What is Bhakti ?

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The great sage Narada says in Narada Bhakti sutra that Bhakti is supreme

love of God. Here it must be clarified that God is not some Being residing

somewhere in the heavens who stands apart from the world, but God is the

Indwelling Self of all living beings in this world. Thus love of God means love

of all creatures, who are all His manifestations. Narada further says that an

essential characteristic of Bhakti is the dedication of all activities to God.

Thus what is described as Karmayoga in the Bhagavadgita is also an essential

ingredient of Bhakti according to Narada. A Bhakta is thus one who does not

separate religious and secular activities, but considers all of them as service

of God. The Lord says in the Gita (18.46) that the performance of one's duties

is itself worship of God and is the means to spiritual progress. A person who

looks upon every action, whether religious or secular, as worship of God will

act without selfishness and will

not harm others in any way. Narada declares that the highest exemplars of

Bhakti are the Gopikas, who dedicated all their actions to Lord Krishna and

whose minds were always engrossed in the thought of Krishna.

 

S.N.Sastri