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{{Short description|Devotional path to moksha in Hinduism}}
{{about|the Hindu spiritual concept|the neo-Hindu organisation|Bhakti Marga (organisation)}}
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'''Bhakti yoga''' ({{langx|sa|भक्ति योग}}), also called '''Bhakti marga''' ({{lang|sa|भक्ति मार्ग}}, literally the path of ''[[bhakti]]''), is a spiritual path or [[spiritual practice]] within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any [[Personal god#Hinduism|personal deity]].<ref name=karen19>Karen Pechelis (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0195351903}}, pages 19-24</ref><ref name="Cutler">{{cite book|last=Cutler|first=Norman|title=Songs of Experience|publisher=Indiana University Press|year=1987|pages=1–2|isbn=978-0-253-35334-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=veSItWingx8C&pg=PA1}}</ref> It is one of the [[Three Yogas|three classical paths]] in Hinduism which leads 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.<ref>Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120814684}}, page 326</ref><ref>Max Muller, [https://archive.org/stream/upanishads02ml#page/266/mode/2up Shvetashvatara Upanishad], The Upanishads, Part II, Oxford University Press, page 267</ref> Bhakti yoga as one of three spiritual paths for salvation is discussed in depth by the ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]''.<ref>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</ref><ref name="Klostermaier">{{cite book|last=Klostermaier|first=Klaus|author-link=Klaus Klostermaier|title=A survey of Hinduism|publisher=SUNY Press|year=1989|pages=210–212|isbn=978-0-88706-807-2}}</ref><ref>Karen Pechelis (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0195351903}}, pages 14-15, 37-38</ref>

The personal god varies with the devotee.<ref name=encyclopediabrit>[https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/63933/bhakti Bhakti], Encyclopedia Britannica (2009)</ref><ref name=karen>Karen Pechelis (2011), Bhakti Traditions, in The Continuum Companion to Hindu Studies (Editors: Jessica Frazier, Gavin Flood), Bloomsbury, {{ISBN|978-0826499660}}, pages 107-121</ref> 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]]<ref name="Embree">{{cite book|last=Embree|first=Ainslie Thomas | author-link=Ainslie Embree|author2=Stephen N. Hay |author3=William Theodore De Bary |title=Sources of Indian Tradition|publisher=Columbia University Press|year=1988|pages=342|isbn=978-0-231-06651-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=An5mD6KMiSIC&pg=PA342}}</ref> and the Vaisnava [[Alvars]]. Their ideas and practices inspired bhakti poetry and devotion throughout India over the 12th-18th century CE.<ref name="Flood">{{cite book|last=Flood|first=Gavin|title=An Introduction to Hinduism|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|year=1996|pages=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo/page/131 131]|isbn=978-0-521-43878-0|url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref name="Embree" /> Bhakti marga is a part of the religious practice in [[Vaishnavism]], [[Shaivism]], and [[Shaktism]].<ref name="Rinehart">{{cite book|last=Rinehart|first=Robin|title=Contemporary Hinduism: ritual, culture, and practice|year=2004|publisher=ABC-CLIO|pages=45, 51|isbn=978-1-57607-905-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMPYnfS_R90C&pg=PA51}}</ref><ref name="Brannigan2010p18" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Samrat S Kumar|title=Bhakti – The Yoga of Love: Trans-Rational Approaches to Peace Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RzA3oAAHAQIC|year=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-50130-1|pages=35–37 with footnotes}}</ref>

== Philosophy ==
{{Main|Bhakti}}
[[File:(A) Hindu in midst of puja in Himachal Pradesh India.jpg|upright|thumb|left|Bhakti yoga by a Hindu in [[Himachal Pradesh]].]]
The Sanskrit word ''bhakti'' is derived from the root ''bhaj'', which means "divide, share, partake, participate, to belong to".<ref name="Cutler" /><ref name="Prentiss">{{cite book|last=Pechilis Prentiss|first=Karen|title=The Embodiment of Bhakti|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=US|year=1999|page=24|isbn=978-0-19-512813-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vu95WgeUBfEC&pg=PA24}}</ref><ref name="Werner">{{cite book|last=Werner|first=Karel|title=Love Divine: studies in bhakti and devotional mysticism|publisher=Routledge|year=1993|pages=168|isbn=978-0-7007-0235-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pYahlaJCLnYC&pg=PA168}}</ref> 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".<ref name=monier>See [[Monier-Williams]], ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899.</ref>

