Bhakti
Bhakti, defined as "devotion" or "love," is one of three paths to salvation described by the Bhagavad Gita. Along with the path of knowledge, jnana, and the path of duties, karma, bhakti can be used to maintain world order (dharma) and achieve liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth (moksha) (Manual 131). In the Gita, Krishna (an avatar of the god Vishnu) tells Arjuna about the nature of life and how to live it; Arjuna has to decide how he should become disciplined: Through jnana, karma, or bhakti [1].
[2] Krishna explains the nature of life to Arjuna.
When Krishna describes Bhakti to Arjuna, he tells Arjuna should be a form of worship: Arjuna's actions should be as sacrifice to Krishna. This is the essence of Bhakti: All actions should come from devotion and love; all actions should be dedicated to the heavens. Bhakti reaches across all social classes and stresses love of God over any doctrine (Manual 132).
"Chapter 7: India, Hinduism and Buddhism." Cultural Foundations of Ancient Eastern Civilizations. Compiled by Rosie Beniretto. Published in Houston, Texas by St. John's School 2013-2014
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