a part of the religious practice in Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and
Shaktism.[12][13][14]
Philosophy
The Sanskrit word bhakti is derived from the root bhaj, which means
"divide, share, partake, participate, to belong to".[2][15][16] The word also
means "attachment, devotion to, fondness for, homage, faith or love,
worship, piety to something as a spiritual, religious principle or means of
salvation".[17]
The term yoga literally means "union, yoke", and in this context connotes a
path or practice for "salvation, liberation".[13] The yoga referred to here is
the "joining together, union" of one's Atman (true self) with the concept of
Supreme Brahman (true Reality).[13][18][19]
Bhagavad Gita
Bhakti yoga is one of three yogas taught in Bhagavad Gita.[13] Bhakti yoga is a devotee's loving devotion
to a personal god as the path for spirituality.[22] The other two paths are jnana yoga and karma yoga. Jnana
yoga is the path of wisdom where the individual pursues knowledge and introspective self-understanding as
spiritual practice, and karma yoga is the path of virtuous action (karma) where one acts without expecting
rewards or consequences, also known as nishkama karma.[13][22] Later, new movements within Hinduism
added raja yoga as the fourth spiritual path, but this is not universally accepted as distinct to other
three.[23][24]
The Uddhava Gita, which is the eleventh book of the Bhagavata Purana, discusses bhakti through a
dialogue between Lord Krishna and Uddhava, his devotee. This text highlights the pure devotion and
bhakti that the gopis of Vrindavan had for Lord Krishna.[28]
Traditions
Hinduism, in its scriptures such as Bhagavad Gita (chapter 7), recognizes four kinds of devotees who
practice Bhakti yoga.[29][30][31] Some practice it because they are hard pressed or stressed by anxiety or
their life's circumstances and see Bhakti yoga as a form of relief. The second type practice Bhakti yoga to
learn about god out of curiosity and intellectual intrigue. The third type seek rewards in this or in afterlife
through their Bhakti yoga. The fourth are those who love god driven by pure love, knowing and seeking
nothing beyond that experience of love union.[29][30]
Panchayatana puja
Panchayatana puja is a form of bhakti found in the Smarta tradition of Hinduism.[35] It consists of the
simultaneous worship of multiple deities: Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Surya and an Ishta Devata such as
Ganesha or Skanda or any personal god of devotee's preference.[36][37][38]
Philosophically, the Smarta tradition emphasizes that all images (murti) are icons of saguna Brahman, a
means to thinking about the abstract Ultimate Reality called nirguna Brahman. The five or six icons are
seen by Smartas as multiple representations of the one Saguna Brahman (i.e., a personal God with form),
rather than as distinct beings. The ultimate goal in this practice is to transition past the use of icons, then
follow a philosophical and meditative path to understanding the oneness of Atman (soul, self) and Brahman
– as "That art Thou".[36][39]
Saiva Siddhanta
The Śaivasiddhānta tradition favors Bhakti yoga, emphasizing loving devotion to Shiva.[40][41] Its theology
presents three universal realities: the pashu (individual soul), the pati (lord, Shiva), and the pasha (soul's
bondage) through ignorance, karma and maya. The tradition teaches ethical living, service to the
community and through one's work, loving worship, yoga practice and discipline, continuous learning and
self-knowledge as means for liberating the individual soul from bondage.[42][43]
The historic Shaiva Siddhanta literature is an enormous body of texts.[44] The Shaiva Siddhanta practices
have focussed on abstract ideas of spirituality,[44] worship and loving devotion to Shiva as SadaShiva, and
taught the authority of the Vedas and Shaiva Agamas.[45][46][47]
Shakti Bhakti
Bhakti toward the goddess is another significant tradition, one found in Shaktism.[48] The theology of
oneness and unity of "the divine Goddess and the devotee", their eternal fearless love for each other is a
theme found in Devi Gita, a text embedded inside the Devi-Bhagavata Purana. The specific Bhakti yoga
practices amongst Shakta are similar to those in other traditions of Hinduism.[49][50] The Shakta devotion is
common in eastern states of India, particularly West Bengal. The personal god here varies, and includes
Durga, Tara Ma (Buddhist influence), Kali and to a lesser extent Saraswati, Lakshmi, Bharat Mata (land
goddess), according to June McDaniel.[50]
Vaishnava Bhakti
The Bhakti yoga tradition has been historically most associated with Vaishnavism. The personal god here is
Vishnu or one of his avatars. In many regions, the loving devotion is either to Vishnu-Lakshmi (god-
goddess) together, or through Lakshmi who is considered the shakti of Vishnu.[52][53] The specific avatar
varies by the devotee and region, but the most common are Krishna and Rama.[33][54][55]
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
In the Krishna-oriented traditions of Vaishnavism, the Chaitanya
Charitamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja interprets the section 7.5.23-24 of
Bhagavata Purana to teach nine types of bhakti sadhana, in the words of
Prahlada. David Haberman translates them as follows:[56]
Rupa Goswami and Jiva Goswami have offered significant commentary on bhakti. Rupa defines bhakti as
"Bhakti is said to be service to Krishna, by means of the senses. This service is free of all limitations,
dedicated to Him and pure [of self-motive]." Jiva aligns closely with this, stating that bhakti is the
preeminent path to attaining perfection through service. The ultimate expression of bhakti is service to
Krishna.[25]
In the Bhakti Sandarbha, Jiva Goswami analyzes bhakti yoga by distinguishing between vaidhi bhakti and
raganuga bhakti. Vaidhi bhakti represents a regulated form of devotion, where devotion is driven by
adherence to scriptural injunctions and traditional practices. Raganuga bhakti represents a more exceptional
form of devotion, emerging spontaneously from a natural, innate attraction to Ishvara (God), without
relying on formalized practices. Raganuga bhakti, with its exclusive focus on Ishvara, represents the
highest yogic attainment in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, contrasting with other yogic paths like that described by
Patanjali, where mundane desires are seen as obstacles.[57]
Meher Baba
A movement led by Meher Baba states that "out of a number of practices which lead to the ultimate goal of
humanity – God-Realization – Bhakti Yoga is one of the most important. Almost the whole of humanity is
concerned with Bhakti Yoga, which, in simple words, means the art of worship. But it must be understood
in all its true aspects, and not merely in a narrow and shallow sense, in which the term is commonly used
and interpreted. The profound worship based on the high ideals of philosophy and spirituality, prompted by
divine love, doubtless constitutes true Bhakti Yoga".[58] Pashayan concurs that Bhakti Yogis are found on
the mat, delivering pizza, in academia, and in politics and international relations. Where you least expect it,
there's a Bhakti Yogi in the room with you whereby common ground can be actualized into productive
solutions of today's salient issues, and problems can be resolved.[59]
See also
Guru yoga
Narada Bhakti Sutra
References
1. Karen Pechelis (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-
0195351903, pages 19-24
2. Cutler, Norman (1987). Songs of Experience (https://books.google.com/books?id=veSItWing
x8C&pg=PA1). Indiana University Press. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-0-253-35334-4.
3. Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-
8120814684, page 326
4. Max Muller, Shvetashvatara Upanishad (https://archive.org/stream/upanishads02ml#page/26
6/mode/2up), The Upanishads, Part II, Oxford University Press, page 267
5. John Lochtefeld (2014), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Rosen Publishing New
York, ISBN 978-0823922871, pages 98-100, also see articles on bhaktimārga and
jnanamārga
6. Klostermaier, Klaus (1989). A survey of Hinduism. SUNY Press. pp. 210–212. ISBN 978-0-
88706-807-2.
7. Karen Pechelis (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-
0195351903, pages 14-15, 37-38
8. Bhakti (https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/63933/bhakti), Encyclopedia Britannica
(2009)
9. Karen Pechelis (2011), Bhakti Traditions, in The Continuum Companion to Hindu Studies
(Editors: Jessica Frazier, Gavin Flood), Bloomsbury, ISBN 978-0826499660, pages 107-121
10. Embree, Ainslie Thomas; Stephen N. Hay; William Theodore De Bary (1988). Sources of
Indian Tradition (https://books.google.com/books?id=An5mD6KMiSIC&pg=PA342).
Columbia University Press. p. 342. ISBN 978-0-231-06651-8.
11. Flood, Gavin (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism (https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0
000floo). Cambridge University Press. pp. 131 (https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi000
0floo/page/131). ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0.
12. Rinehart, Robin (2004). Contemporary Hinduism: ritual, culture, and practice (https://books.g
oogle.com/books?id=hMPYnfS_R90C&pg=PA51). ABC-CLIO. pp. 45, 51. ISBN 978-1-
57607-905-8.
13. Michael C. Brannigan (2010). Striking a Balance: A Primer in Traditional Asian Values (http
s://books.google.com/books?id=axvPxswqNLQC&pg=PA18). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 18–
22. ISBN 978-0-7391-3846-5.
14. Samrat S Kumar (2010). Bhakti – The Yoga of Love: Trans-Rational Approaches to Peace
Studies (https://books.google.com/books?id=RzA3oAAHAQIC). LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 35–
37 with footnotes. ISBN 978-3-643-50130-1.
15. Pechilis Prentiss, Karen (1999). The Embodiment of Bhakti (https://books.google.com/book
s?id=Vu95WgeUBfEC&pg=PA24). US: Oxford University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-19-
512813-0.
16. Werner, Karel (1993). Love Divine: studies in bhakti and devotional mysticism (https://books.
google.com/books?id=pYahlaJCLnYC&pg=PA168). Routledge. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-7007-
0235-0.