The term ''yoga'' literally means "union, yoke", and in this context connotes a path or practice for "salvation, liberation".<ref name="Brannigan2010p18" /> The yoga referred to here is the "joining together, union" of one's ''[[Atman (Hinduism)|Atman]]'' (true self) with the concept of Supreme ''[[Brahman]]'' (true Reality).<ref name="Brannigan2010p18" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Prabhupada|first=His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami|title=Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 Verse 27|url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/14/27/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=vedabase.io|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Prabhupada|first=His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami|title=Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 54|url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/18/54/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=vedabase.io|language=en}}</ref>

According to Samrat Kumar, bhakti yoga is an Indian tradition of "divine love mysticism", a spiritual path "synonymous for an intimate understanding of oneness and harmony of the eternal individual with the Divine (the universal Being) and all creatures, a constant delight".<ref>{{cite book|author=Samrat S Kumar|title=Bhakti – The Yoga of Love: Trans-Rational Approaches to Peace Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RzA3oAAHAQIC|year=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-50130-1|pages=12–13}}</ref> According to Yoga Journal, yoga scholar [[David Frawley]] writes in his book that bhakti yoga "consists of concentrating one's mind, emotions, and senses on the Divine."<ref>{{cite web |title=What Is Bhakti Yoga |url=http://healthysuccessreviews.com/what-is-bhakti-yoga/ |access-date=17 September 2018}}</ref>

=== Bhagavad Gita ===
{{Main|Bhagavad Gita}}

Bhakti yoga is one of three yogas taught in ''Bhagavad Gita''.<ref name="Brannigan2010p18" /> Bhakti yoga is a devotee's loving devotion to a personal god as the path for spirituality.<ref name=bishop47 /> 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|nishkama karma]]''.<ref name="Brannigan2010p18">{{cite book|author=Michael C. Brannigan|title=Striking a Balance: A Primer in Traditional Asian Values|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=axvPxswqNLQC&pg=PA18| year=2010| publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-7391-3846-5|pages=18–22}}</ref><ref name=bishop47>{{cite book|author=Gordon S. Wakefield|title=The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Spirituality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ga815P6vxygC&pg=PA46|year=1983|publisher=WJK Press|isbn=978-0-664-22170-6|pages=46–47}}</ref> Later, new movements within Hinduism added [[raja yoga]] as the fourth spiritual path, but this is not universally accepted as distinct to other three.<ref>{{cite book|author=Roderick Hindery|title=Comparative Ethics in Hindu and Buddhist Traditions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-FswBLvTkvQC |year=1978|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0866-9|pages=26–27}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=George D. Chryssides|title=Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WA12nHRtmAwC |year=2012|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-8108-6194-7|page=285}}</ref>

=== Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) ===
{{Main|Bhagavata Purana}}

