A Wisdom Archive on Bhakti Yoga

Introduction and links to related topics

Bhakti Yoga - n (Sanskrit) "Union through devotion." Bhakti yoga is the practice of devotional disciplines, worship, prayer, chanting and singing with the aim of awakening love in the heart and opening oneself to God''s grace. Bhakti may be directed toward God, Gods or one''s spiritual preceptor.

Bhakti yoga seeks communion and ever closer rapport with the Divine, developing qualities that make communion possible, such as love, selflessness and purity. Saint Sambandar described bhakti as religion''s essence and the surest means to divine union and liberation. He advised heartfelt worship, unstinting devotion and complete surrender to God in humble, committed service. From the beginning practice of bhakti to advanced devotion, called prapatti, self-effacement is an intricate part of Hindu, even all Indian, culture.

Bhakti yoga is embodied in Patanjali''s Yoga Darshana in the second limb, niyamas (observances), as devotion (Ishvarapranidhana). Bhakti yoga is practiced in many Hindu schools, and highly developed in Vaishnavism as a spiritual path in itself, leading to perfection and liberation. In Saiva Siddhanta, its cultivation is the primary focus during the kriya pada (stage of worship).
See: bhakti yoga, prapatti, sacrifice, surrender, yajna.

Pada - (Sanskrit)
"A step, pace, stride; footstep, trace."
"The foot (of men and animals); quarterpart, section; stage; path." Names the major sections of the Agamic texts and the corresponding stages of practice and unfoldment on the path to moksha.

According to Saiva Siddhanta, there are four padas, which are successive and cumulative; i.e. in accomplishing each one the soul prepares itself for the next. (In Tamil, Saiva Siddhanta is also known as Nalu-pada, "four-stage," Saivam.)
charya pada: "Good conduct stage." Stage one, learning to live righteously, serve selflessly, performing karma yoga. It is also known as dasa marga, "path of the slave," a time when the aspirant relates to God as a servant to a master. Traditional acts of charya include cleaning the temple, lighting lamps and collecting flowers for worship. Worship at this stage is mostly external.
kriya pada: "Religious action; worship stage." Stage of bhakti yoga, of cultivating devotion through performing puja and regular daily sadhana. It is also known as the satputra marga, "true son''s way," as the soul now relates to God as a son to his father. A central practice of the kriya pada is performing daily puja.
yoga pada: "Stage of union." Having matured in the charya and kriya padas, the soul now turns to internalized worship and raja yoga under the guidance of a satguru. It is a time of sadhana and serious striving when realization of the Self is the goal. It is the sakha marga, "way of the friend," for now God is looked upon as an intimate friend.
jnana pada: "Stage of wisdom." Once the soul has attained Realization, it is henceforth a wise one, who lives out the life of the body, shedding blessings on mankind. This stage is also called the San Marga, "true path," on which God is our dearest beloved. The Tirumantiram describes the fulfillment of each stage as follows. In charya, the soul forges a kindred tie in "God''s world" (salokya). In kriya it attains "nearness" (samipya) to Him. In yoga it attains "likeness" (sarupya) with Him. In jnana the soul enjoys the ultimate bliss of identity (sayujya) with Siva.
See: pada, jnana, nirvani and upadeshi.

Bhakti Yoga - A form of yoga based upon love and devotion to God. Devotional chants are often either mantras, or the various names of Hindu gods are repeated, such as Hari Krishna..

Bhakta - ("devotee"): a disciple practicing bhakti yoga

International Society Of Divine Love - (ISDL) Founded by H. D. Prakashanand Saraswati, Hindu-based organization teaching Bhakti Yoga.

Bhakti - n (Sanskrit) "Devotion." Surrender to God, Gods or guru. Bhakti extends from the simplest expression of devotion to the ego-decimating principle of prapatti, which is total surrender. Bhakti is the foundation of all sects of Hinduism, as well as yoga schools throughout the world.
See: bhakti yoga, darshana, prapatti, prasada, sacrifice, surrender, yajna.

Bhakta - A devotee, a lover of God; a follower of bhakti yoga, the path of love and devotion.

Bhagvad Gita - a part of the famous Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. Teachings of Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna at the commencement of the battle of Kurukshetra, with explanations on sannyasa yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and jnana yoga.

Bhakti Yoga - Bhakti Yoga (Sanskrit) (from bhakti devotion + yoga union from the verbal root yuj to join)

The form of yoga practice of attaining at-one-ment or union with the spiritual-divine essence within by means of devotion, faith, and love.

Bhakti Yoga - The skillful practice of devotion and worship, e.g. Hare Krishna

Kriya Pada - "Religious action; worship stage."

Stage of bhakti yoga, of cultivating devotion through performing puja and regular daily sadhana. It is also known as the satputra marga, "true son''s way," as the soul now relates to God as a son to his father. A central practice of the kriya pada is performing daily puja.
See: pada, jnana, nirvani and upadeshi.