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Popular Culture Review
the religious sense the concept applies to the supernatural beings, such as gods
(Deva-Bhakti) and God {Ishvar-Bhakti). Bhakti is expected to be unconditional,
non-calculating, selfless, without any reservation, and without motive. However,
in less than perfect form, it is generally associated with a desire or expectation
of a social or spiritual gain. Bhakti is a focus, a path, a process, a product, and an
end in itself. Hinduism indicates several paths of spiritual pursuits and soulliberation, the main ones being the knowledge path (Jnana\ the actions path
(Karma), and the devotional path (Bhakti). Bhakti is the easiest of these paths to
follow in order to attain soul-liberation and end the cycle of birth and death. A
guru (a spiritual mentor and master) is an important element in the Bhakti
tradition. Through the guru's blessings, mercy, and guidance the devotee easily
progresses on the spiritual path and achieves soul-liberation.^ The ideal Bhakti is
Navdha-Bhakti or nine-fold devotion, which is: smaran (remembrance of God),
sravan (hearing of God), sakhyam (treating God like a friend), dasyam (treating
oneself as the servant of GodX padasevanam (seeking to touch of the holy feet
of God), archana (worship of God), atmanivedana (expressing of oneself to
God), vandanam (praising God), and keertanam (reciting the holy names of
God). Lord Rama also explained to an outcaste devotee Shabari from the Bhil
tribe as follows:^
Now I tell you the nine types of devotion; listen attentively
and live them up in your mind. The first in order is fellowship
with the saints; and the second, fondness for the legends
relating to me. The third is selfless service to the lotus feet of
the Guru; the fourth consists in the hymning of all my virtues
with a guileless heart. The repetition of my mystic “Name”
with steadfast faith constitutes the fifth form of adoration as
revealed in the Vedas; the sixth consists in the practice of selfgovernance and virtue and detachment from manifold human
activities, with ceaseless pursuit of the course of conduct
prescribed for the good. He who pr X