The ''Bhagavata Purana'' is a popular and influential text in the Vaishnavism traditions. It discusses [[Ishvara]] pranidhana (devotion to a personal god).<ref name="Bryant2017" /> The Sanskrit text presents various modes of bhakti specifically to incarnations of [[Vishnu]], particularly in terms of "Narayana, Krishna". According to Edwin Bryant, and other scholars,<ref>{{cite book|author=Lloyd Pflueger|editor=Knut A. Jacobsen|title=Theory and Practice of Yoga : 'Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jPK2spNnwm4C&pg=PA36|year=2008|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-3232-9|pages=36–44}}</ref> the Bhakti yoga taught in this text is inspired by ''[[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali]]'' and ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'', and they focus on "the ultimate truths of the individual self and its loving relationship with a personal god".<ref name="Bryant2017" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Gregor Maehle|title=Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9ygWu2xM3QC&pg=PA160|year=2011|publisher=New World Library|isbn=978-1-57731-986-3|pages=160–163}}</ref> The presentation in the ''Bhagavata Purana'' is not in abstract terms, but through "charming and delightful tales that capture the heart and mind", the goal of Bhakti yoga, states Bryant.<ref name="Bryant2017">{{cite book|author=Edwin F. Bryant|title=Bhakti Yoga: Tales and Teachings from the Bhagavata Purana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2c-_DQAAQBAJ|year=2017|publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux|isbn=978-0-374-71439-0|pages=1–7}}</ref>

The [[Hamsa Gita|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 [[Gopi|gopis]] of [[Vrindavan]] had for Lord Krishna.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rosen |first=Steven |title=Krishna's Other Song |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-313-38326-7 |location=Santa Barbara, California}}</ref>

== Traditions ==
{{Main|Bhakti movement}}
Hinduism, in its scriptures such as ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'' (chapter 7), recognizes four kinds of devotees who practice Bhakti yoga.<ref name=grimes84 /><ref name="Malpan1992p147">{{cite book|author=Varghese Malpan|title=A Comparative Study of the Bhagavad-gītā and the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola on the Process of Spiritual Liberation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSy_BSaO2BwC&pg=PA149|year=1992|publisher=GBP|isbn=978-88-7652-648-0|pages=147–152}}</ref><ref name="Hawley2011p71">{{cite book|author=Jack Hawley|title=The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nfe_tgzvbg0C&pg=PA71 |year=2011|publisher=New World Library|isbn=978-1-60868-057-3|pages=71–73}}</ref> 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.<ref name=grimes84>{{cite book|author=John A. Grimes|title=A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qcoUFYOX0bEC|year=1996|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-0-7914-3067-5|page=84}}</ref><ref name="Malpan1992p147" />

[[File:(1) Puja by a woman at sunset, Rishikesh Haridwar India.jpg|thumb|In Hinduism, the Bhakti yoga is a spiritual path of loving devotion to a Personal Divine.<ref>{{cite book|author=Brant Cortright|title=Integral Psychology: Yoga, Growth, and Opening the Heart |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rqIlNbelQ0AC&pg=PA177 |year=2010|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-0-7914-8013-7|pages=177–178}}</ref><ref name="Phillips2009p148" />]]
According to these Hindu texts, the highest spiritual level is the fourth, those who are devoted because of their knowledge of love.<ref name="Hawley2011p71" /><ref name="Chapple2009p334">{{cite book|author=Winthrop Sargeant |editor=Christopher Key Chapple|title=The Bhagavad Gita: Twenty-fifth–Anniversary Edition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4JoicgCMZ5cC |year=2009|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-1-4384-2842-0|pages=332–347}}</ref> The ''Bhagavad Gita'' states that all four types of Bhakti yogi are noble because their pursuit of Bhakti yoga sooner or later starts the journey on the path of spirituality, it keeps one away from negativity and evil [[karma]], it causes spiritual transformation towards the goal of Bhakti yoga, to "know god as the essence within themselves and their true self always with god".<ref name="Hawley2011p71" /><ref name="Chapple2009p334" /><ref name="Malpan1992p147" />

Major traditions include the [[Shaiva]] who worship the god [[Shiva]]; the [[Vaishnava]] who worship the god [[Vishnu]] (or his [[avatar]]s such as [[Krishna]] and [[Rama]]); and the [[Shakta]] who worship the goddess [[Shakti]] (or her avatars such as [[Durga]], [[Kali]], [[Lakshmi]], and [[Parvati]]). These are all considered manifestations or aspects of the same metaphysical reality called [[Brahman]] in Hinduism.<ref name="Cutler" /><ref name="Phillips2009p148">{{cite book|author=Stephen Phillips|title=Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hlOrAgAAQBAJ |year=2009|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-14484-1|pages=148–156}}</ref>

