What is Bhakti? The Real Meaning of Devotion Revealed

Bhakti is often seen as an act of surrender to God, rather than surrender itself. It is commonly thought of as an outward display of faith through various expressions of worship, such as doing aarti, offering prasad, and/or other rituals. However, the real essence of Bhakti is much deeper than that. In his Bhakti Sutras, our beloved master, HH Guruji Sundar, explains the true depth behind devotion to God and what surrender actually means. Below are his divine verses:

• For me, real bhakti is total surrender to God (or) Guru.

• The real surrender is not falling at the feet of the Master.

• The real surrender is totally offering your Body, Mind and Soul to the Master.

• When you totally surrender to your Master, your Life will no longer be in your hands.

• Your life will be given direction by the Master at all crossroads you face in your real life.

• You will no longer live for yourself.

• For me, the real surrender is when you completely efface yourself and invite God to live in you.

• Then you will be a God's player.

• Another way of expressing bhakti is when you totally open all your doors and windows to invite God in You.

• Merely saying that ‘I have totally surrendered to you’ by words is called ‘Acting Bhakti’.

• For real bhakti and real surrender, ‘Love’ is the key factor.

• If you practice bhakti and surrender without the Love Factor, then it is a total wasted effort.

• Love should start from your Heart.

• When you are full of Love and when the love starts oozing out from your heart, then Surrender and Bhakti will happen without any effort.

• Our birth is to realise God and serve Him for our lifetime.

• The real Love never demands anything from the other.

• The mere acceptance of ‘Love’ by the Master or God is more than sufficient.

• The mind-oriented ‘Love’ can anytime get transformed into ‘Hate’.

• But the heart-oriented ‘Love’ will never change, irrespective of the changes that might happen around you.

• Love in its Purest form can be called ‘Compassion’.

• If you have never tasted Love in your life, then your life is a total waste.

• When you stand in front of God or Master in a totally Vulnerable state, it is as if you have reached the climax of your life.

• The real Bhakta or lover of God will never stand in front of God or Master. He will always wait outside the crowd so that he will never get noticed.

• Even though the ‘Bhakta’ stands outside the crowd, the real master’s awareness will always be focused on him only.

• The interaction between the Master and Bhakta will never be felt by anyone except those two lovers.

• Anyone can practice Bhakti easily.

• For Bhakti, there is no need to sit for long hours.

• For Bhakti, surrender everything to God and do your duties.

• No one can teach us Bhakti.

• The form of Bhakti varies from person to person.

• For Ladies, Bhakti comes naturally.

• Ladies never believe in the beginning. They wait for some time to make their Judgement. But once they make their decision, nothing can stop them.

• For Bhakti, God or the Master never needs anything from you. But they look for the Quality in which you offer your Gifts.

• A Yogi can become a Bhakta easily. But a Bhakta can’t become a yogi easily.

• Yogi and Bhakta will meet only at the point of God-Realisation.

• For me, 'Yogic Bhakti' is the Real Expressway to realise God easily.

• To be a Yogi, you have to do all the Hard Work. But for a Bhakta, God will do all the work.

• There can be thousands of Bakhtas, but none can match the quality of Meera, Andal, Mallamma, Akkamma, Sahajo Bai and Daya Mata.

• Torturing the Body in the name of Bhakti is not Bhakti at all.

• A visit to Pandarpur is a must for all of us to taste the real flavour of bhakti. The vibrations of the great Bhaktas still linger very much in that air.

• A Yogi cannot survive in Pandarpur. I am saying this out of my own experience.

• It took me almost 10 Years to win the battle at Pandarpur.

• Gopikas and Lord Krishna caught in the web of Rasaleela is the highest example of Bhakti.

• I also got caught in the web of Rasaleela some 20 years ago in Mathura.

• The yogic path is very dry, the path of Bhakti is so Colourful and Enchanting.

• In the path of Bhakti, the Bhakta gets totally dissolved in God.

• Bhakta always lives in the Company of God.

• The Melting of one’s being in the Act of Bhakti is very delightful to watch and to partake.

• Somehow, with God’s Grace, I was able to enjoy both the worlds of Bhakti Path & the Yogic Path.

• To Die at the Feet of God is the Supreme Bliss.