Bhakti Yog: The Path to Vaikunth

What is Bhakti?

Bhakti is the yog of devotion. It is about offering our heart to God, cultivating a deep emotional connection with Him. A Bhakt (devotee) is one who is attached to the Divine and His thoughts.

Bhakti Yog is one of the four main paths to attain liberation, alongside Gyan (knowledge), Karma (selfless action), and Raj/Dhyan (meditation). Learn more about the four main paths to liberation in Vedic philosophy. Among these, Bhakti is said to be the easiest, especially in Kaliyug. By engaging in bhakti, we can break free from the cycle of birth and death. This path leads devotees directly to Vaikunth Dham, the spiritual world free from all sorrow and pain.

Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita is entirely devoted to Bhakti Yog. In that chapter, Krishna says:

श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रिया:
“Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service are very dear to Me.”

Bhakti is the simplest path: while the paths of knowledge (Gyan Yog) and meditation (Dhyan/Raj Yog) are rigorous and often take years to master, Bhakti is more accessible. A devotee who surrenders their body, mind, intellect, and emotions to God experiences transformation quickly—what takes years in other paths can happen swiftly in Bhakti. As my Gurudev says, becoming successful by your own effort may take decades, but when you surrender to a realised being or to God, you are lifted by their grace. However, this surrender must come with sincere obedience. Without following the Guru’s instructions, even divine help cannot uplift us.

Interestingly, God has always appeared not for yogis or scholars, but for His devotees, those who loved Him with childlike sincerity. He came for Narshi Mehta, Eknath, Meerabai, Prahlad, Pundalik, Tulsidas, Bhagat Gora Kumbhar, Surdas, and many more.

Why Bhakti?

In today’s fast-paced world, we are constantly surrounded by fear, anxiety, doubt, unhappiness and a hollow sense of competition. Unknowing our life's true purpose is to realise our true self. We spend all of our time collecting materialistic objects, run after wealth and indulge in temporary pleasure. Non we have collected will give us peace or joy within. Everything we are holding on to or collecting in a matter of years or decades will be taken away from us and in next birth (fortunately if we even get one) we have to start all over again from beginning.

Bhakti, or devotion, is the path that helps us find the joy within. My Gurudev once said, “The joy found in a single tear shed for Krishna is greater than all the pleasures of the world put together.” That’s the power of Bhakti. Bhakti does not restrain us from enjoying life or doing karma that's best for our life but it has to according to scriptures and dharmic in nature. Take the example of Arjun. When he was overwhelmed and wanted to give up everything and become a yogi — Krishna stopped him. Krishna didn’t tell him to abandon the world or suppress his desires unnaturally. Instead, He gave him the wisdom of the Bhagvad Gita, and reminded him of his duty. He taught Arjun that walking away will not solve his problems and guided him towards Karma Yog — the path of action without attachment.

There are two broad types of Bhakti:

1. Apara Bhakti: Devotion based on desires, asking for favours or blessings.

   • In the Bhagvad Gita, Krishna describes four types of devotees: the distressed (arta), the seeker of wealth (artharthi), the inquisitive (jignasu), and the wise (Gyani). Each type approach Him with different motivations and levels of understanding. Look at His grace. He says, "The person who comes to Me in distress or seeking wealth is also My devotee."

2. Para Bhakti: Devotion without motive, loving God for love’s sake alone.

   • A devotee should try to develop this kind of Bhakti, like that of a Jignasu or a Gyani, because whatever we ask from God will eventually fade away. Why ask for something that will not help us in the long run? And without becoming desire free (Sanklap Rahit) we cannot develop true love for God or take benefit of blissfulness state (Param Anand).

   • Like Duryodhan, we often ask for material things—he asked for armies and power; we ask for positions and wealth. But we should be like Arjun—he asked only for Krishna and when you ask Krishna for Krishna, he brings everything else with him.

   • A true devotee doesn’t even ask God for liberation. They ask only for love and devotion. The devotee says, 'If I forget everything else, that shall be fine—but please don’t ever let me forget You.' There are countless examples in history where devotees have asked nothing from God except love, devotion, and seva (service).