=== Panchayatana puja ===
{{Main|Panchayatana puja}}
Panchayatana puja is a form of bhakti found in the [[Smarta Tradition|Smarta]] tradition of [[Hinduism]].<ref name="Bühnemann2003p60">{{cite book|author=Gudrun Bühnemann|author-link=Gudrun Bühnemann |title=Mandalas and Yantras in the Hindu Traditions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kQf2m8VaC_oC&pg=PA60 |year=2003|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=978-9004129023|page=60}}</ref> It consists of the simultaneous worship of multiple deities: [[Shiva]], [[Vishnu]], [[Shakti]], [[Surya]] and an [[Ishta Devata]] such as [[Ganesha]] or [[Kartikeya|Skanda]] or any personal god of devotee's preference.<ref name="Harle1994p141">{{cite book|author=James C. Harle|title=The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent| url=https://archive.org/details/artarchitectureo00harl |url-access=registration|year=1994|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-06217-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/artarchitectureo00harl/page/140 140]–142, 191, 201–203}}</ref><ref name="Flood1996p17">{{cite book|author=Gavin D. Flood|title=An Introduction to Hinduism|url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo|url-access=registration|year=1996|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-43878-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo/page/17 17]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Diana L. Eck|title=Darśan: Seeing the Divine Image in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWqaD9Hz1bMC |year=1998|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-11265-9|page=49}}</ref>

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".<ref name="Harle1994p141" /><ref name="lexicon">[https://www.himalayanacademy.com/readlearn/basics/four-sects The Four Denominations of Hinduism], Basics of Hinduism, Kauai Hindu Monastery</ref>

=== Saiva Siddhanta ===
The [[Shaiva Siddhanta|Śaivasiddhānta]] tradition favors Bhakti yoga, emphasizing loving devotion to Shiva.{{Sfn|Dhavamony|1971|pp=14-22, 257-258}}<ref>{{cite book|author=P. Arunachalam|title=Polonnaruwa Bronzes and Siva Worship and Symbolism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s09kLczxYhkC&pg=PA22|year=2004|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-1929-6|page=22}}</ref> 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 (illusion)|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.<ref name=britshaivasiddhanta>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shaiva-siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta], Encyclopedia Britannica (2014)</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=S Parmeshwaranand|title=Encyclopaedia of the Śaivism|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HQvbJDacNDMC|year=2004|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=978-81-7625-427-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HQvbJDacNDMC/page/n216 210]–217}}</ref>

The historic Shaiva Siddhanta literature is an enormous body of texts.{{sfn| Sanderson|1988|pp=668-669}} The Shaiva Siddhanta practices have focussed on abstract ideas of spirituality,{{sfn|Sanderson|1988|pp=668-669}} worship and loving devotion to Shiva as SadaShiva, and taught the authority of the Vedas and Shaiva Agamas.{{sfn|Schomerus|2000|pp=1–7, 29-37, 44-49}}<ref>{{cite book|author1=Constance Jones|author2=James D. Ryan|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC&pg=PA375|year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-7564-5|pages=375–376}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Rohan A. Dunuwila|title=Śaiva Siddhānta Theology: A Context for Hindu-Christian Dialogue|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cDsdAAAAMAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-0-89581-675-7|pages=29–30, 66–73}}</ref>

