Sākhyabhakti
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Sākhyabhakti literally means ‘devotion to God as a friend’.
Bhakti or devotion towards God can assume several forms. The Nārada Bhaktisūtras, a well-known treatise on bhakti, describes eleven such modes.[1] The sixth mode in this series is called ‘sākhyāsakti’. It is same as sākhyabhakti.
It denotes love of God as one’s dear friend. Arjuna, Uddhava, Sudāma or Kucela and the cowherd boys of Vṛndābana are quoted as the classic examples of this. The Bhagavadgītā[2] reflects this idea very well.
References[edit]
- ↑ Nārada Bhaktisūtras 82
- ↑ Bhagavadgītā 11.41, 42
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore