Theory of Bhakti yoga is all about its main features as a spiritual discipline for the attainment of moksha. The Bhagavad Gita which sums up the essential features of bhakti yoga in one significant verse refers to three points. First, the aspirant is required to fix his mind on the Paramatman (man mana bhava) with deep devotion to Him (madbhakta). Secondly, he should engage himself in the worship of the Supreme Being (madyaji). Thirdly, he should perform other acts such as offering salutations (namaskara) to Him. The first one is dhyana or contemplation. The second is yajana which in its broadest sense means the different modes of worship of God. The third is namaskara which means dedicating oneself to God. Each one of these is full of significance and a proper understanding of it will give an idea of what bhakti yoga is.
Dhyana does not mean mere meditation on an object as it is ordinarily understood. In the initial stage, the mind is to be focused on the object of contemplation, which in the Yoga system is called dharana or concentration. Dhyana follows dharana. It signifies a constant and continuous reflection on the divine form with all its glory. To be more specific, it means, as Ramanuja explains, reflection on the svarupa or the essential nature, rupa or the divine personality, guna or the auspicious attributes of Brahman. It amounts to a conscious effort to think of all the glory of God not for a short period but continuously and repeatedly until such time as the goal is achieved. The flow of thought towards God is compared to the unbroken stream of oil poured from a vessel. This is what is intended in the expression `dhruvasmritih` used in the Chandogya Upanishad for dhyana or upasana. The same truth is reiterated by the Vedanta sutra when it states that meditation is to be repeated often. This is to be done with deep devotion towards God. Anything done devoid of love to God is not pleasing to Him and will not lead to the desired goal. Dhyana implies the entire eightfold yogic discipline known as ashtanga yoga of the Yoga system. Though the word ashtanga yoga is not explicitly mentioned either in the Gita or the Vedanta Sutra it is implicit because without going through the prescribed yogic discipline, dhyana for achieving God-realization is not possible.
Ramanuja acknowledges the need of yogangas for dhyana as he quotes a verse from Vishnu Purana which explicitly states that dhyana on Paramatman is to be accomplished with the aid of the first six yogangas (prathamaih sadbhih ahgaih nispadyate).
Before embarking on dhyana, dharana or concentration on the object of contemplation is needed. This is the sixth limb of yoga discipline. Concentration of mind presupposes invariably the mental purity by way of cultivation of ethical virtues (yama), observance of religious duties (niyama), a steady posture (asana), control of breath (pranayama) and control of sense organs (pratyahara). Then follows dharana (concentration) and dhyana, (meditation). The same when perfected over a long period of practice culminates in the actual realization or the vision of the object of contemplation. This final stage of yoga practice is known as samadhi in Yoga system leading to the state of kaivalya. In Visistadvaita, the final stage of bhakti yoga culminates in paramatma saksatkara leading to moksha.
Though bhakti yoga covers the ashtanga yoga of Patanjali, its scope is far wider and covers much more than ashtanga yoga. The Veddnta sutra refers to the need of a steady posture, concentration of mind (acalatva) and proper congenial atmosphere for contemplation.
Further, the sevenfold ethical discipline known as sadhana-saptaka which is prescribed by Ramanuja as an essential requirement for upasana or bhakti yoga on the authority of the ancient commentator, referred to as Vakyakara, covers some of the features of yama and niyamas. These are: (1) viveka or the purification of body by consumption of sattvik food which leads to purity of mind, (2) vimoka or getting rid of sensual attachment and anger for securing mental tranquillity, (3) abhyasa or repeated reflection of God who is immanent in human souls, (4) kriya or the performance of fivefold religious duty which will provide inner mental strength, (5) kalyana or development of ethical virtues such as honesty, integrity, compassion, benevolence, non-violence etc., which will give inner purity, (6) anavasada or freedom from despair due to disappointments and unexpected calamities, and lastly (7) anuddharsa or not to be over-powered by excessive joy so that tranquillity of mind is not disturbed. The sevenfold ethical discipline helps the individual practising bhakti yoga to achieve good progress in the meditation on Brahman.
In addition to the ethical discipline the upasaka embarking on bhakti yoga is required to perform without fail all the nitya and naimittika karmas or the religious duties laid down as obligatory by the sacred texts purely for the pleasure of God. The ethical principle of niskama karma advocated in respect of the observance of karma yoga is also to be followed by the upasaka seeking moksha.
On the basis of the teachings of the Upanishads, the Vedanta Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita, Ramanuja constantly emphasises that under no circumstances should the upasaka give up the performance of the prescribed religious duties and that these have to be observed for the lifetime until the upasana is successfully completed culminating in the God-realization. According to the Visistadvaita Vedanta, karma or the performance of religious duties is an anga or subsidiary to upasana. Thus, it may be observed that dhyana which is the first essential feature of bhakti yoga, as stated in the Gita, covers not only the entire eightfold yoga discipline but much more than that.
Dhyana, which may be appropriately termed as dhyana yoga, is primarily a mental act (manasa) in the form of unceasing, loving meditation on God. The other two features of bhakti yoga, viz., yajana and namaskara represent the physical (kayika) and oral (vacika) acts. Yajana in its broad sense includes physical as well as oral acts such as archana or worship, in the form of recitation of the names of God, offering flowers, fruits and food, lighting lights, offering incense and sandal paste. In other words, the entire mode of worship prescribed by the Pancharatra Agamas is covered by yajana. The Bhagavata Purana mentions nine modes of worship of God. These are- sravaria, listening the glory of God, kirtana, singing His glory, smarana, contemplating of His greatness, padasevana, offering worship to His feet, archana, offering flowers with recitation of His names, vandana, prostrating before God, dasya, feeling the utter dependence on God, sakhyam, loving disposition towards God and atma nivedanam, surrendering oneself to God. The last one is referred to by namaskara mentioned in the Gita and the rest of it are different forms of yajana. All these mental, physical and oral religious activities are to be carried on as part of bhakti yoga.
Thus, bhakti-yoga is not a simple meditation upon God but it is a multi-form ethical, religious and spiritual discipline to be undertaken and continued over a long time for the purpose of attaining God.