17. See Monier-Williams, Sanskrit Dictionary, 1899.
18. Prabhupada, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. "Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14
Verse 27" (https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/14/27/). vedabase.io. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
19. Prabhupada, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. "Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18
Verse 54" (https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/18/54/). vedabase.io. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
20. Samrat S Kumar (2010). Bhakti – The Yoga of Love: Trans-Rational Approaches to Peace
Studies (https://books.google.com/books?id=RzA3oAAHAQIC). LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 12–
13. ISBN 978-3-643-50130-1.
21. "What Is Bhakti Yoga" (http://healthysuccessreviews.com/what-is-bhakti-yoga/). Retrieved
17 September 2018.
22. Gordon S. Wakefield (1983). The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Spirituality (https://boo
ks.google.com/books?id=Ga815P6vxygC&pg=PA46). WJK Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-0-
664-22170-6.
23. Roderick Hindery (1978). Comparative Ethics in Hindu and Buddhist Traditions (https://book
s.google.com/books?id=-FswBLvTkvQC). Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 26–27. ISBN 978-81-
208-0866-9.
24. George D. Chryssides (2012). Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements (https://boo
ks.google.com/books?id=WA12nHRtmAwC). Rowman & Littlefield. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-
8108-6194-7.
25. Edwin F. Bryant (2017). Bhakti Yoga: Tales and Teachings from the Bhagavata Purana (http
s://books.google.com/books?id=2c-_DQAAQBAJ). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 1–7.
ISBN 978-0-374-71439-0.
26. Lloyd Pflueger (2008). Knut A. Jacobsen (ed.). Theory and Practice of Yoga : 'Essays in
Honour of Gerald James Larson (https://books.google.com/books?id=jPK2spNnwm4C&pg=
PA36). Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 36–44. ISBN 978-81-208-3232-9.
27. Gregor Maehle (2011). Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy (https://books.google.com/b
ooks?id=f9ygWu2xM3QC&pg=PA160). New World Library. pp. 160–163. ISBN 978-1-
57731-986-3.
28. Rosen, Steven (2010). Krishna's Other Song. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.
ISBN 978-0-313-38326-7.
29. John A. Grimes (1996). A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined
in English (https://books.google.com/books?id=qcoUFYOX0bEC). State University of New
York Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-7914-3067-5.
30. Varghese Malpan (1992). A Comparative Study of the Bhagavad-gītā and the Spiritual
Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola on the Process of Spiritual Liberation (https://books.goo
gle.com/books?id=cSy_BSaO2BwC&pg=PA149). GBP. pp. 147–152. ISBN 978-88-7652-
648-0.
31. Jack Hawley (2011). The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=Nfe_tgzvbg0C&pg=PA71). New World Library. pp. 71–73. ISBN 978-1-
60868-057-3.
32. Brant Cortright (2010). Integral Psychology: Yoga, Growth, and Opening the Heart (https://bo
oks.google.com/books?id=rqIlNbelQ0AC&pg=PA177). State University of New York Press.
pp. 177–178. ISBN 978-0-7914-8013-7.
33. Stephen Phillips (2009). Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy (https://b
ooks.google.com/books?id=hlOrAgAAQBAJ). Columbia University Press. pp. 148–156.
ISBN 978-0-231-14484-1.
34. Winthrop Sargeant (2009). Christopher Key Chapple (ed.). The Bhagavad Gita: Twenty-fifth–
Anniversary Edition (https://books.google.com/books?id=4JoicgCMZ5cC). State University
of New York Press. pp. 332–347. ISBN 978-1-4384-2842-0.
35. Gudrun Bühnemann (2003). Mandalas and Yantras in the Hindu Traditions (https://books.go
ogle.com/books?id=kQf2m8VaC_oC&pg=PA60). BRILL Academic. p. 60. ISBN 978-
9004129023.
36. James C. Harle (1994). The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent (https://archive.or
g/details/artarchitectureo00harl). Yale University Press. pp. 140 (https://archive.org/details/art
architectureo00harl/page/140)–142, 191, 201–203. ISBN 978-0-300-06217-5.
37. Gavin D. Flood (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism (https://archive.org/details/introductionto
hi0000floo). Cambridge University Press. p. 17 (https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi00
00floo/page/17). ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0.
38. Diana L. Eck (1998). Darśan: Seeing the Divine Image in India (https://books.google.com/bo
oks?id=wWqaD9Hz1bMC). Columbia University Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-231-11265-9.
39. The Four Denominations of Hinduism (https://www.himalayanacademy.com/readlearn/basic
s/four-sects), Basics of Hinduism, Kauai Hindu Monastery
40. Dhavamony 1971, pp. 14–22, 257–258.
41. P. Arunachalam (2004). Polonnaruwa Bronzes and Siva Worship and Symbolism (https://boo
ks.google.com/books?id=s09kLczxYhkC&pg=PA22). Asian Educational Services. p. 22.
