Bhakti as a Technical Term
Bhakti (Sanskrit: भक्ति — from bhaj, 'to share, to be devoted to') in Śrī Vaiṣṇavism is not simply devotional emotion but a precisely defined spiritual practice. Rāmānuja in Śrī Bhāṣyam defines bhakti as dhyāna-rūpā-upāsanā — a meditation-like contemplative upāsanā sustained with intense love (prīti). It requires: a qualified practitioner (Brahmin who has undergone proper training), decades of rigorous sādhana, and immense spiritual merit accumulated over many lives.
Bhakti Yoga vs. Prapatti
In Viśiṣṭādvaita, bhakti yoga is a sādhya-upāya — a means the soul constructs through sustained effort. Its eligibility is restricted to the few; its path is long and arduous. Prapatti, by contrast, is open to all, immediate, and accessible. Ācāryas emphasize that in the current age (Kali Yuga), very few possess the qualifications for bhakti yoga, making prapatti the preferred path.
Para-bhakti, Para-jñāna, Parama-bhakti
In the Bhagavad Gītā and Āzhvār literature, bhakti has gradations:
- Para-bhakti — initial awakening of love; the devotee cannot bear separation from the Lord
- Para-jñāna — direct vision (sākṣātkāra) of the Lord
- Parama-bhakti — the soul's unquenchable longing that leads to liberation itself
Nammāzhvār's Tiruvāymozhi is considered the supreme expression of this ascending bhakti, culminating in union.
Bhakti in Daily Śrī Vaiṣṇava Life
For the prapanna (one who has already surrendered), bhakti continues as an expression of gratitude and love — not as a means to liberation (that is already secured) but as the natural flowering of the surrendered heart.