Swami Sivananda on Bhakti

Photo taken of me by Eileen Escarda during an early morning sadhana, with Snatam Kaur at Blue Spirit in Costa Rica, 2011.

"Bhakti is resting on God.  Bhakti is flow of devotion like the flow of a river.  Bhakti is continuity of devotion, just as there is continuity in the flow of oil from one vessel to another vessel.  Bhakti is attraction of the Jiva to the Lord, juist as there is attraction of the needle to the magnet.
"Bhakti is love for love's sake.  The devotee wants God and God alone.  There is no selfish expectation here.  There is no fear also...He feels, believes, conceives and imagines that his Ishtam is an ocean of love or Prema.
"Bhakti transmuts man into Divinity.  It intoxicates the devotee with divine Prema.  It gives him eternal satisfaction.  It makes him perfect.  It weans the mind from the sensual objects.  It makes him rejoice in God.
"Emotional excitement is not devotion to God.  Devotion is pure love.  Fanaticism is not devotion.  It is frenzy.  It is mere excitement.
"Bhakti is not emotionalism, but is the tuning of the will as well as the intellect towards the Divine.  It is supreme love of God.  It blossoms afterwards into Jnana.  It leads to immortality or God-realisation.
"Bhakti is the direct approach to the ideal through the heart.  Love is natural to everybody."

"Bhakti is open to all.  Bhakti can be practiced under all conditions and by all alike.  Learning, austere penance, study of the Vedas and brilliant intellect sre not needed for the attainment of Bhakti or devotion.  What is wanted is constant and living remembrance of God, coupled with faith.  That is the reason why the path of Bhakti is available for everyone."

"The easiest approach to God.  Bhakti is easier than any other way of approach to God.  In Jnana and Yoga, there is the risk of a fall.  In the path of devotion, there is no risk as the devotee receives full support and help form God.  Those who tread the path of Jnana and Yoga are liable to become proud of their powers and wisdom.  Bhaktas are humble.  Humility is the foundation of Bhakti Yoga.  Jnana Yoga is the Yoga of wisdom.  It is the path of analysis and rejection. It is the path of endless negation.  This is a very difficult path.  Raja Yoga also is difficult.  It is like stilling the waves of the ocean.  You will have to still all the thought-waves.  Karma Yoga also is difficult.  It is like climbing to the highest peak.  You need tremendous will-power.  Bhakti Yoga alone is easy.  The Lord is stretching his hands to lift you up from the mire of Samsara.  You will have to grasp his hand firmly.  But, one thing is absolutely essential here.  You should not have any other thought than that of God and God alone.
"The child thinks of the mother alone.  A passionate husband thinks of his wife and wife alone.  A greedy man thinks of his money and money alone.  Even so, the devotee should entertain in his heart the picture of his Ishtam and Ishtam alone.  Then he can have Darshan of God easily.
"Objects are enemies of God.  Sons, wife, property, cattle, houses, friends and relatives are enemies of God.  You must cherish perfect indifference to these objects.
"You must not think of the body and its wants too much.  Thought of body, thoughts of food, thoughts of wife and children make you forget God.  You cannot have thought of God if you have thoughts of Anatma things."
"Desire obstructs the growth of devotion.  Devotion to the Lord increases when mundane desires are renounced.  Renunciation is the very essence of devotional love.  Divine love has no element of desire in it."
"People put a question: 'How can we love God whom we have not seen?'
"Live in the company of saints.  Hear the Lilas of God.  Study the sacred scriptures.  Worship Him first in his several forms as manifested in the World.  Worship any image or picture of the Lord or the Guru. Recite His Name.  Sing His glories.  Stay for one year in Ayodhya or Brindavan, Chitrakuta or Pandharpur, Benares or Ananda Kutir.  You will develop love for God.
"Every act must be done that awakens the emotion of Bhakti.  Keep the Puja room clean.  Decorate the room.  Burn the incense.  Light a lamp.  Keep a clean seat.  Bathe.  Wear clean clothes.  Apply vibhuti or bhasma and kumkum on the forehead.  Wera rudraksha or tulasi mall.  All these produce a benign influence on the mind and elevate the mind.  They generate piety.  They help to create the necessary Bhava or feeling to invoke the Deity that you want to worship. The mind will be easily concentrated.
"Practice of right conduct, Satsanga, Japa, Smarana, Kirtan, prayer, worship, service of saints, residence in places of pilgrimage, service of the poor and the sick with divine brave, observance of Varnasramaduties, offering of all actions and their fruits to the Lord, feeling the presence of the Lord in all beings, prostrations before the images of the saints, renunciation of early enjoyments and wealth, charity, austerities and vows, practice of Ahimsa, Satyam and Brahmacharya--all these will help you to develop Bhakti."

"Kindle love divine in thy heart, for this is the immediate way to the kingdom of God.  Pray to the Lord.  Sing His glory.  Recite His Name.  Become a channel of His grace.  Seek His will.  Do His will.  Surrender to His will.  You will become one with the cosmic will.  Surender unto the Lord.  He will become your charioteer on the field of life.  He will drive your chariot well.  You will reach your destination, the Abode of the Immortal Self."