Philosophy & Concepts

Bhaktiभक्ति

Loving devotion to a personal God — the path of the heart, one of the principal routes to spiritual liberation.

Detailed Explanation

Bhakti is the practice of wholehearted love and devotion toward a chosen form of the divine (Ishta Devata). Codified in texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and flowering in the medieval Bhakti movement, it holds that sincere love and surrender — expressed through prayer, chanting (japa), and devotional song (bhajan, kirtan) — can lead to union with the divine regardless of caste, learning, or ritual status. It is one of the three classical margas (paths) alongside jnana (knowledge) and karma (action).

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Mantras

Related Terms

Jnanaज्ञान

Spiritual knowledge or wisdom — the path of realizing the true Self (Atman) as one with the absolute (Brahman).

Sevaसेवा

Selfless service offered without desire for reward — devotion expressed as action for others and the divine.

Mantraमंत्र

A sacred sound, syllable, or phrase used in meditation and worship.

Mokshaमोक्ष

Liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara).