# Bhakti Stages and Processes *The progressive stages of devotional service* Total entries: 99 (including 3 major comprehensive entries) ## Major Topics (Comprehensive Entries) *These are the most extensive and comprehensive entries on bhakti practice:* - [[index/entries/devotional-service-to-supreme-lord|Devotional Service to Supreme Lord]] (112KB) - Complete guide to bhakti-yoga - [[index/entries/devotee-of-supreme-lord|Devotee of Supreme Lord]] (141KB) - Comprehensive entry on devotees and their qualities - [[index/entries/spiritual-master|Spiritual Master]] - Complete guide to guru-tattva and discipleship ## The Nine Processes of Bhakti (Nava-vidhā Bhakti) As described by Prahlada Maharaja: 1. **[[index/S#śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam defined|Śravaṇaṁ]]** - Hearing about Krishna 2. **[[index/K#kīrtanam|Kīrtanam]]** - Chanting Krishna's glories 3. **[[index/S#smaraṇam|Smaraṇam]]** - Remembering Krishna 4. **[[index/P#pāda sevanam|Pāda sevanam]]** - Serving Krishna's lotus feet 5. **[[index/A#Arcanam|Arcanam]]** - Deity worship 6. **[[index/V#Vandanam|Vandanam]]** - Offering prayers 7. **[[index/D#dāsya stage of devotional service|Dāsya]]** - Servitorship 8. **[[index/S#sakhya stage of devotional service|Sakhya]]** - Friendship 9. **Ātma-nivedanam** - Complete surrender ## Types of Bhakti **[[index/V#vaidhi bhakti defined|Vaidhi bhakti]]** (Regulated devotion): - Following scriptural rules - Performing prescribed duties - Gradual purification **[[index/R#rāgānugā bhakti|Rāgānugā bhakti]]** (Spontaneous devotion): - Following in the footsteps of Vraja-vasis - Spontaneous attraction - Higher stage ## Stages of Devotional Development 1. **Śraddhā** - Faith 2. **Sādhu-saṅga** - Association with devotees 3. **Bhajana-kriyā** - Beginning devotional practices 4. **Anartha-nivṛtti** - Clearing unwanted habits 5. **Niṣṭhā** - Steadiness 6. **Ruci** - Taste 7. **Āsakti** - Attachment 8. **Bhāva** - Ecstasy 9. **Prema** - Pure love ## Forms of Surrender (Śaraṇāgati) Six aspects of surrender: 1. Accepting favorable 2. Rejecting unfavorable 3. Faith that Krishna will protect 4. Accepting Krishna as maintainer 5. Self-surrender 6. Humility ## All Related Entries - [[index/A#Arcanam|Arcanam]] - [[index/A#arcanam in kṛṣṇa consciousness|Arcanam in Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] - [[index/A#arcanā, prescribed with saṅkīrtana|Arcanā, prescribed with saṅkīrtana]] - [[index/B#bhagavad bhakti defined|Bhagavad bhakti defined]] - [[index/entries/bhakti|Bhakti]] - [[index/entries/bhakti-defined|Bhakti defined]] - [[index/B#bhakti bhajana defined|Bhakti bhajana defined]] - [[index/B#bhakti bhāva defined|Bhakti bhāva defined]] - [[index/B#bhakti kārya defined|Bhakti kārya defined]] - [[index/B#bhakti latā compared to malayadhvajas daughter|Bhakti latā compared to Malayadhvajas daughter]] - [[index/B#bhakti mārga|Bhakti mārga]] - [[index/entries/bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu|Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu]] - [[index/B#bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu, instructions in|Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu, instructions in]] - [[index/B#bhakti ratnākara|Bhakti ratnākara]] - [[index/entries/bhakti-sandarbha|Bhakti-sandarbha]] - [[index/entries/bhakti-yoga|Bhakti-yoga]] - [[index/B#bhakti yoga defined|Bhakti yoga defined]] - [[index/B#bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo|Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo]] - [[index/B#bird compared to surrendered soul|Bird compared to surrendered soul]] - [[index/C#caṇḍālas, devotional service elevates|Caṇḍālas, devotional service elevates]] - [[index/C#cintāmaṇi prayer recommended|Cintāmaṇi prayer recommended]] - [[index/C#constitutional position of surrender|Constitutional position of surrender]] - [[index/C#creeper & devotional service, analogy of|Creeper & devotional service, analogy of]] - [[index/C#creeper of devotion|Creeper of devotion]] - [[index/D#dancing in devotion to lord|Dancing in devotion to Lord]] - [[index/D#debts & devotional service|Debts & devotional service]] - [[index/entries/devotional-service-to-lord|Devotional service to Lord]] - [[index/entries/devotional-service-to-supreme-lord|Devotional service to Supreme Lord]] - [[index/D#dhyāna yoga, bhakti yoga completes|Dhyāna yoga, bhakti yoga completes]] - [[index/D#digestive fire compared to devotional service|Digestive fire compared to devotional service]] - [[index/D#dāsya stage of devotional service|Dāsya stage of devotional service]] - [[index/G#gold & silver in fire compared to living entity in devotional service|Gold & silver in fire compared to living entity in devotional service]] - [[index/I#instinct for devotional service|Instinct for devotional service]] - [[index/I#iron rod in