Hinduism 101

Lesson 5: The Yoga Suite.

Bhakti Yoga.

What is Bhakti?

Bhakti has the root Sanskrit word Bhaj which means To be attached to God. Bhajan, Bhakti, Anurag, Prem and Priti are all synonymous terms used to define the selfless love of the devotee towards his or her Ishta Devata - Personal God.

First there is faith. Then there is attraction and, later, adoration. Adoration suppresses all mundane desires and focuses the devotee’s entire capacity to love towards the Chosen Devata. This single-mindedness ultimately draws the devotee to union with the God. This is the chief aim of Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga.

Bhakti also teaches love for all beings as how can one love God without loving those who are also a part of Him.

Kinds of Bhakti:

Taking into account wants, Bhakti is of two kinds:

• Sakamya Bhakti - Devotion with desire for material gains. This is of the lesser kind. It does not guarantee Moksha.

• Nishkamya Bhakti - Devotion that is selfless. This is the most superior type of Bhakti and it ensures Moksha. The Yogi is satisfied with what he or she has. The Yogi worships the Lord only because The Lord deserves worship. Such devotion drives the devotee towards the supreme Jnana - realization of the Lord.

Taking into account methods of worship, Bhakti, again, is of two kinds:

• Apara Bhakti - This is the devotion recommended to all beginners to Bhakti Yoga. The Yogi seeks his or her God through image worship. His or her devotion is limited to the structure of the image within which he or she can find the immanence of the Ishta Devata and can propitiate Him through ritualistic worship. The beginner cannot at first acknowledge God in any other form. Focused devotion in this form brings the Yogi to the higher form.

• Para Bhakti - This is the higher form of Bhakti in which the devotee can find God in any form. The advanced Yogi can accept God in all religions and in all forms as well as without attributes. The Yogi begins to see the Lord everywhere and see everything as His manifestations. This Bhakti – Para Bhakti – is the ultimate knowledge - Jnana - the realization of the Brahman.

The enemies of true Bhakti are egoism and desire. They must be rooted out to allow true Bhakti to abide within the heart.

How to cultivate Bhakti:

According to Sri Ramanujacharya the ways to cultivate Bhakti are:

• Abvshaya - Practice on thinking of the Lord at all times.

• Viveka - Have a conscience that can acutely discern between good and bad. Choose the good always.

• Vimoka - This is freedom from desire of everything else except a longing for the Lord.

• Satyam - Be truthful at all times.

• Arjavam - Be straightforward all the time.

• Kriya - Do good to others at all times.

• Kalyana - Wish everyone well at all times.

• Daya - Have compassion for all beings.

• Ahimsa - Always abjure from inflicting injury on other beings.

• Dana - Show charity towards all.

• Anavasada – Always be cheerful and optimistic.

Renunciation of earthly materials, austerities and vows, charity and the practice of Ahimsa, Satya and Brahmacharya (celibacy) all help to develop Bhakti.

The Bhavas in Bhakti:

When the devotee has advanced to a certain stage he or she becomes forgetful of self and becomes totally immersed in the Lord. This is Bhava. It unites the devotee to the Lord. Bhava gradually develops into Maha Bhava. This is true union of the devotee with the Lord. This is also called Param Prem - Supreme Love – consumption of the devotee’s self within the Being of the Lord.

There are five kinds of Bhavas in Bhakti:

• Shanta - The Bhakta - devotee – is peaceful. He or she is filled with joy and love for the Lord and, thus, for all beings.

• Dasya - The Bhakta is eager to do service to the Lord. In that lies his or her principal joy and happiness.

• Sakhya - The Lord and the Bhakta are on equal terms and they are intimate friends.

• Vatsalya - The Bhakta looks upon the Lord as his or her child.

• Madhurya or Kanta - This is the highest form of Bhava. The Bhakta looks upon the Lord as his or her lover. Please be cautious that this love is entirely spiritual. The Lord and the Bhakta are One.

The Ways to Pure Bhakti:

True Bhakti cannot reside in a heart that does not follow perfect moral laws. Such laws can only be perfectly followed if the Bhakta can practice absolute renunciation - Vairagya. To bring on this ability of renunciation there are nine different ways prescribed by Bhakti Yoga:

• Sravana - This is hearing of everything about the Lord in stories, tales, songs and other means of propagation. Sravana Bhakti cannot be attained by self alone. The guidance of a Guru or some other competent person is necessary.

• Kirtan - This is singing of the Lord’s glories. Through enough practice the Bhakta can achieve divine ecstasy through Kirtan.

• Smarana - This is remembrance of the Lord at all times. Eventually the devotee only knows the Lord and nothing else.

• Padasevana - This is serving at the feet of the Lord. Actually, sages say, this is possible only for those Goddesses who are the wives of the Lords like Parvati for Shiva and Lakshmi for Vishnu. For ordinary humans service to the world is true service to the Lord. The entire universe is Virat Swarup - the great manifestation of the Lord.

• Archana - This is worship of the Lord either through images or in the mind, whichever the devotee is capable of. The purpose of this is to relinquish the ego and achieve complete love of the Lord and, consequently, of all beings.

• Vandana – This is prayer and prostration before the Lord. This teaches humility.

• Dasya - This is service to the Lord. Actually this and the Sakhya types of Bhakti are available only to those who are directly in physical presence of the Lord – like Hanuman in the presence of Ramachandra for Dasya Bhakti and Arjuna in the presence of Krishna for Sakhya Bhakti. These are not available to ordinary human beings.

• Sakhya - This is true friendship with the Lord. Arjuna, as friend to Krishna, was capable of this.

• Atma Nivedana – This complete self-surrender to the Lord. This is possible by only a perfect devotee who can achieve complete knowledge or Jnana of the Brahman within and is totally conscious of this all the time. He or she is then a puppet who does what the Lord wants.

Bhakti teaches progressive realization of the Lord. The nine ways are thus progressively set out and the Bhakti Yogi should progress along them as they are set out.

The Benefits of Bhakti:

The principal fruit of Bhakti is Jnana - the ultimate knowledge – the realization of the Brahman within.

Nevertheless, Bhakti also enhances the quality of life in the world. Bhakti softens the heart and removes all adverse emotions like hatred, lust, anger, greed, etc. It infuses into the heart a love of all beings. This generates a peace of mind that even great persons like Sankaracharya, even after realizing the Lord, covet.

True Bhakti is ultimate surrender to the Lord so that ego is extinguished and there abides in the heart a complete love for all beings.

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