2. Bhakti Yoga: The Path of Devotion

In Bhakti Yoga, one is impelled by intense love of God. The Bhakta has a very emotional temperament, but all his feelings and emotions are centered around the subject of his devotion, who is God. He delights in worship of God. But as his devotion ripens, his vision changes and he finds that the whole world is filled with God alone.

Bhakti Yoga Story:

This is a story narrated by Baba,

Jnana Deva and Nama Deva once went on a pilgrimage. Jnana Deva though he was also a devotee, he was more inclined towards Jnana Marga. Nama Deva was of emotional temperament, his path was more of Bhakti. The Pandharpur idol of Vithal was all in all for him; it was his mother, father and everything for him.

In their wanderings, one day, they were very exhausted and were very thirsty. Looking for water, they found a well. The well was almost shallow, with very little water deep down. How to get the water for slaking the thirst? There was no bucket, rope or anything nearby.

Jnana Deva sat in meditation, and in a while, through his yogic powers changed himself into the form of a bird, dived low down into the well, drank the water, slaked his thirst, and came back flying and then assumed back his human form.

Nama Deva was not such an advanced yogi; he had not gained any great Yogic Siddhis. All-he was capable of was crying out, and calling Vithal for help. He cried to Vithal and lo! The low-lying waters of the well swelled up, rose up to the brim of the well. Nama Deva quenched his thirst by taking waters in the palms of his hands from the well, sitting at the same place where he was. Seeing this Jnana Deva realized the supreme power of Bhakti and that it is indeed no inferior to other Yogas.