Bhakti (भक्तिः)

Bhakti (Samskrit: भक्तिः) or Devotion, in simple words, is an emotion of the form of love or affection primarily, towards the Supreme Being. It is a special quality of the atman that is devoid of the selfishness that goads one to use the object of affection to further some personal interests.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita has declared that devotion to Him is the means of attaining mukti characterized as the attainment of the Bliss of Brahman, consequent on the disappearance of the Antah-karana, the inner sense, composed of the three Gunas (Satva, Rajas and Tamas).

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते । स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥१४.२६॥

māṁ ca yo'vyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate । sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate ॥14.26॥

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

व्युत्पत्तिः ॥ Etymology

Enumerating on the genesis of the term 'Bhakti', Vachaspatyam says, भज् - सेवायाम् आराधनायाम् । bhaj - sevāyām ārādhanāyām ।

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 the necessity of an enquiry into the nature of devotion, 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 you, in each of those births !

The commentator 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.

The Narada Bhakti Sutra defines Bhakti as,

सा त्वस्मिन् परमप्रेमरूपा । sā tvasmin paramapremarūpā ।

Meaning: It (Bhakti) is of the form of intense love towards him (the Supreme being).

भक्तिलक्षणम् ॥ What is Bhakti ?

Having grasped the necessity of enquiring into the nature of Bhakti, the natural corollary question that arises is 'What is Bhakti?' This is elaborated in the Shandilya sutra सा परानुरक्तिरीश्वरे | sā parānuraktirīśvare ।

Commenting on this sutra the commetator says,

अत्र सा परेति लक्ष्यनिर्देशः । शेषं लक्षणम् । ... आराध्यविषयकरागत्वमेव सा (भक्तिः) । इह तु परमेश्वरविषयकान्तःकरणवृत्तिविशेष एव भक्तिस्तद्वैशेष्यं च लौकिकानुरागादौ सुग्रहम् ।

atra sā pareti lakṣyanirdeśaḥ । śeṣaṁ lakṣaṇam । ... ārādhyaviṣayakarāgatvameva sā (bhaktiḥ) । iha tu parameśvaraviṣayakāntaḥkaraṇavr̥ttiviśeṣa eva bhaktistadvaiśeṣyaṁ ca laukikānurāgādau sugraham ।

Meaning: Here, by the words, 'It is the highest', the subject is indicated. The rest gives the characteristics... Devotion is nothing but the love to be cultivated towards the being who is to be propitiated. Here, devotion denotes the special attitude or function of the antahkarana (internal mind) towards the Supreme Ishvara. Its special characteristic can be easily grasped by comparison with worldly affections, etc. And in this context, the commentator quotes a verse from the Vishnu Purana. It says,

या प्रीतिरविवेकानां विषयेष्वानपायिनी । त्वामनुस्मरतः सा मे हृदयान्माऽपसर्पतु ॥ वि.पु. १.२०.१७

yā prītiravivekānāṁ viṣayeṣvānapāyinī । tvāmanusmarataḥ sā me hr̥dayānmā'pasarpatu ॥ vi.pu. 1.20.17

Meaning: The firm affection that the deluded feel towards the objects of the senses, such a firm affection (may I have towards you) may it never depart from my heart while I am constantly meditating upon you.

What is not Bhakti ?

While elaborating on the role of 'attachment' in Bhakti, the commentator Svapneshvara enumerates in brief about what is 'not bhakti'. He says,

• To be engaged in remembering (Ishvara) and/or singing (His glories) occasionally - this cannot (be described as devotion), because these are not constant.

न तु क्वचित्स्मरणस्य, क्वचिच्च कीर्तनादेः अननुगमात् । na tu kvacitsmaraṇasya, kvacicca kīrtanādeḥ ananugamāt ।

• Nor is devotion mere knowledge about Ishvara since this knowledge might exist even in those who hate Him and a person cannot possibly entertain love and attachment towards his antagonist though he knows him.

न च तज्ज्ञानस्य तत्त्वं द्वेषादिमत्स्वपि तत्प्रसङ्गात् । na ca tajjñānasya tattvaṁ dveṣādimatsvapi tatprasaṅgāt ।

• Neither is devotion knowledge of the Ishvara as the object of worship, for acts of worship such as salutation are not always accompanied with knowledge.

नाप्याराध्यत्वेन ज्ञानं स पूजानमस्काराद्याराधनास्वननुगमात् । nāpyārādhyatvena jñānaṁ sa pūjānamaskārādyārādhanāsvananugamāt ।

• It cannot be said that devotion is the knowledge of Him as the object of worship, accompanied with attachment, etc.; for then it would be reduced to attachment itself.

