Bhakti Yoga

Bhaktiyoga

Vivekananda's account of the path of devotion, from preparatory worship to supreme love for God.

Modern expositionSource not yet ingested

Tradition: Modern expositions · Bhakti traditions · Vedanta
Difficulty: beginner
Attribution: Swami VivekanandaSwami Vivekananda
Period · language: Written and delivered in the mid-1890s; published around 1896 · English
Themes: Devotion · Love · Worship · Renunciation

Why read this?

It draws on classical bhakti sources and Ramanuja while framing devotion in terms accessible to a modern audience. It is a modern exposition, not a classical text.

Questions it answers

?What is devotion?
?Why worship a personal God?
?Is love of God compatible with non-dual knowledge?

Key teachings

Editorial overview

Two stages

Devotion is divided into preparatory devotion (gauni), involving symbols, images and ritual, and supreme devotion (para), in which love for God becomes spontaneous.

The need for a teacher

He stresses the qualities of a true teacher and student and the transmission of spiritual force.

Love as its own reward

Supreme devotion is love for its own sake, seeking nothing in return, and it naturally brings renunciation.

Structure

A short book in two partsPreparatory and supreme devotion; contents vary slightly between editions

Source not yet ingested

The text of the Bhakti Yoga is not part of this version. What you see here is an editorial overview with passage references. No verses have been reproduced or invented. The architecture is ready for the text to be added.

Concepts

Conceptभक्तिBhakti — devotionLoving devotion to God, as a path and as an end in itself.Conceptप्रेमPrema — divine lovePure, selfless love for God — for many bhakti traditions the highest goal, beyond even liberation.Conceptईश्वरIshvara — GodThe Lord — God as ruler, creator and object of worship.Conceptवैराग्यVairagya — dispassionFreedom from craving — the fading of attraction to what cannot satisfy.ConceptशरणागतिSharanagatiTaking refuge in God; total surrender.

Textनारदभक्तिसूत्रNarada Bhakti SutraA classical source for its account of supreme love Textश्रीभाष्यSri Bhashya (Ramanuja)Ramanuja, whom Vivekananda draws on Textश्रीमद्भगवद्गीताBhagavad GitaGita chapter 12 on devotion

Thinkers

Thinkerस्वामी विवेकानन्दSwami Vivekananda1863–1902 CE (modern).Thinkerरामानुजाचार्यRamanujacharyaTraditionally 1017–1137 CE; the traditional lifespan of 120 years is often questioned and scholars treat the dates as approximate (11th–12th century CE).

Continue exploring

Traditions

आधुनिकModern expositions भक्तिBhakti traditions वेदान्तVedanta

Source type: Modern exposition. Overview text on this page is editorial.