Bhakti Marga

The way of devotion.

Vaişnava

Bhakti

• The way of devotion is practised by most Hindus. Key idea is that you love God, and God loves you back; because of that love God will eliminate your karma, and give you Mukti (union with Bhagavan)

• Vaişnava Bhakti is usually focussed at Kŗşņa or Rāma; we will concentrate on Kŗşņa.

Kŗşņa Bhakti

• Most obviously present in the west through the activities of ISKCON (international Society for Kŗşņa Consciousness), which is a part of the Gaudiya Vaişnava Sampradaya; a devotional movement reaching back to the 16th Century.

• Key aim of devotees is to focus their mind utterly upon Kŗşņa as bhagavan; the one Lord.

Māhā-Mantra.

Hare Kŗşņa, Hare Kŗşņa

Kŗşņa Kŗşņa, Hare Hare,

Hare Rama, Hare Rama,

Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

• The essential teaching of Iskcon is “Chant and be happy”. Consciousness of the divine will be achieved through the chanting of the Māhā mantra; the names of God. This should be done as often as possible, in order to bring God to the front of the devotee’s mind.

Nama Japa.

• The private chanting of the mantra using a Māla; rosary of 108 beads.

• Initiated Iskcon devotees aim to chant 16 rounds per day.

Kirtana• Mantras may also be

sung congregationally, this is called Kirtana.

• The public performace of Kirtana is a major feature of ISKCON outreach.

Darşan / Mūrti

• Receiving darşan (eye contact with the divine) of a Mūrti (image) is very important.

• Temple (and home) images are treated with great respect; bathed, dressed, worshipped, and treated as honoured guests.

Pūja

• Pūja is worship offered to the deity at a shrine, and may include offerings of:

Water (to wash & drink)

Fire (aarti)

Food (praşadam)

Kirtana & Mantra

Clothing & “punkah” (fanning)

Incense

Aarti

• Aarti is the offering of fire to the Deity. The fire is waved in front of the murti, while mantras are chanted, before being presented to the congregation, who pass their hands over it, collecting hot air, before passing over their heads.

Praşadam.

• Praşad is the offering of food to the deity, which is then shared by the congregation; thus eating “God’s food”.

• ISKCON practice is to only eat Praşad.

“Regulation of Life”.

• Most vaisnavas also practice quite an austere lifestyle, the following are prohibited to members of Iskcon;

• Gambling• Drugs• Sex (Outside marriage, and not for

procreation)• Meat, fish, eggs, garlic.

“Regulation of Life”.

• There are also activities which are encouraged;

• Reading sacred texts

• Association with other devotees (satsang)

• Setting an example through their lives.

• Listening to teaching by a guru.

Guru

• The teacher or Guru is very important; you must learn from a properly initiated Guru within the tradition, and they are treated with great respect.

• Many ISKCON devotees hold both Sri Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami to be avatars of Kŗşņa