The Nine Processes of Bhakti: 🌿Journeying Towards Divine Union🍃
Channel: Relax🌼Rhythms🍃
Date: 18/05/2023

Bhakti, a Sanskrit term meaning "devotion," is a path to spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine. Shabda Hari Das and Vanita Siddharth have outlined nine key processes of Bhakti, which can be summarized concisely.


Shravana: This process involves hearing and attentively listening to the divine pastimes, teachings, and glories of God and enlightened beings. It is through hearing that one develops faith and deepens their understanding of the divine.


Kirtana: Kirtana refers to the chanting or singing of the names, mantras, and hymns of God. This practice involves expressing devotion through melodious vibrations, creating a sacred atmosphere and awakening spiritual emotions.


Smarana: Smarana entails remembering and contemplating upon the divine forms, qualities, and pastimes of God. By constantly meditating upon the divine, one cultivates love and attachment to the divine.


Padasevana: Padasevana involves serving the lotus feet of God or His representatives. This service can be offered through physical actions, such as cleaning temples or performing acts of kindness towards others.


Archana: Archana is the ritualistic worship of the divine through offering prayers, flowers, incense, and other items. It is a way to express reverence, gratitude, and surrender to the divine.


Vandanam: Vandanam refers to offering respectful obeisances to the divine. It involves bowing down, prostrating, or offering prayers of humility and surrender.


Dasyam: Dasyam is the mood of servitude towards God. It is the understanding that one is a humble servant of the divine, ready to serve and follow the divine will.


Sakhyam: Sakhyam represents developing a friendly and intimate relationship with God. It involves cultivating a sense of closeness, trust, and companionship with the divine.


Atmanivedanam: Atmanivedanam is the ultimate stage of Bhakti, which entails complete self-surrender to God. It involves offering oneself, including one's thoughts, actions, and ego, to the divine will.


These nine processes of Bhakti, as described by Shabda Hari Das and Vanita Siddharth, provide a comprehensive framework for individuals to develop and deepen their devotional relationship with the divine. Each process can be practiced individually or in combination, depending on one's personal inclination and spiritual journey.

Tags:
#BhaktiJourney #DivineUnion #SpiritualEnlightenment #DevotionalPath #NineProcesses #ShabdaHariDas #VanitaSiddharth