Monday, April 13, 2026

Is Madhura Bhakti part of 9 types of Bhakti?


There are 9 types of Bhakti mentioned in Bhagavata Purana. Though these 9 methods were mentioned with respect to Viṣṇu, they are applicable to other deities too, viz., Shiva, Shakti, etc.

श्रीप्रह्राद उवाच

श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम्
अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् २३

इति पुंसार्पिता विष्णौ भक्तिश्चेन्नवलक्षणा
क्रियेत भगवत्यद्धा तन्मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम् २४

“There are nine forms of devotion to Viṣṇu—(1) to hear the names, episodes etc. of Viṣṇu, (2) to sing of his name and glories, (3) to Remember him (his name), (4) to render service unto him, (5) to worship him, (6) to pay obeisance to him, (7) to dedicate all one’s actions to him, (8) to confide to him as a friend, (9) to offer one’s body and belongings to his service and care. I regard it as the highest type of learning, if one offers himself completely to the Lord and performs this nine-fold devotion (regards complete dedication as the condition precedent of real devotion).

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According to my understanding, Madhura Bhakti - a different version of 9th type of Bhakti ātmanivedanam, might have been evolved over a period of time in the Eastern parts of the then India.

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The famous poet Jayadeva might have belonged to this Madhura Bhakti method. That why his poetry the Gita Govinda, is centered on shringara rasa (the erotic/romantic sentiment), often described as the king of all rasas.

A word of caution is that this Madhura Bhakti is somewhat similar to Tantric methods of spirituality, which are not everybody’s cup of tea.

 


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