Bhakti

Bhakti (; Pali: bhatti) means love, devotion, trust, or worship. It is a word used in many Indian religions to describe a strong emotional connection or devotion to something sacred. In these religions, Bhakti can mean loving devotion to a personal god, such as Krishna, Shiva, or Devi. It can also refer to devotion to a formless spiritual reality, like Nirguna Brahman in Hinduism or the concept of God in Sikhism. In some cases, Bhakti is shown toward enlightened beings, such as a Buddha, a bodhisattva, or a guru. Bhakti is usually full of emotion and feeling, and it often reflects a close and personal relationship between the devotee (the person showing devotion) and the divine or sacred figure they love and worship., Quote: "The foundations of emotional devotionalism (bhakti) were laid in south India in the second half of the first millennium of our era (...)".Karen Pechelis (2011), "Bhakti Traditions", in The Continuum Companion to Hindu Studies (Editors: Jessica Frazier, Gavin Flood), Bloomsbury, , pp. 107–121Donald Swearer (2003), Buddhism in the Modern World: Adaptations of an Ancient Tradition (Editors: Heine and Prebish), Oxford University Press, , pages 9-25.Karel Werner (1995), Love Divine: Studies in Bhakti and Devotional Mysticism, Routledge, , pages 45-46Hardip Syan (2014), in The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies (Editors: Pashaura Singh, Louis E. Fenech), Oxford University Press, , page 178

One of the earliest appearances of the term is found in the early Buddhist Theragatha (Verses of the Elders). In ancient texts such as the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, the term simply means participation, devotion and love for any endeavor, while in the Bhagavad Gita, it connotes one of the possible paths of spirituality and towards moksha, as in bhakti marga.John Lochtefeld (2014), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Rosen Publishing (New York), , pp. 98–100. Also see articles on bhaktimārga and jnanamārga.

The idea of Bhakti, or loving devotion to God, has deeply influenced Indian culture and religion. Many popular religious texts and saint-poets were inspired by Bhakti. One famous example is the Bhagavata Purana, a text focused on Lord Krishna, which is closely connected to the Bhakti movement in Hinduism.

Bhakti is not limited to Hinduism. It also appears in other religions practiced in India, such as Sikhism, where a form called Nirguni Bhakti is common. This type of devotion is directed toward a God without any form or physical qualities. Bhakti has even influenced how Christianity and Hinduism have interacted in modern times.

Outside of India, emotional devotion similar to Bhakti is seen in some Buddhist traditions in Southeast Asia and East Asia, showing how powerful and widespread this spiritual idea has become.Donald Swearer (2003), Buddhism in the Modern World: Adaptations of an Ancient Tradition (Editors: Heine and Prebish), Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195146981, pages 9-25.Karel Werner (1995), Love Divine: Studies in Bhakti and Devotional Mysticism, Routledge, ISBN 978-0700702350, pages 45-46

The term also refers to a movement, pioneered by the Tamil Alvars and Nayanars, that developed around the gods Vishnu (Vaishnavism), Shiva (Shaivism) and Devi (Shaktism) in the second half of the 1st millennium CE.Karen Pechelis (2011), "Bhakti Traditions", in The Continuum Companion to Hindu Studies (Editors: Jessica Frazier, Gavin Flood), Bloomsbury, ISBN 978-0826499660, pp. 107–121

Devotional elements similar to bhakti have been part of various world religions throughout human history.Michael Pasquier (2011), The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization, Wiley-Blackwell, , See article on Devotionalism and Devotional Literature,  Devotional practices are found in Christianity, Islam,GJ Larson, India's Agony Over Religion: Confronting Diversity in Teacher Education, SUNY Press, , page 116Roxanne Leslie Euben and Muhammad Qasim Zaman (2009), Princeton Readings in Islamist Thought, Princeton University Press, , pages 21-23 Buddhism and Judaism.

References

Category:Meditation
Category:Articles with permanently dead links to other websites
Category:Articles with dead links to other websites from October 2023
Category:All articles with dead links to other websites
Category:Articles containing Portuguese-language text
Category:Articles containing Latin-language text
Category:Articles containing Hebrew-language text
Category:Articles containing Arabic-language text
Category:Articles containing Sanskrit-language text
Category:Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text
Category:Articles containing French-language text
Category:Articles containing Chinese-language text