Bhakti (भक्तिः)

व्युत्पत्तिः ॥ Etymology

Shabdakalpadruma quotes the definition of Bhakti as given in the Shandilya Bhakti Sutras. It says,

अथातो भक्तिजिज्ञासा । सा परानुरक्तिरीश्वरे । athāto bhaktijijñāsā । sā parānuraktirīśvare ।

Meaning: Now, therefore, an enquiry into the Doctrine of Devotion. It is the highest love for Ishvara. Elaborating on these sutras, the commentator Svapneshvara says,

... परमेश्वरानुरक्तिरूपायाः भक्तेः ... नेयं नेयं भक्तिः निश्श्रेयसार्था, नेयमुत्तमविषयेत्यादिकुतर्कबलनेन निवृत्तिरपिभवति ।

... parameśvarānuraktirūpāyāḥ bhakteḥ ... neyaṁ neyaṁ bhaktiḥ niśśreyasārthā, neyamuttamaviṣayetyādikutarkabalanena nivr̥ttirapibhavati ।

Meaning: This devotion which is of the nature of love of the Supreme being... is still liable to be destroyed by the weight of false objections such as 'This is not devotion', 'This does not lead to the Highest Good', 'Its aim is not the Highest', etc. He further quotes the Vishnu Purana verse,

नाथ योनिसहस्रेषु येषु येषु व्रजाम्यहम् । तेषु तेष्वच्युता भक्तिरच्युतास्तु सदा त्वयि । १ । २० । १८-१९ ।

nātha yonisahasreṣu yeṣu yeṣu vrajāmyaham । teṣu teṣvacyutā bhaktiracyutāstu sadā tvayi । 1 । 20 । 18-19 ।

Meaning: O Lord, even though I may have to pass through thousands of wombs, let there be in me forever, O Achyuta, unshakable devotion to thee, in each of those births !

Svapneshvara says, this prayer of Prahlada that his devotion may remain unshaken shows the necessity of counteracting the attempts to topple it. And therefore, this inquiry into devotion, though ancillary to devotion itself which bears the fruit (in the form of the Highest Good), is also fruitful.

भक्तिः - भज्यते इति । सेवायाम् आराधनायाम् ।

श्रवणं कीर्त्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम्। अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ।

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते । स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥१४- २६॥

Meaning: He who serves me with unswerving devotion, thoroughly passing beyond the Gunas (viz.Satva, rajas and tamas), is fit for becoming Brahman.

The Lord himself has declared that devotion to Himself is the means of emancipation characterised as the attainment of the Bliss of Brahman, consequent on the disappearance of the Antah-karana, the inner sense, composed of the three Gunas. (https://ia802606.us.archive.org/24/items/Sacred_Books_of_the_Hindus/SBH%2007%20-%20Bhakti%20Ratnavali%20of%20Vishnu%20Puri,%20Narada%20&%20Sandilya%20Bhakti%20Sutras%20English%20Translation%201912.pdf)

भक्तः || Bhakta

उत्तमभक्ता यथा, “ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वाथ ये वै मां यावान् यश्चास्मि यादृशः । भजन्त्यनेन भावेन ते मे भक्ततमा मताः ॥” मध्यमभक्तो यथा, -- “ईश्वरे तदधीने वा वालिशेषु द्बिषत्सु च । प्रेममैत्रीकृपोपेक्षा यः करोति स मध्यमः ॥” प्राकृतभक्तो यथा, -- “अर्च्चायामेव हरये पूजां यः श्रद्धयेहते । न तद्भक्तेषु चान्येषु स भक्तः प्राकृतः स्मृतः ॥” इति श्रीहरिभक्तिविलासः ॥