Navadha Bhakti The nine forms of devotion

Dr Satish K Kapoor

The word bhakti comes from the root bhaj, which means to serve unconditionally. It is turning towards the supreme with a loving heart. Bhakti is invigorated by conviction and exalted by righteous actions. When it blossoms, one realizes the fundamental oneness of reality.

In the Shrimad Bhagavat Mahapurana (VII.5:23-24) Prahlada tells his father, Hiranyakashipu, about the  nine forms of  Vishnu- bhakti which he learnt from his preceptor. These are, shravana, kirtana, smarana, pada-sevana, archana, vandana, dasya, sakhya and atma-nivedana. 

Shravana is listening to the divine name, the lila’s or sports of the Lord, the stories of saints, as these may orient one’s mind towards spirituality. It is to lend an ear to religious discourses based on revelatory texts or devotional literature, so as to get answers to such profound questions that have haunted mankind from millennia, as: Why do people suffer? What is the ultimate goal of life?  Does god exist?  Is there life after death? And so on. In its mystical meaning, shravana is listening to anahata shabda, the cosmic sound that ceaselessly reverberates in everyone. 

While the raison d’être of  shravana is to realise the Word within, the purpose of kirtana is to glorify god by chanting or singing holy verses, with the help of musical instruments, mostly in a congregation. Kirtana evokes finer emotions, rekindles faith in the divine, and sometime makes one dance mirthfully, or do weird things. 

Smarana is remembrance of god or his forms, with steadfast faith and devotion, without nurturing any material desire. In Advaita Vedanta, it is meditation on the Self. Constant repetition of a mantra or a sacred name, helps in concentration, checks the vicious tendencies of the mind, and raises the level of one’s consciousness. As one advances on the spiritual path, vocal rendering becomes internalized. Mental japa transforms into a silent expression of the heart which beats only for him.

Pada-sevana is service at the feet of the lord, or of the living guru, and in his absence, of his paduka or sandals, emblematic of divine grace. It also implies touching the feet of holy men, and fulfilling their physical needs, out of deep respect. It is seeking ‘a bath in the dust of feet of exalted souls who claim nothing as their own.’(SBM VII.5:32). In its broader meaning, padasevana is service of all living beings as each constitutes a part of the cosmic order.      

Archana is worship to beseech divine blessings. External worship can be done, according to the orthodox tradition, by shodashopachara or sixteen-fold  rites. The deity is invoked, offered seat, given ceremonial bath, dressed up, adorned with the  sacred thread, applied sandalwood-paste, and presented various things like sanctified water, flowers, incense, lighted lamp, food, betel-leaf, unbroken rice, etc. before worship. In contrast, internal worship is done mentally, without the use of any material object, and is addressed to a representation of god or to the Absolute Being, without attributes.

Vandana is a devotional gesture of prostration before a deity, guru, or a holy person, expressing gratitude. Dasya bhakti is an attitude of servitude towards god, or one’s  guru. Atma-nivedana is surrendering one’s body, mind and soul to god, so as to take refuge in him, and remain guided by the universal purpose. The seed of bhakti sprouts in the human mind with ceremonial worship; its sapling is watered with the nectar of faith; its branches proliferate in the heart. The tree of devotion flowers in moments of deep contemplation; its fruition comes when the devotee and the deity become one.

(Dr Satish K Kapoor, former British Council Scholar, Principal, Lyallpur Khalsa College and Registrar, DAV University, is a noted scholar of Hinduism.)