Bhakti Yoga is a path of devotion. You are surrendering your ego or self to God or Guru. There are many paths to Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga is one path to attaining divinity. Bhakti Yoga is a path of devotion! For some people, it is easier to pray than meditate. People of Bhakti Yoga are more heart-oriented than other paths of Yoga. Singing and dancing come naturally to them. In India, great Bhaktas happened a few of them.
Narada
Shandilya
Ramakrishna
Chaitanya Prabhu
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Sant Tukaram
Sant Eknath
Meerabai
Sahaja
Janabai
Dayabai
Charandas
Sant Rohidas
Gora Kumbhar
Radha
Jalaluddin Rumi
And thousands more.
Baul mystics, also known as Bhaktas, sing beautiful songs and dance madly. The Bauls say, Scanning the cosmos,
you waste your hours. He is present in this tiny vessel. In this little body. He has made His abode. He is here in this little vessel; in you. He is there, the God of gods, the King of Kings, the Beloved.
The Nine Limbs of Devotion When carrying out Bhakti Yoga individually or together, there are eight limbs of devotion. Each one creates a particular bhava or feeling.
⦁ Shravana: This refers to listening to the earliest scriptures.
⦁ Kirtana: Mostly, Kirtana is practiced by singing devotional poems and mantras.
⦁ Smarana: This indicates remembering God.
⦁ Padasevana: This is the service of the feet. Statue worship is a ritual in the temples.
⦁ Archana: Archana is a process of a ceremony, worshiping the God or guru.
⦁ Vandana: This is the prostration, touching the feet of Guru or God.
⦁ Dasya: Dasya means becoming God’s servant. God or guru is a master, and the devotee surrenders themselves to the guru or God.
⦁ Sakhya: Sakhya represents “friendship” and association.
⦁ Atmanivedana: Demonstrating the “self-offering,” Atmanivedana is the complete submission to God.