fire, devotee in devotional service compared to|Iron rod in fire, devotee in devotional service compared to]] - [[index/J#jñāna yoga compared with bhakti yoga|Jñāna yoga compared with bhakti yoga]] - [[index/J#jñāna yoga, bhakti yoga completes|Jñāna yoga, bhakti yoga completes]] - [[index/K#kevala bhakti defined|Kevala bhakti defined]] - [[index/entries/kirtana|Kīrtana]] - [[index/K#kīrtana defined|Kīrtana defined]] - [[index/K#kīrtana in kṛṣṇa consciousness|Kīrtana in Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] - [[index/K#kīrtanam|Kīrtanam]] - [[index/K#kṛṣṇa kīrtana|Kṛṣṇa kīrtana]] - [[index/M#mango & devotional service, analogy of|Mango & devotional service, analogy of]] - [[index/N#nectar of devotion|Nectar of Devotion]] - [[index/N#nectar of devotion as auspicious|Nectar of Devotion as auspicious]] - [[index/N#nectar of devotion cited on worship|Nectar of Devotion cited on worship]] - [[index/entries/nectar-of-devotion-the|Nectar of Devotion, The]] - [[index/N#nectar of devotion, bhāva described in|Nectar of Devotion, bhāva described in]] - [[index/O#obligations, worldly, devotional service &|Obligations, worldly, devotional service &]] - [[index/P#parama bhakti yoga explained|Parama bhakti yoga explained]] - [[index/P#parā bhaktiḥ defined|Parā bhaktiḥ defined]] - [[index/P#parā bhakti defined|Parā bhakti defined]] - [[index/P#power, material, via devotional service|Power, material, via devotional service]] - [[index/P#prayer day|Prayer Day]] - [[index/entries/prayer|Prayer(s)]] - [[index/entries/prayer-to-krsna|Prayer(s) to Kṛṣṇa]] - [[index/P#protective prayer|Protective prayer]] - [[index/entries/pure-devotional-service|Pure devotional service]] - [[index/entries/pure-devotional-service-to-lord|Pure devotional service to Lord]] - [[index/P#puruṣa sūkta prayers|Puruṣa sūkta prayers]] - [[index/P#pāda sevanam|Pāda sevanam]] - [[index/P#pāda sevanam in kṛṣṇa consciousness|Pāda sevanam in Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] - [[index/R#renunciation via devotional service|Renunciation via devotional service]] - [[index/R#rituals of devotional service|Rituals of devotional service]] - [[index/R#rāga bhakti defined|Rāga bhakti defined]] - [[index/R#rāgānugā bhakti|Rāgānugā bhakti]] - [[index/R#rāja guhyam, devotional service as|Rāja guhyam, devotional service as]] - [[index/S#sakhya stage of devotional service|Sakhya stage of devotional service]] - [[index/entries/sankirtana|Saṅkīrtana]] - [[index/S#saṅkīrtana movement|Saṅkīrtana movement]] - [[index/S#saṅkīrtana movement. see: kṛṣṇa consciousness movement; international society for krishna consciousness|Saṅkīrtana movement. See: Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement; International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] - [[index/entries/sankirtana-yajna|Saṅkīrtana-yajña]] - [[index/S#self interest, devotional service as|Self interest, devotional service as]] - [[index/S#smaraṇam|Smaraṇam]] - [[index/S#smaraṇam defined|Smaraṇam defined]] - [[index/S#smaraṇam in kṛṣṇa consciousness|Smaraṇam in Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] - [[index/entries/surrender|Surrender]] - [[index/entries/surrender-to-lord|Surrender to Lord]] - [[index/entries/surrender-to-supreme-lord|Surrender to Supreme Lord]] - [[index/S#surrender to pure devotees|Surrender to pure devotees]] - [[index/S#sādhana bhakti|Sādhana bhakti]] - [[index/S#sādhana bhakti defined|Sādhana bhakti defined]] - [[index/T#taste for devotional service|Taste for devotional service]] - [[index/V#vaidhi bhakti defined|Vaidhi bhakti defined]] - [[index/V#Vandanam|Vandanam]] - [[index/V#vandanam in kṛṣṇa consciousness|Vandanam in Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] - [[index/V#vidhi bhakti|Vidhi bhakti]] - [[index/V#vidhi bhakti defined|Vidhi bhakti defined]] - [[index/V#vātsalya stage of devotional service|Vātsalya stage of devotional service]] - [[index/S#śaraṇāgati|Śaraṇāgati]] - [[index/S#śaraṇāgati defined|Śaraṇāgati defined]] - [[index/S#śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam defined|Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam defined]] - [[index/S#śuddha bhakti|Śuddha bhakti]] - [[index/S#śānta stage of devotional service|Śānta stage of devotional service]] - [[index/S#”scholars” deny surrender to kṛṣṇa|”Scholars” deny surrender to Kṛṣṇa]] - [[index/S#”seed” of devotional service|”Seed” of devotional service]] ## Related Categories - [[index/meta/rasa-theory|Rasa Theory]] - [[index/meta/devotees|Devotees]] - [[index/meta/gaudiya-literature|Gaudiya Literature]] ## See also: - [[index/meta/practice|Practice]] - Practical application - [[index/meta/devotional|Devotional]] - Devotional practices - [[index/meta/rasa-theory|Rasa Theory]] - Ultimate goal - [[index/meta/philosophical-terms|Philosophical Terms]] - Technical concepts