Bhakti Is Not a Process
Bhakti Is Not a Process
Sometimes people define bhakti as “getting purified” or “realizing the Absolute Truth.” Those may be effects of bhakti, but they are not the goal.
The word bhakti literally means loving devotion. The goal of bhakti is not to become pure just for purity’s sake, and it’s not to solve a philosophical puzzle. The goal is to awaken a living, loving relationship with a real Person — Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The scriptures describe nine processes of bhakti:
Hearing about Kṛṣṇa (śravaṇam)
Speaking or chanting about Him (kīrtanam)
Remembering Him (smaraṇam)
Serving His lotus feet (pāda-sevanam)
Worshiping Him (arcanam)
Offering prayers (vandanam)
Serving Him as a servant (dāsyam)
Befriending Him (sakhyam)
Surrendering everything to Him (ātma-nivedanam)
They appear in a deliberate order — beginning with hearing and ending with full surrender — but they are not mechanical steps to tick off. They are the natural movements of love in a relationship.
Think of any close friendship or romance. You first hear about the person. Then you talk to them. You remember them when they’re away. You do things for them. You share special moments together. You speak from the heart. You respect their wishes. You become friends. And, when the trust is complete, you give yourself to them fully.
That’s why bhakti is not a process — it’s a relationship.
And just as these nine ways of relating draw us closer to Kṛṣṇa, they also draw us closer to His devotees:
Hear from them and about them
Speak to them and about them
Remember their example
Offer them service
Spend time with them in worship and devotion
Pray with them and for them
Follow their good instruction
Build genuine friendship
Offer them your trust and service wholeheartedly
Loving Kṛṣṇa naturally includes loving His devotees. Bhakti is not about passing some purity test or achieving an abstract realization — it’s about relationship. And in that relationship, purity, truth, and joy come naturally.