How to Develop Love and Devotion Towards God

Many wonder how to love God, especially when we haven’t seen Him. But love for God is not so difficult as we think it is. Here are some simple, practical ways to grow in devotion:

• We love what we admire: We often fall in love with movie characters, social media influencer or strangers without truly knowing them. Instead if we begin to see the beauty in those who have walked the spiritual path and make them our idols such as devotees or our Guru—love for God will naturally develop. If we truly love our Guru and see God in him, then we don’t need to search for God anywhere else.

• Immerse yourself in devotion through following practices:

  • Listen and sing devotional music (Bhajans).

  • Listen to podcasts by those who are genuinely walking the spiritual path.

  • Watch spiritual movies or TV series.

  • Regularly listen to or read spiritual scriptures, such as the Bhagvad Gita, Bhagvat Puran, Ramcharitmanas, and others.

  • Do 'naam jaap' with the form or name of God in front of you. This is especially beneficial when done early in the morning (Brahma Muhurat) or in the evening (Sandhya Kaal)

  • These practices gradually awaken love for God. Being in the company or environment of the Guru or fellow devotees makes this love grow effortlessly.

• Choose one form of God: In the beginning, you may not feel much love for God, and that’s okay. With consistent prayer, reading and listening about one chosen form—be it Krishna, Ram, Shiv, or any devi/devta, love will slowly develop. See every form and being as an expression of your chosen deity.

• Attend satsang: If there’s a spiritual gathering near you, attend it—even if the path of their teaching isn’t exactly matching yours. Just listening to Katha-Varta (Stories) from satsang can purify our heart. As Tulsidas says in the Ramcharitmanas, "Sadhu ke karaj na hoi hani"—being around saints can never bring harm. Hanuman himself still seeks out places where Ram's stories are sung. All the rishis and munis came to listen to the 'Bhagavat' from Sukhdev and Sankadi Munis. Even Lord Shiv goes to Kakbhushundi to hear the glories of Lord Ram. If God Himself seeks satsang, what does that tell us? It shows how vital it is to stay in such an environment to progress spiritually.

• Offer your daily karmas to your Chosen Deity: Perform your daily activities (karmas) and surrender them to God without expecting any results. The more we surrender our karmas, the more we free ourselves from the chains of karma that binds us and prevents liberation. After any significant activity, say: 'Whatever karmas I have done through my body, thoughts, and speech, I offer them to You.' This practice slowly purifies our thoughts and deepens our connection with the Divine.

  • Shubhasubha-phalair evam mokshyase karma-bandhanaih (BG 9.28), which means “By dedicating all our actions to the divine, we will be freed from good and bad results, and liberated from the bonds of karma."

• Think of yourself as small and insignificant: What does it mean to be small? It means letting go of pride and the illusion that we are in control. We must truly believe, "I have no strength of my own. My strength is God—I am not the doer." But that doesn’t mean we follow whatever the mind says. Our actions must align with the scriptures and dharma. God loves the devotee who completely surrenders to Him more than a tapasvi (ascetic) or a yogi.

  • As Surdas beautifully said:

    अप बल, तप बल, बाहुबल, चौथो बल है दाम | सुर किशोर कृपा ते, सब बल हरे को हरि नाम ||

    Inner strength, austerity, and might are lesser powers. The true power lies in Krishna’s grace, which descends when one loses all sense of personal power and begins chanting His name.

  • I truly understood the meaning of this line when I felt completely lost—struggling with my health, education, and finances. I had no words to explain or share with anyone the emptiness and worthlessness I felt inside. That’s when Krishna’s grace (Kripa) came to me. He led me to my Guru, who gave me wisdom so deep and powerful that I will carry it with me for the rest of my life.

The Nine Forms of Bhakti (Navadha Bhakti)

The Srimad Bhagvat Mahapuran lists nine forms of devotional expression, we can choose one or more we resonate with:

1. Shravan – Listening to stories and glories of the Divine (e.g., Parikshit listening to Shukdev)

2. Kirtan – Singing praises (e.g., group chanting of Krishna's name)

3. Smaran – Remembering the Lord constantly (e.g., Prahlad, Meerabai, Narshi Mehta and other devotees)

4. Pad-sevan – Serving the Lord’s feet (e.g., Lakshmi Devi)

5. Archan – Ritual worship (e.g., daily puja)

6. Vandana – Bowing down or physical prostration (e.g., Arjun's surrender to Krishna)

7. Dasya Bhav – Serving as a servant (e.g., Hanuman)

8. Sakhya Bhav– Befriending the Divine (e.g., Sudama, Uddhav and Sugriv)

9. Atma-nivedan – Complete surrender of the self (e.g., King Bali)

• There are other bhav as well which has not been described in Bhagvat but are practiced by Krishna's devotee especially Vatsalya Bhav (seeing god as one's child), and Madhurya Bhav (seeing god as a lover but without vasna).