अनुरागादिसहिताराध्यत्वज्ञानमिति चेत् अनुराग एवास्तु | anurāgādisahitārādhyatvajñānamiti cet anurāga evāstu |

Hence, the Bhagavad Gita refers to the worship by those whose whole life and mind, etc. are consecrated to Him and not of those who merely know Him as an object of worship.

मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् । कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ॥१०- ९॥

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् । ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥१०- १०॥

maccittā madgataprāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam । kathayantaśca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca ॥10- 9॥

teṣāṁ satatayuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prītipūrvakam । dadāmi buddhiyogaṁ taṁ yena māmupayānti te ॥10- 10॥

Meaning: With their minds centered on Me, with their senses absorbed in Me, enlightening each other, ever conversing on Me, they are satiated and live happily. On them, ever steadfast and serving Me with affection, I bestow yoga and the sense of discrimination (wisdom) by which they come to Me (10.9-10). The commentator further exemplifies this with the bhakti of the gopis. He says,

अत एव च कृष्णस्य कमनीयाकृतिदर्शनेनानुरक्तानां गोपतरुणीनामपि भक्तिफलं मुक्तिः स्मर्यते ।

ata eva ca kr̥ṣṇasya kamanīyākr̥tidarśanenānuraktānāṁ gopataruṇīnāmapi bhaktiphalaṁ muktiḥ smaryate ।

Meaning: That is why the fruit of the bhakti of the milk-maids was mukti, though they became attached to Sri Krishna by the sight of his graceful form.

Thus, the commentator suggests that the preposition 'anu' (in the word 'anurakti) is not a mere affix whose meaning is merged in the definition but indicates subsequence; because it is produced after (anu=after) obtaining the knowledge of the greatness etc. of Ishvara, therefore is it called anurakti.

भक्तिपरिशुद्धिलिङ्गानि ॥ Signs of Pure Devotion

The Shandilya Bhakti Sutra states that the development, maturity and purity of devotion is to be inferred from certain outward signs and enlists the same as follows:

तत्परिशुद्धिश्च गम्या लोकवल्लिङ्गेभ्यः ॥२.१.४३॥

सम्मानबहुमानप्रीतिविरहेतरविचिकित्सामहिमख्यातितदर्थप्राणस्थानतदीयतासर्वतद्भावाप्रातिकूल्यादीनि च स्मरणेभ्यो बाहुल्यात् ॥२.१.४४॥

tatpariśuddhiśca gamyā lokavalliṅgebhyaḥ ॥2.1.43॥

sammānabahumānaprītivirahetaravicikitsāmahimakhyātitadarthaprāṇasthānatadīyatāsarvatadbhāvāprātikūlyādīni ca smaraṇebhyo bāhulyāt ॥2.1.44॥

The commentator Svapneshvara further explains these external signs of reaction with appropriate examples as follows:

1. सम्मानः यथा अर्जुनस्य - Respect, as was shown by Arjuna towards Krishna. It is said in the Mahabharata that in whatever posture he may be, Arjuna never failed to get up to greet Krishna out of devotion and love for him.
2. बहुमानः यथा इक्ष्वाकोः - High esteem, as was shown by Ikshvaku. It is said in the Nrsimha Purana that due to the fondness for Krishna and everything that resembled Him, Raja Ikshvaku showed high esteem even towards the cloud which was of the same colour as Krishna.
3. प्रीतिः यथा विदुरस्य - Delight as expressed by Vidura in the Mahabharata at the arrival of Krishna whom he describes as the very indwelling atman of all embodied being.
4. विरहः यथा गोपीनाम् - Forlornness as exhibited by the Gopis of Vrndavana.
5. इतरविचिकित्सा यथा श्वेतद्वीपनिवासिनाम् उपमन्योः वा - Doubting other objects like the feeling of hindrance that arose, at the arrival of Narada, in the minds of the inhabitants of Shvetadvipa who were great devotees of Vishnu and never tolerated any hindrance to their meditation or like that in the mind of Upamanyu, as described in the Mahabharata, who was ready to become a worm or a grasshopper at the command of Shankara but had no desire for anything bestowed by anyone else.
6. महिमख्यातिः यथा यमस्य - Praising His greatness as was done by Yama that is reflected in the Nrsimha Purana and Vishnu Purana.
7. तदर्थप्राणस्थितिः यथा हनूमतः अथवा कृतकृत्यानामपि नारदादीनां तदेकाराधनार्थं प्राणधारणम् - Holding the life for His sake as seen in the case of Hanuman who declares in the Valmiki Ramayana Uttarakanda that 'as long as the Lord's story circulates through the world, so long he will reside there, obeying the Lord's command.' Or there is also the instance of Narada ad others who, even after reaching the goal, continue to live solely for worshipping the Lord.
8. तदीयताभावः वसोरुपरिचरस्य - Considering everything as His as Vasu Uparichara did in the Mahabharata.
9. सर्वभूतेषु तद्भावः यथा प्रह्लादस्य - Regarding Him as existing in all beings as Prahlada expresses in the Vishnu Purana that 'the sages, having known that Hari exists in all beings, must thus cherish unwavering love towards all beings.
10. तस्मिन्नप्रातिकूल्यं यथा भीष्मस्य - Not resisting His will as Bhishma did in the Mahabharata. Even when the Lord was advancing towards him, to kill him, he said, 'Come ! O Lord of the deities ! Come, O refuge of this world ! Obeisance to you. Armed with Your bow, mace and sword, kill me in this vast wonderful and fierce battle by forcibly felling me from my chariot.

