May 17, 2026

Vijay ji shares about Bhakti. Bhakti is made of three words, Bha, Ka and Ta in Sanskrit. Bhai in Sanskrit means to Bhaj, means to sing, to serve, to share, to shine. Wherever the Bha word is, there it means the knowledge, the shine. Ka means Kam, Sukham, happiness, knowledge. Ta means Taranti, salvation cross. So, when we practice Bhakti, it means to have intense devotion, which requires total surrender selflessly for Bhagawan.

Many hundreds of kinds of Bhakti. How we have to practice it, perceive it, internalize it and make a part in parcel of our life. Today we will see what Bhagawan a Rama defines a Bhakti. Vijay ji is still fascinated by the term, Bhakti. Because so many layers of sadhana to unite Vijay ji with the Bhagawan.

Vijay ji’s grandmother started teaching him Ramcharitmanas, when Vijaya ji was five years old. She said, Vijay ji cannot go to school without taking the bath, doing the puja and Pat, reciting at least one verse from Ramcharitmanas because Vijay ji was born in Kanpur, near the banks of Ganges. Ram Charit Manas around there was very, very popular.

Bhakti is a threefold. Bhakti means Bhakta, Bhagawan and Bhakti. Bhakta means the seeker.

Bhagawan is giver of happiness; goal of our life Rama, Krishna, your Ishta Devata. We are seeking blessings from them. Bhakti means devotion. Our journey from Vasana to Sadhana. Vasana means we brought part and parcel from our life, for all good and bad deeds. We are all tied up like in a rope, programmed it. We have to slowly leave our Vasana and has to do Sadhana. Sadhana is also Bhakti, going towards the Bhagawan.

Now let’s see how Bhagawan, Rama defied bhakti to Shabri Mata in Aranya Kanda. Shabri used to live near Matang Rishi’s Ashram. The students of Matanga Rishi were busy; there is nobody to clean outside. Matang Rishi, his students used to go early into the river for bath and Sadhana for few hours. During that time Shabri used to go and clean the whole ashram without anyone asking. Matang Rishi didn’t know what was happening. One day, Matang Rishi came early and he came to know that Shabri Mata has been cleaning the Ashram all these years. Matang Rishi was said, “I am going to leave this and this ashram is yours. One day Lord Rama will come here. I won’t be around, but you will live here.” She believed it. She started living there.

One day, Bhagavan Rama and Lakshmana came to Ashram of Shabri Matadir. Vijay ji chants verse from Aranya Kand

sabarī dekhi rāma gṛhaṃ āe।

muni ke bacana samujhi jiyaṃ bhāe

Looking at Bhagwan, she is remembering the Guru. How does she see Rama and Laxmana?

syāma gaura suṃdara dou bhāī।

sabarī parī carana lapaṭāī॥

Two brothers, Shri Rama is a bluish complexion. Laxmana is a fair complexion entered into Shabri’s hermitage. Seeing them, she couldn’t understand, she fell on the feet of Rama, prostrated and held Bhagwan’s feet with such a love and devotion.

pāni jori āgēṃ bhai ṭhāṛhī|

prabhuhi biloki prīti ati bāṛhī॥

Standing before Bhagvan Shabri gazed at Bhagavan with full of love and devotion Shabri said

kehi bidhi astuti karauṃ tumhārī|

adhama jāti maiṃ jaṛamati bhārī

Oh, Bhagavan how shall I pray to you? How can I sing glory to you? I am born in a low caste by birth, uneducated, I don’t know how to read, write anything.

kaha raghupati sunu bhāmini bātā|

mānauṃ eka bhagati kara nātā॥

Bhagwan Rama spoke to Shabri Mata, getting deeper and deeper. Oh, noble lady, listen to my words. I regard the highest relation is a Bhakti and not the education or others.

jāti pāṃti kula dharma baṛāī|

dhana bala parijana guna caturaī॥

Bhagwan Rama says, I don’t consider any value of these ten for me. These things belong to outer world, law of action. But Bhakti is higher Sadhana which is law of intention according to our Vedas. Now Bhagwan is explaining, what is this Bhakti

navadhā bhagati kahauṃ tohi pāhīṃ|

sāvadhāna sunu dharu mana māhīṃ॥

Bhagwan says, I will tell you nine forms of Bhakti is this devotion. Listen with a focused mind and take them into your heart.

prathama bhagati santanha kara saṃgā|

dūsari rati mama kathā prasaṃgā॥

First one, the first is to associate with saintly people, Gurus. Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya also gives much importance to Satsang in Bhaja Govindam.

satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṁ nissaṅgatve nirmohatvam |
nirmohatve niścalatattvaṁ niścalatattve jīvanmuktiḥ || 9 ||

Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam Govindam Bhaja mudhamate

First step is satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṁ Seek the company of the good people, saints, gurus. This will give Vairagya, non-attachment. nissaṅgatve nirmohatvam when this non-attachment comes, then we are free from the delusion. nirmohatve niścalatattvaṁ when pride, ego is gone this leads to awareness of reality, understanding who I am, what is my nature? I am the happiness. Unnecessary I am seeking the happiness outside. niścalatattve jīvanmukti then we are free forever from our ego, jīvanmukti happens. So that is why Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam worship Govind all the time. Govindam Bhaja mudhamate Adi Shankaracharya sometime very strong word he uses mudhamate He says Fool. He was telling in Varanasi to a Sanskrit scholar, mudhamate. Just repeating what you know it doesn’t, we have to adopt a part and parcel. Then the life shines.