• The entire spiritual journey on the Bhakti Marg can be summarised in just three words; Shravan (listening), Manan or Smaran (contemplation) and Atma-nivedan (complete surrender). For the one who goes through the process of these three stages in the right way, there is nothing more that remains to be done.

Qualities of a True Devotee

To become a loving devotee of Krishna, we should gradually develop certain qualities or characteristics as described in Chapter 12 of the Bhagvad Gita:

• Align your thoughts, actions, and emotions with Krishna through regular practice (Abhyas). This is the essence of true surrender.

• Have complete faith in Him (Shraddha).

• Let go of attachment to the results of your actions (Karma Phal Tyag).

• Be kind to all beings and free yourself from pride and ego.

• Stay balanced in both joy and sorrow, praise and criticism, gain and loss, love and hate. This is the state of a Stith Pragya (steady-minded one), which is the foundation and essential to spiritual progress.

• Stay pure—both inside and out (Pavitrata).

• Develop self-control with strong determination. Remain detached and steady in your mind (Nistha and Vairagya).

• Be free from desires (Sankalp Rahit).

These are virtues that take time and practice to develop. Some we are born with and some grow within us naturally as we progress spiritually, but others require the grace of a Guru and God. For example, qualities like being free from desires or becoming steady-minded can take years to develop. That’s because our life often runs on desires—without them, it's almost impossible to operate.

Path of Raj and Gyan Yog, says that only when we become free from desires can we reach the true 'Brahma' state. Whereas in Bhakti it is believed that when a devotee becomes free from desires and surrenders, God Himself takes full responsibility for their life and gives them what’s truly best for them (योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ).

What Krishna says in Bhagvad Gita who has surrender to him

Bhakti Yog does not only teaches us about love and devotion, but also shows us a path of complete karmic purification and opens up the gates to Vaikunth. Krishna gives the ultimate assurance to everyone of us, regardless of our past actions, in powerful verses of the Bhagvad Gita:

• सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज | अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: || Gita 18.66)

  Abandon all varieties of dharma and just surrender unto Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins; do not fear.

• क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति | कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्त: प्रणश्यति || (Gita 9.31)

  My devotee quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, I declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.

• तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् | भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् || (Gita 12.6-7)

  For them whose thought is so set on Me, O Parth. I swiftly deliver them from the ocean of birth and death.

• अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जना: पर्युपासते | तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् || (Gita 9.22)

  To those who worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form, I provide what they lack and preserve what they have.

Things to Remember on the Path of Bhakti

Here are my honest reflection on things we should be mindful of when walking the path of bhakti.

1. Be mindful of how we spend our time
   We often waste hours scrolling through social media, watching podcasts, or consuming news and content, thinking we’re gaining knowledge. But in truth, many times we fool ourselves by calling it “education.” We get caught up in gossip, overthinking, and planning endlessly—lost in material thoughts that aren’t even worth our attention. Instead, try to spend more time around people who talk about God, who inspires us to grow spiritually. In short choose satsang over crowd.

2. Offer our free time to God
   Whenever we are not working or doing something important, when our mind is free, we should try to remember God by singing or listening to bhajans, reading scriptures, or taking part in satsang. Material things won’t stay with us forever; none of it will follow us into the next life. But our 'Bhakti' and 'Tapasya' (spiritual effort) carry forward. If we do sincere Bhakti in this life, it could even be our last. Everything else resets, but our spiritual progress continues.

3. Niyam (discipline) is essential
   Discipline helps us stay anchored on the path. I think of my grandfather, who used to follow a strict niyam from morning to night—dedicated times for prayer, meals, farming, and singing bhajans at the temple. When I compared myself to him, I realised I had no such routine—and I’m sure that’s the case with most of us these days. My Gurudev once told me, “Without niyam, it’s impossible to stay steady on the spiritual path.”

