Navadha bhakti-Nine Practices
Scriptures describe many methods of sadhana bhakti. Saint Prahlad propounded by nine ways of performing devotion to God. These ways together are called Navadha bhakti (Devanagari: नवधा भक्ति ISO15919: navadhā bhakti), which translated to nine methods of devotion.
These ways are most widely accepted and are advocated by most of the saints. It is so because navadha-bhakti encompasses most of the other methods proposed by other numerous acharyas.
Navadha bhakti comprises the following -
श्रवणं कीतमनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम्। अचमनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मवनवेदनम्॥
भा ७.५.२३
śravaṇaṁ kītamanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pādasevanam। acamanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyamātmavanavedanam॥
bhā 7.5.23
Let us understand in brief each of these forms of devotion and who performs this form of devotion.
Shravanam
1. Shravanam (Devanagari: श्रवणं ISO15919: śravaṇaṁ) - Listening to the names, forms, pastimes, attributes and abodes of ishtadev is termed as shravanam.
Parikshit practiced this form of devotion. He realized God by listening to the leelas of Shri Krishna written in Shrimad Bhagavat and recited by Shukdev Paramhans.
Keertanam
2. Keertanam (Devanagari: कीर्तनं ISO15919: kīrtanaṁ)- chanting the names of God with feelings of love and devotion is termed as keertanam.
Saint Narad practices this form of devotion to stay immersed in the divine bliss.
Smarnam
3. Smarnam (Devanagari: स्मरणं ISO15919: smaraṇaṁ) - continuous remembrance of God is termed as smaranam. Saint Prahlad followed this form of devotion and remembered God at all times even in the face of adversity.
Paad-sewanam
4. Paad-sewanam (Devanagari: पादसेवनम् ISO15919: pādasevanam) - paad means feet and seva means to serve. Dedicatedly serving the lotus feet of ishtadev is termed as paad-sewanam.
Goddess Mahalakshmi propounds this form of devotion.
Poojanam
5. Poojanam (Devanagari: अर्चनम् / पूजनम् ISO15919: arcanam / pūjanam) - Ritualistic worship (वववि पूवमक) of one’s ishtdev is called poojan. King Prithu is the greatest example of worshipping God with this method of devotion.
Vandanam
6. Vandanam (Devanagari: वन्दनं ISO15919: vandanaṁ) - pleasing God by glorifying His names, form, pastimes, attributes and abodes is named as vandanam.
Akroor adopted this method.
Dasyam
7. Dasyam (Devanagari: दास्यं ISO15919: dāsyaṁ) - loyally serving Him with great love and dedication is known as dasyam.
Hanuman Ji is an excellent example of this method of devotion.
Sakhyam
8. Sakhyam (Devanagari: सख्यं ISO15919: sakhyaṁ)- loving God as the dearest friend is termed as sakhyam.
Arjun is an example of this method of devotion.
Atma-nivedanam
9. Atma-nivedanam (Devanagari: आत्मनिवेदनम् ISO15919: ātmanivedanam) – surrendering everything including oneself at the lotus-feet of the Lord is termed as atma-nivedanam.
King Bali is the greatest example, who gladly surrendered everything including himself at the lotus feet of Lord Vaman.
According to Jagadguruttam Swami Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj samaranam is the soul of devotion. Whereas the other 8 forms of devotion are the body. Without the soul body is lifeless. Similarly without fond remembrance of God doing the other 8 forms of devotion are as useless as a lifeless body.