First is seeking the company of the good, then dūsari rati mama kathā prasaṃgā second is to cultivate a deep interest, stories of Bhagavan’s life, who is Bhagwan? What is Bhagwan? So, inquiry starts, Katha Prasanga.

gura pada paṃkaja sevā tīsari bhagati amāna|

The third form of devotion, humbly served at the feet of the Guru.  Narada Bhakti Sutra also shares Bhakti anybody can get. But to go higher Bhakti, you need the Guru. Because anyone can start the journey from anywhere. But slowly we have to know what is this param bhakti. Now we have to start serving Guru.

cauthi bhagati mama guna|

gana karai kapaṭa taji gāna||

The fourth is to sing Bhagavan’s glories and virtues adapt. And leave the deceit. We go Satsang.

But then Nissang happens with socialization etc. What happened? Why we do not surrender to Guru? Because our ego is very strong. Why do I need the Guru? I understand, I can read book. I have more qualification than the Guru. So, solidified that ego doesn’t allow. We want to live in our comfortable life. So, we live in our Vasanas.  So, that is why this kapaṭa we have to leave it.

maṃtra jāp mama dṛḍha bisvāsā|

pañcama bhajana so beda prakāsā॥

Fifth form of devotion is praise in the Vedas. Vedas says, maṃtra jāp, we must do. Bisvāsā, have a form of faith. But how would you know that what mantra and why do I even read the Vedas? And what is the glory of the Vedas? All these things, all these questions will come. You know why these questions come? Because we have not found the Guru yet. Guru will teach all these things. Then the Shraddha, believe will come.

chaṭha dama sīla birati bahu karamā|

nirata nirantara sajjana dharamā॥

Sixth, is self-restraint, control of the senses, nurturing gentleness, renouncing excessive pursuits in life, formally walking the path of good conduct. Gurudev also says, “If you want to further reduce the quantity of the thoughts don’t gossip too much. Don’t unnecessary watch the news”. More thought, more weight on the mind has too many orders. When you’re reducing the quantity, then we can develop the quality. Finally, turn the direction, quantity, quality and direction.

sātvã sama mohi maya jaga dekhā|

moteṃ santa adhika kari lekhā॥

Bhagavan Ram Chandra ji is saying, “I don’t come very often. But I send many gurus, many people in your life. And those represent me.” The seventh form of devotion is, behold me, equally in all beings, animate or inanimate. Bhagavan says that the saints are even greater than Bhagavan. Bhagavan Krishna, in his Avatara he might have helped thousands. But after his departure, billions, same thing Tulsidas ji says Name of Ram is bigger than Ram.

āṭhavaṃ jathālābha santoṣā|

sapanehuṃ nahiṃ dekha’i paradosā॥

Eight is to remain contented with whatever one has and never to see falls in others. Swami Tejomayananda said once, “There is no person in this world at this time, who doesn’t have what he requires in life. God has provided everything.” If you do not have, it means you are expecting more requirement than you deserve. Gurudev also says, “You will not get what you desire, you get only what you deserve.” A Sadhu doesn’t live in star hotel, he lives in all-star, millions of stars. When we go on vacation we want star Hotel, complain about everything or ask to get things for free. But Sadhu has free air, free sunshine, free boarding and lodging. The Raja of Uttarkashi brought Swami Tapovan Ji, very fancy outfit as a gift. Swami Tapovan said, I already have few and can’t take care of it. Sometimes in the pictures Swami Tapovan ji has one piece of cloth, happiest person.

navama sarala saba sana chalahīnā|

mama bharosa hiyaṃ haraṣa na dīnā॥

The ninth form of devotion is, have a nice behavior towards all, an unwavering faith in me and a heart free from any despair, excitement and this in that. Our Acharyas in hundreds of years, they have said, you develop even one, the other will come.

nava mahuṃ eku jinha keṃ hoī|

nāri puruṣa sacarācara koī॥

Bhagwan says, if anybody has even one of this, I love that person. This is called bhakti.

soi atisaya priya bhāmini moreṃ|

sakala prakāra bhagati dṛḍha toreṃ॥

Bhagwan says, you said you are uneducated, you are poor or you do not know anything, you are low caste. Being very dear to me, you are very, very dear to me. Your devotion has all the nine.

Siya Rām-maya sab jag jāni|

Karahun pranām jori jug pāni||

Sant Tulsidas, says in this famous Chapai “Once I understand, I see Lord Rama in every person. And that is why I bow down to every person. Because I don’t see the person, I see he is another form of Lord Rama.” That is the real bhakti actually.

Tulsidas ji in Aranya Kanda has written nine forms of devotion that we also find in Bhagavatam for Bhakta Prahlad is Navada Bhakti.

Discussion Subject:

Having studied the nine forms of devotion which of the nine forms feels easiest for you to practice, in your daily busy lives which one of those is the most challenging to achieve.