ISBN 978-81-206-1929-6.
42. Shaiva Siddhanta (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shaiva-siddhanta), Encyclopedia
Britannica (2014)
43. S Parmeshwaranand (2004). Encyclopaedia of the Śaivism (https://archive.org/details/bub_g
b_HQvbJDacNDMC). Sarup & Sons. pp. 210 (https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HQvbJDac
NDMC/page/n216)–217. ISBN 978-81-7625-427-4.
44. Sanderson 1988, pp. 668–669.
45. Schomerus 2000, pp. 1–7, 29–37, 44–49.
46. Constance Jones; James D. Ryan (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism (https://books.google.c
om/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC&pg=PA375). Infobase Publishing. pp. 375–376. ISBN 978-
0-8160-7564-5.
47. Rohan A. Dunuwila (1985). Śaiva Siddhānta Theology: A Context for Hindu-Christian
Dialogue (https://books.google.com/books?id=cDsdAAAAMAAJ). Motilal Banarsidass.
pp. 29–30, 66–73. ISBN 978-0-89581-675-7.
48. Laura Amazzone (2012). Goddess Durga and Sacred Female Power (https://books.google.c
om/books?id=PM_TNDu8NHUC&pg=PA45). University Press of America. pp. 45–51.
ISBN 978-0-7618-5314-5.
49. C. Mackenzie Brown (11 September 1998). The Devi Gita: The Song of the Goddess: A
Translation, Annotation, and Commentary (https://books.google.com/books?id=HZVhvra-n9
wC). State University of New York Press. pp. 208–210. ISBN 978-0-7914-9773-9.
50. June McDaniel (2004). Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West
Bengal (https://books.google.com/books?id=caeJpIj9SdkC&pg=PA11). Oxford University
Press. pp. 11–13, 209–221, 265–266. ISBN 978-0-19-534713-5.
51. SM Pandey (1965), Mīrābāī and Her Contributions to the Bhakti Movement (https://www.jstor.
org/stable/1061803), History of Religions, Vol. 5, No. 1, pages 54-73
52. Sabapathy Kulandran (2004). Grace in Christianity and Hinduism (https://books.google.com/
books?id=pujRGufjKBAC&pg=PA174). James Clarke & Co. pp. 174–177. ISBN 978-0-227-
17236-0.
53. Barbara A. Holdrege (2015). Bhakti and Embodiment: Fashioning Divine Bodies and
Devotional Bodies in Krsna Bhakti (https://books.google.com/books?id=R9FgCgAAQBAJ).
Routledge. pp. 51–59. ISBN 978-1-317-66910-4.
54. Samrat S Kumar (2010). Bhakti – The Yoga of Love: Trans-Rational Approaches to Peace
Studies (https://books.google.com/books?id=RzA3oAAHAQIC). LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 35–
43. ISBN 978-3-643-50130-1.
55. June McDaniel (2012), The Role of Yoga in Some Bengali Bhakti Traditions: Shaktism,
Gaudiya Vaisnavism, Baul, and Sahajiya Dharma, Journal of Hindu Studies, Volume 5,
Issue 1, pp. 53-74
56. Haberman, David L. (2001). Acting as a Way of Salvation (https://books.google.com/books?i
d=Ua-E20uyH9IC&pg=RA1-PA133). Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 133–134. ISBN 978-81-208-
1794-4.
57. Bryant, Edwin F. (11 July 2017). Bhakti Yoga: Tales and Teachings from the Bhagavata
Purana (https://books.google.com/books?id=2c-_DQAAQBAJ). Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-0-374-71439-0.
58. Baba, Meher: The Path of Love, Sheriar Press, 2000, pp. 57-58.
59. Pashayan, A. R. (20 May 2014). Stories of a Bhakti Yogi. ISBN 978-1625635075.
Works cited
Dhavamony, Mariasusai (1971). Love of God according to Śaiva Siddhānta: a study in the
mysticism and theology of Śaivism. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-826523-8.
Sanderson, Alexis (1988). "Saivism and the Tantric Traditions". In S Sutherland; et al. (eds.).
The World's Religions. Routledge.
Schomerus, Hilko Wiardo (2000). Śaiva Siddhānta: An Indian School of Mystical Thought :
Presented as a System and Documented from the Original Tamil Sources. Motilal
Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1569-8.
Further reading
Fowler, Jeaneane D. (2002). Perspectives of reality: an introduction to the philosophy of
Hinduism. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-898723-93-6.
Fowler, Jeaneane D. (2012). The Bhagavad Gita: A Text and Commentary for Students.
Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-84519-520-5.