In fact, the commentator Svapneshvara further states that by the word 'adi' (etc.), the actions of Uddhava, Akrura etc. must also be taken into account.

पराभक्तिः अपराभक्तिश्च ॥ Para Bhakti and Apara Bhakti

Para Bhakti or the highest devotion is actually the devotion that arises after the realisation of the Supreme Being.

Apara Bhakti or the lower devotion, also known as Gauni Bhakti is the means thereof. This is of the form of chanting the Lord's name, singing His glories, etc.

नवविधाभक्तिः ॥ Navavidha

श्रवणं कीर्त्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम्। अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ।

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 ॥

Moreover, expressions such as 'He is devoted to him', 'He is attached to him', are not applicable to one who worships through fear or force though there be the knowledge that one is adorable, etc.

अपि च बलाद्भयाद् वा नमस्कार्यत्वादिज्ञानवत्यपि भक्तोऽयमनुरक्तोऽयमिति व्यवहारापत्तेः ।

भक्तिफलम् ॥ Fruit of Bhakti

After describing Shishupala's uninterrupted hatred for Vishnu (Sri Krishna), the Vishnu Purana says,

अयं हि भगवान् कीर्त्तितः संस्मृतश्च द्वेषानुबन्धेनापि अखिलसुरासुरदुर्लभं फलं प्रयच्छति किमुत सम्यग्भक्तिमताम् ॥ ४,१५.१७ ॥

ayaṁ hi bhagavān kīrttitaḥ saṁsmr̥taśca dveṣānubandhenāpi akhilasurāsuradurlabhaṁ phalaṁ prayacchati kimuta samyagbhaktimatām ॥ 4,15.17 ॥

Meaning: Bhagavan, even if named or remembered with uninterrupted hatred, will confer the boon that is hard to be obtained even by deities and demons. Then, how much more will He reward those who possess perfect devotion ?

And this reward is declared as Moksha in many treatises.

In the Shandilya Bhakti Sutra Bhashya, it is said that attachment to the Supreme Self in the form of devotion becomes the cause of destruction of birth and re-birth by removing the limitations of the jiva.

The 7th sutra in the 1st Pada of the 1st Adhikarana of the Brahmansutra says,

तन्निष्ठस्य मोक्षोपदेशात् । १.१.७ । tanniṣṭhasya mokṣopadeśāt । 1.1.7 ।

Meaning: Moksha is declared to the one who is abiding in that (sat).

While commenting on the Shandilya Bhakti Sutras, the commentator Svapneshvara quotes this sutra and reiterates that by 'nishtha' is meant 'devotion' in this sutra. Thus, the sutra is to be understood as 'Moksha accrues to him who is devoted to Him'.

The fruit of bhakti being Moksha is also reiterated in the Vishnu Purana when Bhagavan tells Prahlada,

यथा ते निश्चलं चेतो मयि भक्तिसमन्वितम् । तथा त्वं मत्प्रसादेन निर्वाणमपि यास्यसि ।। १.२०.२८ ।।

yathā te niścalaṁ ceto mayi bhaktisamanvitam । tathā tvaṁ matprasādena nirvāṇamapi yāsyasi ।। 1.20.28 ।।

Meaning: As your mind filled with devotion to Me, always remains steadfast, you shall, through My grace, obtain Nirvana. Then again after describing the ascent to heaven of Rama, Lakshmana and others, it is said in the Vishnu Purana,

येऽपि तेषु भगवदंशेष्वनुरागिणः कोसलनगरजानपदास्तेऽपि तन्मनसस्तत्सालोक्यतामवापुः | ४.४.१०३ |

ye'pi teṣu bhagavadaṁśeṣvanurāgiṇaḥ kosalanagarajānapadāste'pi tanmanasastatsālokyatāmavāpuḥ | 4.4.103 |

Meaning: Those citizens of Kosala who cherished a fervent affection (anuraga) for Rama, Lakshmana and others as Divine Emanations, having their minds fixed on them, also attained the same world to live with them.

According to the commentator Svapneshvara, 'anuraga' here is used in place of bhakti. Therefore, attaining the same world as the Lord is the fruit that is emphasized here.