Bhakthi is devotion to God in some form or other. Devotion to a spiritual teacher is also bhakthi and is called Gurubhakthi. Majority of people in the society don’t have a spiritual teacher and so in general usage the word Bhakthi or devotion is related or attributed to God only.

This can be a devotion to a named and formed God(Called saguna bhakthi) or nirguna and nirakara bhakthi where there is nothing to look at in front of the devotee. Coming to Saguna bhakthi, it is praying to a named and formed God either in a temple or at home with a statue of their favorite God, believing there are so many Gods and not understanding all of them are different just in names and forms only(majority). Although it is criticized as idol worshiping, it is not completely true.The statue is installed after doing Vedic techniques and installed in the middle of chanting of mantras. So it is believed to be empowered with some powers. It is a difficult issue to be proven scientifically although there are rare instances that are mentioned in the history. But it has its advantages. It gives a sacred feeling to the mind of a devotee and as it happens in a clean and sanctified environment it gives a focus for better concentration and there by satisfaction. Certainly this is a better way for the beginners.

Various definitions are given for the word Bhakthi.

Sandilya maharshi says - ("సా పరానురక్తి రీశ్వరి" - ఈశ్వరునియందు ప్రఘాడమయిన అనురక్తియే నిజమైన భక్తి). intense affection is the true devotion.

Narada maharshi says - ("సా త్వస్మిన్ పరమప్రేమరుపా" - భగవంతునియందు ప్రఘాడమయిన ప్రేమయే భక్తి). Intense love for God is Bhakthi.

Garga maharshi says - ("కధా దిప్యితి గర్గః" - కధా శ్రవణము భక్తి యనబడును). listening to the stories of GOD

Vedavyasa says - (“పూజా దిష్యనురాగ ఇతి పారాశర్యః" పూజ యందు ప్రీతీ కలిగి aయుండుటయే భక్తి).

Pooja or sitting in front of a God’s statue and offering flowers, camphor etc and chanting mantras while doing in a fixed procedure. Shodasopachaaramulu.

Madhusudhana Saraswathi says - (“ద్రవీభావ పూర్వికాహి మనసో భగవదాకారతా సవికల్పక వృత్తి రూపా భక్తిః” మనస్సు ప్రేమపారవస్యములో ద్రవీభ వింప చేసి భగవంతుని ఆకారమును పొందుటయే భక్తి).

keeping the image of GOD in the mind and to let the mind melt into the image, with love and affection and to make the devotee’s own form into God’s form.

In Bhagavd Gita Sree Krishna says(Bhagavad Gita 18.55) “By devotion he knows Me in truth, what and who I am and knowing Me in truth, he forthwith enters into the Supreme.”

Sreemad Bhagavatham describes that there are nine types of bhakthi(7.5.23)

They are as follows:

• Shravanam – Hearing the names and glories of the Lord
• Keertanam – Chanting His glories
• Smaranam – Remembering the Lord
• Paada sevanam – Serving the Lord’s feet
• Archanam – Worshiping the Lord
• Vandanam – Offering obeisance unto the Lord(salutations)
• Daasyam – Serving the Lord as His servant
• Sakhyam – Developing friendship with the Lord
• Aatma Nivedanam – Total surrender of oneself to the Lord

Archanam or Pooja is done in sixteen different sequences in any one sitting to complete the process, performing the rituals.

They are as follows.

• Offering one by one in the following order.
• A throne to be seated
• Washing the feet
• Washing the hands
• Ceremonial bathing with sacred waters
• New clothes
• Anointing with sandalwood paste and perfumes
• Jewels
• Flowers
• Incense
• Lightening a lamp
• Food
• Chantaing praises
• Aarathi
• Final prostration

These are all symbolic representation of various forms of expressing the reverence of the devotee to the Lord.

This is in summary the Saguna bhakthi or bhakthi as understood by 99% or more of the devotees.

The second type is Nirguna niraakaara bhakthi. Here the God has no form or name, no qualities and just pure Jnanam or knowledge.To get to this stage is very very difficult but once gotten there it is the simplest of the two. No elaborate rituals. No loud chanting and singing and for a poor devotee there is no expense. To achieve this one has to start with Upanishads to understand “who am I” and “who is God” and “What is this Jagath”. To get to this point one has to be first a serious jignasu and then a mumukshu(one who is serious about getting liberated from the birth and death cycle). To become this one has to understand ephemerality of the world, and should have a distaste for acquiring wealth and possessions.So this is the most preliminary step and one has to climb up by doing sakara bhakthi or Upasanas(repeated chanting of one mantra for a specific named God) etc and acquire purity and concentration of mind. After acquiring the knowledge about “the self” from a spiritual teacher, one should remain in constantly feeling that there is no difference between him and God and he is HIM. (Aham Brahmasmi meaning I am that Brahman)This is described as “Devo bhoothva devo bhajeth”. you become the God first and then pray to God.

According to Sri AdiSankarachaarya in his Viveka Chudamani it is described like this.

మోక్ష కారణ సాలగ్రామ్ భక్తిరేవ గరీయసీ
స్వస్వరూప సంధానం భక్తిరిద్యభితేయతే
Mokshakaarana saalagram bhakthireva gareeyasi
Swasvaroopa sandhaanam bhakthiridyabhidheeyathe.

Gist of it is you need bhakthi for achieving moksha and remaining in constant meditation of the self is bhakthi.

In the words of great Appayya Deeksithulu, Bhakthi is described as this.

If you praise the Lord in words it is contradicting the definition that God is beyond the description by words .If you do pilgrimages in search of God it is contradicting that He is Omnipresent.If you meditate on Him it is contradicting the fact that God is beyond the reach of the mind. So what you should do is to understand what God is and remain as God.

So this is what bhakthi is in short summary and one has to choose what suits him / her in his/her personal circumstances. May everybody be a good devotee before life ends and achieve peace, tranquility and finally Moksha.

A religious person will do what he is told no matter whether it is right or wrong.where as a spiritual person will do what is right no matter what he is told.

Sarvejanaa Sukhinobhavanthu.