=== Shakti Bhakti ===
Bhakti toward the goddess is another significant tradition, one found in [[Shaktism]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Laura Amazzone|title=Goddess Durga and Sacred Female Power|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PM_TNDu8NHUC&pg=PA45|year=2012|publisher=University Press of America|isbn=978-0-7618-5314-5|pages=45–51}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book|author=C. Mackenzie Brown|title=The Devi Gita: The Song of the Goddess: A Translation, Annotation, and Commentary|date=11 September 1998|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HZVhvra-n9wC |publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=978-0-7914-9773-9|pages=208–210}}</ref><ref name="McDaniel2004p11">{{cite book|author=June McDaniel|title=Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls: Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caeJpIj9SdkC&pg=PA11 |year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-534713-5|pages=11–13, 209–221, 265–266}}</ref> The Shakta devotion is common in eastern states of India, particularly [[West Bengal]]. The personal god here varies, and includes [[Durga]], [[Tara (Buddhism)|Tara Ma]] (Buddhist influence), [[Kali]] and to a lesser extent [[Saraswati]], [[Lakshmi]], [[Bharat Mata]] (land goddess), according to June McDaniel.<ref name="McDaniel2004p11" />

=== Vaishnava Bhakti ===
[[File:Meerabai (crop).jpg|upright|thumb|[[Meera]]bai is considered one of the most significant saints in the [[Vaishnava]] bhakti tradition.<ref name=smpandey>SM Pandey (1965), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1061803 Mīrābāī and Her Contributions to the Bhakti Movement], History of Religions, Vol. 5, No. 1, pages 54-73</ref>]]
The Bhakti yoga tradition has been historically most associated with Vaishnavism. The personal god here is Vishnu or one of his [[avatar]]s. In many regions, the loving devotion is either to Vishnu-Lakshmi (god-goddess) together, or through Lakshmi who is considered the [[shakti]] of Vishnu.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sabapathy Kulandran|title=Grace in Christianity and Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pujRGufjKBAC&pg=PA174|year=2004|publisher=James Clarke & Co.|isbn=978-0-227-17236-0|pages=174–177}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Barbara A. Holdrege|title=Bhakti and Embodiment: Fashioning Divine Bodies and Devotional Bodies in Krsna Bhakti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R9FgCgAAQBAJ |year=2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-66910-4|pages=51–59}}</ref> The specific ''avatar'' varies by the devotee and region, but the most common are [[Krishna]] and [[Rama]].<ref name="Phillips2009p148" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Samrat S Kumar|title=Bhakti – The Yoga of Love: Trans-Rational Approaches to Peace Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RzA3oAAHAQIC |year=2010|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-643-50130-1|pages=35–43}}</ref><ref>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</ref>

==== 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:<ref name="Halberman">{{cite book|last=Haberman|first=David L.|title=Acting as a Way of Salvation|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|year=2001|pages=133–134|isbn=978-81-208-1794-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ua-E20uyH9IC&pg=RA1-PA133}}</ref>

<blockquote> (1) ''śravaṇa'' ("listening" to the scriptural stories of Krishna and his companions), (2) ''[[Kirtan|kīrtana]]'' ("praising"; usually refers to ecstatic group singing), (3) ''smaraṇa'' ("remembering" or fixing the mind on Vishnu), (4) ''pāda-sevana'' (rendering service), (5) ''arcana'' (worshiping an image), (6) ''vandana'' (paying homage), (7) ''dāsya'' (servitude), (8) ''sākhya'' (friendship), and (9) ''ātma-nivedana'' (complete surrender of the self).</blockquote>

These nine principles of devotional service were incorporated by [[Rupa Goswami]] linked to [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] as integral to spiritual practice focused on Krishna.<ref name="Halberman" /> The gopis practiced these forms of bhakti when they were separated from Krishna.<ref name="Halberman" />

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]."{{cite quote}} 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.<ref name="Bryant2017" />

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]].

Notable later saints, such as [[Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati]] and [[Kripalu Maharaj|Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj]], have seconded the core beliefs of ''Raganuga bhakti and its utility in God realization. It is contrasting to other yogic paths like that described by [[Patanjali]], where mundane desires are seen as obstacles.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bryant |first=Edwin F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2c-_DQAAQBAJ |title=Bhakti Yoga: Tales and Teachings from the Bhagavata Purana |date=2017-07-11 |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |isbn=978-0-374-71439-0 |pages=8–9 |language=en}}</ref>''

=== Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj ===
Jagadguru Kripalu Bhaktiyog Tattvadarshan, the essence of [[Kripalu Maharaj|Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj]]'s [[spiritual philosophy]], posits that the ultimate goal of every living being is the attainment of infinite divine bliss, which resides exclusively in [[God]]. Material happiness is merely temporary and inevitably results in misery.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khanam |first=Zainab |title=Jagadguru Kripalu Bhaktiyoga Tattvadarshan: The Practical Path To Divine Bliss News24 - |url=https://news24online.com/information/jagadguru-kripalu-bhaktiyoga-tattvadarshan-the-practical-path-to-divine-bliss/579692/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=News24 |language=en}}</ref>

The [[soul]], being an eternal part of God, inherently seeks this bliss. Attaining this supreme goal requires God's grace, which is received through complete surrender ([[sharanagati]]). This surrender primarily involves the surrender of the mind and requires detachment from the material world, gained by understanding its fleeting and illusory nature. 

His book [[Prem Ras Siddhant]] states that while paths of action ([[Karma in Hinduism|karma]]) and knowledge ([[Jñāna|gyan]]) exist, devotion ([[bhakti]]) is the essential element and the most direct path to God. As per saints of the [[Bhakti movement]], Bhakti is described as selfless love for God and automatically bestows divine knowledge and detachment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hindi |first=Bhaskar |date=2025-02-01 |title=मेरा 40 वर्षों का सफर: जिज्ञासा से भक्ति तक {{!}} My journey of 40 years: from curiosity to devotion |url=https://www.bhaskarhindi.com/dharm/my-journey-of-40-years-from-curiosity-to-devotion-1107035 |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.bhaskarhindi.com |language=hi}}</ref>

Practical devotion involves exclusive, loving remembrance of God's divine form, names, and pastimes (Roopdhyan Meditation), often practiced while performing worldly duties ([[Karma yoga|karmayoga]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hindi |first=Bhaskar |date=2024-11-21 |title=रूपध्यान: जानें मेडिटेशन का सबसे असरदार तरीका {{!}} Roopdhyan: Learn the most effective method of meditation |url=https://www.bhaskarhindi.com/lifestyle/roopdhyan-learn-the-most-effective-method-of-meditation-1081904 |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=www.bhaskarhindi.com |language=hi}}</ref> Guidance from a genuine saint ([[Guru]]) is crucial for navigating the path, and diligently avoiding bad association (kusanga) is paramount to prevent spiritual downfall.

=== 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''".<ref>[[Meher Baba|Baba, Meher]]: ''The Path of Love'', Sheriar Press, 2000, pp. 57-58.</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Stories of a Bhakti Yogi|first=A. R.|last=Pashayan|date=20 May 2014|isbn=978-1625635075}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Guru yoga]]
* ''[[Narada Bhakti Sutra]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

=== Works cited ===
* {{cite book|first=Mariasusai |last=Dhavamony|title=Love of God according to Śaiva Siddhānta: a study in the mysticism and theology of Śaivism|year=1971|publisher=Clarendon Press|isbn=978-0-19-826523-8}}
* {{cite book|last= Sanderson|first= Alexis|chapter = Saivism and the Tantric Traditions| title= The World's Religions| editor= S Sutherland|display-editors=et al|publisher= Routledge | year= 1988}}{{ISBN?}}
* {{cite book|first=Hilko Wiardo |last=Schomerus|title=Śaiva Siddhānta: An Indian School of Mystical Thought : Presented as a System and Documented from the Original Tamil Sources |year=2000|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1569-8}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|first=Jeaneane D. |last=Fowler|title=Perspectives of reality: an introduction to the philosophy of Hinduism|year=2002|publisher=Sussex Academic Press|isbn=978-1-898723-93-6 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book|first=Jeaneane D. |last=Fowler|title=The Bhagavad Gita: A Text and Commentary for Students|year=2012|publisher=Sussex Academic Press|isbn=978-1-84519-520-5 |ref=none}}

{{Yoga}}

[[Category:Bhakti movement]]
[[Category:Yoga paths]]