Nine forms of Bhakti
We have already talked about the Navadha bhakti summarized in the Ramacharitamanasa. For a quick comparison, the nine forms of bhakti from the Puranas are listed in the table below.
|
FORM
|
FOCUSES ON
|
AN EXEMPLAR
|
|
Shravana
|
Listening
|
Kakbhushandi
|
|
Kirtana
|
Chanting
|
Valmiki
|
|
Smarana
|
Remembrance
|
Kaushalya
|
|
Padasevana
|
Lord’s Lotus feet
|
Bharata
|
|
Archana
|
Worship
|
Shabri
|
|
Vandana
|
Prayer
|
Vibhishana
|
|
Dasya
|
Service
|
Jambavan
|
|
Sakhya
|
Friendship
|
Nishadraj Guha
|
|
Atmanivedana
|
Surrender
|
Lakshmana
|
Though the examples selected in the table above are all from the Ramayana, the nine forms of bhakti, being timeless, are experienced by contemporary devotees of all forms of the Divine. Also, because one form of devotion generally attracts the other forms of devotion in the heart, most bhaktas radiate more than one type of bhakti.
And if you are searching for Lord Hanuman on the list, he has been excluded. Why? Because his name can not be placed on a list with others; all beings, mortals and immortals, receive Rama-bhakti solely by his grace.
Please feel free to use the comments section to share the name of your favorite bhakta/saint (Vaishnava, Shaiva, and/or Shakta) and indicate the type(s) of bhakti that he or she focused on.