4. Never give up on God
   There will be times when God tests our faith, love, and patience. The mind will try to pull us back to worldly pleasures, tempting us to leave the path. In those moments, we must not let go. Even in the worst situations, we should hold tightly to His name, His thoughts, and His presence. The love between the soul and God is unlike anything in this world. In fact, our scriptures say, “If we take one step towards Him, He will take a hundred towards us.” That’s how deep His love is.

5. Create a sense of urgency for God

   My Gurudev says Kaliyug is still in the womb (only 5,000 years have passed). There’s still time to fight it. Once it fully takes form, even living in peace will be hard, let alone finding bliss or liberation. In the Shrimad Bhagvat Mahapuran, Sukhdev Muni tells King Parikshit that whatever joy, sorrow, or pleasure is destined for a person will come to them, regardless of their effort. So make God your only goal and work hard on whatever you are doing—and let His grace handle the rest.

6. Food and controlling senses.

   We can’t walk steadily on the path of bhakti if we eat outside food. Once in a while is fine but not on regular basis. Food carries the energy and mindset of the person who prepares it. If the cook has negative thoughts or emotions, that energy enters the food, and after we eat it, it affects our own mind and heart, often without us realising. In the same way, we must learn to control our senses. What we watch and listen to has a deep effect on our thoughts. So choose wisely — listen to bhajans and devotional music often, and watch satsang or spiritual films.

7. Stay humble on the path

   As we grow in devotion, ego sometimes sneaks in. We may start thinking, “I know more,” or “I’m more spiritual than others.” But bhakti isn’t about proving how devoted we are — it’s about realising we are no more than a leaf on the tree. In fact, many devotees say, “I am even smaller than the leaf lying on the ground.” This line, always reminds me how important it is to stay humble on this path. As we make progress, ego will try to enter, but staying grounded and remembering God’s grace in every situation is what keeps us humble.

8. Transform Your Traits into Bhakti

   Each of us is born with different traits—some get emotionally attached easily, some are very disciplined, others have strong willpower. On the path of Bhakti, we must learn to recognise these traits and turn them to God.
   If you get attached to people easily, try to see God in them, that love will become devotion. If you are highly emotional, turn those emotions towards God through prayer, tears, or bhajans. If your strength is consistency or hard work, then treat your duties as dharma and surrender all your actions to God, without attachment to results.

9. Serving Guru and parents

   Our scriptures say that if someone doesn't believe in God but serves their parents or Guru with love, they are not far from realising God. Many characters in history received God's darshan through selfless service alone. Dev Rishi Narad became Narad Muni by serving sages. Pundalik, who cared deeply for his parents, was visited by Krishna Himself in the form of Vitthal. Service melts the heart, removes ego and karmic impressions, and brings us closer to the Divine. So serve as much as you can—through service, we rise in spirituality.

Lastly, I want to share a shlok that my Guru told me. It is from Anurag Ras by Shri Narayan Swami. It teaches that if one wants to progress in the bhakti Marg, one must restrain from a few things to progress spiritually.

नारायण हरि लगन में, ये पांचों न सुहात। विषयभोग निद्रा हंसी, जगत प्रीत बहु बात।।

Meaning:
To progress on the path of devotion, one must avoid these five things in excess:

• विषयभोग (Worldly pleasures): Indulging in sensual enjoyments weakens spiritual growth.

• निद्रा (Excessive sleep): Too much sleep wastes time and energy. My Gurudev says that six hours of sleep is sufficient for most of us if we take only one meal a day.

• हंसी (Habit of excessive laughter): Careless laughter and gossip may seem harmless, but to keep mind pure and focused a devotee should avoid this.

• जगत प्रीत (Love for the world): A devotee should keep distance from worldly attachments as they bind the soul in Maya.

• बहु बात (Talking too much): One should cultivate silence and speak only when necessary, as excessive talking wastes energy.

At first, this might feel a bit discouraging because it goes against the things we normally find joy in. But if you follow this path with commitment, you’ll discover a deeper kind of happiness within. It’s a joy that doesn’t come from wanting or needing anything, and that’s the state known as Anand.

Happy Janmashtami in advance to you and your loved ones! May your life be filled with Krishna-consciousness, joy, and divine grace.

Radhe Radhe ✨ Jai Shri Krishna! 🙏