| Homepage | Imprint |
|
||
 |
Bhakti yogaBhakti yoga is the Hinduterm for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. Traditionally there are 9 forms of bhakti yoga. Hindumovements in which bhakti yoga is the main practice are called bhakti movements. Bhakti yoga is generally considered the easiest of the four general paths to liberation, or moksha(the others being Karma, Rajaand Jnana Yoga).
The Philosophy and Development of BhaktiBhaktiis the Hindu term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming love of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or whatever relationship or aspect of God that finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to tap into the universal divinity through personal form, which explains the proliferation of so many godsand Goddessesin India, often reflecting the personal inclinations of small regions or groups of people. This also explains Hinduism's pluralism and ability to absorb other faith-based religions. However, the bhakti movements are monotheisticmovements that has been primarily devoted to worship of Shivaor Vishnuor the Lord's Shakti. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks to dissolve the egointo God, since consciousnessof the body as self is seen to be a divisive factor in spiritual realization. Essentially, it is God who effects all change, who is the source of all works, who acts through the devotee as love and light. 'Sins' and evil-doings of the devotee are said to fall away of their own accord, the devotee shriven, the sins even transcended, through the love of God. The Bhakti movements, which followed the establishment of the three Vedantasystems, rejuvenated Hinduismthrough their intense expression of faith and responsiveness to the emotionaland philosophicalneeds of India, illustrated by Bharatanatyam, and can rightly be said to have affected the greatest wave of change in Hinduprayerand ritual since the advent of Adi Shankaracharya. There have been bhakti movements right through Indian history. Adoration and loving devotional worship of a personal God (Bhakti) is an inherent part of most religious traditions. However, in Hinduism, an entire philosophy and system of thought dedicated to it developed into an arguably independent force of its own, drawing but otherwise separate from other movements within Sanatana Dharma. The earliest idea of salvific devotion through love is amply demonstrated in the worship of the early Rig Vedicgod Varuna. This early Vedicattempt at monotheism(not monism, which saw its beginnings in the Vedas and thorough explication in the early Upanishadsof 1500-1000 BCE) was later realized in post-Upanishadic movements that sought to, as Shri Ramakrishnaonce put it, embrace the LotusFeet of the one loving Lord. Insert non-formatted text heregggggg===Varuna: the prototype of Bhakti?=== A recognized twentieth centuryexpert on Indian Philosophy, S. Radhakrishnan, a professor at Oxford Universityand once-President of India, wrote this of Varuna in his book Indian Philosophy, Volume 1: The theismof the Vaishnavs and the Bhagavatas, with its emphasis on bhakti, is to be traced to the Vedic worship of Varuna, with its consciousness of sin and trust in divine forgiveness. Varuna is indeed seen, unlike many of the other more capricious personalities, as a morally righteousand benevolentGod, encompassing all others and ready to forgive the transgressions of the devotee. The Bhagavad GitaWhile it has an extensive list of philosophical and religious associations, the Bhagavad Gitais also seen as a cornerstone for Hindu Bhakti theism, especially Vaishnavism. However, it has been interpreted by many as being a manual not limited just for devotees of Krishna. Whatever be the case, it is adamant, in Krishna's words, that love and innocent, pure intention is the most powerful motive force in a devotee's spiritual evolution. It is a very succinct and comprehensive statement on the mindset of the Bhakta (loving devotee), regardless of the form of God chosen. On Bhakti Yoga, the Gita states: "...those who, renouncing all actions in Me, and regarding Me as the Supreme, worship me... of those whose thoughts have entered into Me, I am soon the deliverer from the ocean of deathand transmigration, Arjuna. Keep your mind on Me alone, your intellect on Me. Thus you shall dwell in me hereafter." --(B.G., Chapter 12, Verses 6-8). Refer to the Bhakti movementsarticle to see the various schools that exemplify the Hindu movement of Loving Devotion. The philosophical schools changed the way people thought, but Bhakti was immediately accessible to all, calling to the instinct emotion of love and redirecting it to the highest pursuit of Godand self-realization. In general a liberalmovement, its denouncement of casteoffered recourse for Hindus from the orthodox Brahaminicalsystems. Of course, however, Bhakti's message of tolerance and love was not often heeded by those ensconsed in the societal construct of caste. Altogether, bhakti resulted in a mass of devotional literature, music, danceand art that has enriched the world and gave India renewed spiritual impetus, one eschewing unnecessary ritualand artificial social boundaries. See also
External links
Topicsin Yoga
Topicsin Hinduism
fr:Bhakti yoga nl:Bhakti-Yoga pl:Bhakti joga sv:Bhakti Yoga
|
