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Bhakti · the path of devotion

Bhakti Yoga in Rishikesh

The yoga of the heart: kirtan, mantra, puja and service. In Rishikesh, by the Ganga, devotion is part of daily life.

Man in white stands in the Ganga in Rishikesh with palms joined in prayer, head bowed, temple and hills behind
A prayer in the Ganga, Rishikesh

The heart of yoga

Bhakti Yoga is the path of devotion, one of the four classical paths of yoga beside Jnana (knowledge), Karma (action) and Raja (meditation). It is the yoga of the heart, in which love and devotion become the means of liberation.

Its practices are simple and old: singing, repeating a name, offering a flower or a light, serving others. What they share is attention turned toward the sacred.

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

Through devotion one comes to know Me as I truly am.
Bhagavad Gītā 18.55
A small brass figure of Durga on a lion, on a brass plate with rose petals, fruit and marigolds behind
A brass murti of Durga, set out for puja

Bhakti practices

Six ways to cultivate devotion

  • Kirtan

    Call-and-response singing of divine names, sung together.

  • Japa

    Repetition of a mantra, often counted on a mala of beads.

  • Puja

    Worship with flowers, incense, light and food.

  • Svadhyaya

    Study of sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana and the poetry of the saints.

  • Seva

    Selfless service, offered as worship.

  • Satsang

    Gathering in the company of seekers for reading, discourse and song.

Sacred teachings

The essence of bhakti

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja

Abandon all varieties of dharma and take refuge in Me alone.
Bhagavad Gītā 18.66

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṃ namaskuru

Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me and bow down to Me.
Bhagavad Gītā 9.34

Nāda yoga

Kīrtana: the yoga of sound

Kirtan is not a performance. When people chant together, attention gathers on one sound, and many find that the busy, self-concerned voice in the head grows quieter.

Sound and breath are closely joined. In the Advanced Pranayama & Yoga Philosophy Course, bija mantras (seed syllables) and mudras are coordinated with the pranayama practices, and students observe their influence on the mind, the nervous system, the body and energy.

Students and teacher in white pose together in the Anantadrishti Yoga shala in Rishikesh
Students and their teacher together in the shala, Rishikesh

What chanting asks of you

  1. Attention: the mind is given one sound to rest on.
  2. Feeling: emotion is turned toward devotion, bhāva.
  3. Company: many voices become one.

Advanced Pranayama & Yoga Philosophy Course

Breath, mantra and mudra, taught together in Rishikesh

Two guided sessions each teaching day: pranayama practice first, then corrections, practice and the science and philosophy of pranayama.
  • 7, 15 or 30 days
  • A new start every month
  • Tuition only; we help you find a room nearby

Tuition from149 USD13.000 ₹

See the courseEnquire

Read about Vedic rituals and satsang, or contact us with a question.