Can maintaining cleanliness, having a bath, wearing clean, pure and sanctified clothes, applying vibhuti, kumkum and sandal paste on the forehead and sitting before the Lord’s photo struggling to meditate be classified as devotion? Can offering fruits, flowers, clothes etc. routinely to the Lord’s photo amount to devotion? Does routine worship constitute devotion? Can donation of money towards construction of temples but with a deep, inner, hidden desire for name and fame amount to true devotion? Can money raised by causing hardship to others and subsequently using the same towards Godly activities with a desire for name and fame account for true devotion?

None of the above is true devotion. What then is true devotion? To be frank, devotion is the basis for every religion in this world. Every religion accepts the path of devotion because it is the mother root. Its branches are the various religions. As said above, the entire Hindu dharma is embedded within this devotion (bhakti). That is why our Hindu Granthas (spiritual texts) explain in vast detail about this devotion.

What is devotion? The perfect meaning for the word devotion is ‘love’ (prema). ‘Devotion’ rests on this pillar called ‘love’. This love has enveloped the entire universe. It exists naturally across every transaction that takes place in this universe. We limit this love to the people dearest to us, towards the people who interact well with us and towards the objects that we love the most. It is also true that this love does not exist towards those people who harm us.

As against this, if this love is directed towards that Supreme Energy that is beyond perception by the senses and if this love is beyond the limitations caused by the dualities of gains/losses and sorrows/ joys, then it is truly a special love. Not only is it different from the love that is shown towards fellow human beings, but its speciality lies in the fact that it is also many times superior to it. It is pure love.

**_‘Pure love’ is a wonderful stage worth discussing. Pure love will only seek the wellbeing of one and all; it can never anticipate selfish results. This is a love that is without any trace of fear. _**The one who has practised this pure love is able to receive divine vibrations. Life becomes more beautiful and meaningful when pure love is implemented in every way. With this love, all obstacles in the path of life can easily be overcome. Love unites the universe. It converts even hell into heaven. Pure love takes the person from death to immortality.

Then is it not correct in calling such a vast, magnificent and special love with another suitable name? Our Maharishis came to a conclusion and named it ‘bhakti’ (devotion).

This is stated in Narada bhakti sutras.

Selfless services (sevas) rendered to God with pure love and with no selfish desire is bhakti (devotion). Apart from that Supreme Almighty, who else can be worthy of receiving such services?

In the spiritual path how does one develop this devotion? What should be done to nurture it? Love is not forced; It is a natural mental state. This state can be acquired by observing parents or Guru. Right from infancy, the parents should teach this love to the children.

Further it is something that can be acquired purely based on the mental disposition of the individual. No matter how hard a person tries to describe the attribute of sweetness that exists in a particular sweet, he cannot make another understand it totally. The other person necessarily needs to taste the sweet and experience the sweetness in it to be able to understand and relate to it. Similarly how much ever one may explain about devotion, it can never be totally understood, unless it is experienced.

To understand true devotion and its depth, it is essential that the person immerses totally in it and offers services with such feelings.

Devotion is an essential pre-requisite for acquiring Supreme Knowledge. To acquire this unflinching devotion (nischala bhakti) attempts should be started when the body is still strong and stable.

- Bhaktimala 1978, Aug 1979, Apr 1983, Oct 1986, Oct 1989