Bhakti and Jnana: Two Paths or Two Stages?

It is often posited that there is not merely one, but a multitude of paths to reach the Divine presence. Among these, भक्ति (bhakti—devotion) and ज्ञान (jñāna—knowledge) are frequently cited as the most preeminent. However, a fundamental question arises: Are these two independent, sovereign paths, or are they merely two stages upon a single journey? If they are indeed stages, the inquiry naturally follows: which precedes the other?

Defining Bhakti

To answer this, we must first define the terms. The literal meaning of Bhakti is “to worship” or “to serve,” derived from the root भज् (bhaj). Its antonym is “to divide” (विभज्, vibhaj). If division implies separation, then bhaj—and by extension Bhakti—implies union.

Who is meeting whom in this union? It is the जीव (jīva—the individual soul) meeting ईश्वर (īśvara—the Lord). Unlike Ishvara, the Jiva is not perfect; it is limited by उपाधि (upādhi—limiting adjuncts) such as the body and mind. Consequently, the soul is ensnared in the suffering of संसार (saṃsāra—worldly existence), enduring the cycle of birth and death. To escape this vicious cycle, in this life or another, one must inevitably worship Ishvara. By attaching itself to that Perfect Reality, the imperfect Jiva transforms into the Perfect, following the maxim of the wasp and the worm (भ्रमरकीटन्याय, bhramarakīṭanyāya—where the worm is transformed by constant contemplation of the wasp). Through this, one navigates the boundless ocean of samsara and reaches the shore of liberation.

The Paradox of Worship

There is, however, a caveat. Blind worship, without knowing who Ishvara is, yields no result. It becomes a futile exercise, like a journey without a destination. The saint Tyagaraja proclaimed this clearly: “Serve Rama with full awareness” (తెలిసి రామచింతన, telisi rāmacintana). We must know the specific nature of the Divine Reality we intend to worship. Without this, our journey lacks a destination. When we leave our homes, we do so with a specific place in mind; that is the destination. Currently, our destination is God. We are all journeying to attain His presence, and we have named this journey Bhakti. But if the mind cannot grasp the destination—the nature of God—how can the journey proceed? Therefore, the responsibility to understand the destination lies with us. We must understand and then move forward. That is the condition.

The Nature of Knowledge

This very process of understanding is termed ज्ञान (jñāna—knowledge). We acquire knowledge in many forms—worldly knowledge, knowledge of the arts, etc. In every field, there is a “knowable object” (ज्ञेय, jñeya). Whether through the eyes or directly via the mind, the object is reflected upon the backdrop of the mind, creating a mental modification (वृत्ति, vṛtti) in the shape of that object. This is what we call knowledge. For knowledge to arise, there must be a knowable object, and that object must possess specific attributes like name and form.

Here lies the problem. If we wish to grasp the nature of Ishvara, He becomes an object of our knowledge. If He is an object, He must possess name and form. Yet, the Upanishads declare that He is devoid of such attributes. They describe Him as distinct from the entire universe. The universe is defined by name and form; if God were also defined by name and form, how would He be distinct? Therefore, He must be a Reality beyond all worldly characteristics—निर्गुण (nirguṇa—attributeless) and निरंजन (nirañjana—stainless). But how can the mind comprehend such an Ishvara? And if we cannot comprehend Him, how are we to worship Him?

The Problem of the Formless

One might argue that we experience abstract concepts without physical form. Emotions like happiness and sorrow have no specific shape, yet the Jiva experiences them, saying, “I am happy” or “I am sad.” Similarly, one could argue there is no objection to perceiving the formless Divine. The difference, however, is that happiness and sorrow are universal experiences; everyone feels them. They are directly evident (प्रत्यक्ष, pratyakṣa), so no one denies them. The experience of God, however, is not universal in this way. If it were, we would not see such a large number of rationalists and atheists. Thus, God does not appear to the mind like a concrete object, nor does He appear like abstract emotions. If one cannot attain knowledge of Him, worshiping Him becomes all the more impossible.

The Solution of the Wise

What is the solution? Our wise elders, having considered this deeply, introduced Bhakti not after Jnana, but before it. Since you cannot know the true formless nature of God to worship Him, they advise: worship Him first, and the knowledge of His nature will follow. One might doubt: how can worship without knowledge of the true nature lead to a genuine experience? The answer lies in grasping His विभूति (vibhūti—manifest glory). This entire world of names and forms is His glory. Every atom within it is created by that Supreme Self (परमात्मा, paramātmā), who is Pure Consciousness. How can the creation be alien to the Creator? Just as a gold ornament is not different from gold, and a clay pot is not different from clay, the entire universe—which is a projection of Consciousness—is not distinct from Consciousness.

The difference lies in the state of manifestation: the Reality is unmanifest (अव्यक्त, avyakta), while the world is manifest (व्यक्त, vyakta). The Reality is subtle; the world is gross. The Reality is formless; the world has form. The Reality is all-pervading; the world is limited by space and appears as specific forms. Because it appears as specifics, ninety-nine percent of people become engrossed in these specific forms and forget the substratum (अधिष्ठान, adhiṣṭhāna). These are the materialists. However, a rare, great soul realizes that all these forms are merely expressions of that Consciousness—fragments of His glory—and attempts to reach the Truth through them. Such a person is a Bhakta.

Saguna Bhakti: Devotion with Form

This initial devotion is सगुण भक्ति (saguṇa bhakti—devotion with attributes). The devotee does not yet perceive Ishvara as He truly is but relies on names and forms as a support. Although these forms are the glory of the Supreme, they are not eternally established like Him. They are subject to change. Because they change, they are not all-pervading. They are distinct from one another, acting as obstacles to seeing the Oneness.

However, “better a one-eyed man than a blind man.” There is a virtue in this approach. Without it, there would be no difference between the vision of a mundane person and a devotee. The mundane person forgets the Truth, seeing only names and forms, and engages solely with them. For him, there is only the physical world; the underlying Unity within this diversity does not touch his mind. The devotee’s case is different. He holds onto the unifying thread, believing that everything visible is the glory of God (भगवद्विभूति, bhagavadvibhūti). To grasp this, he uses a specific name or form as a vehicle—a मंत्र (mantra) as a symbol for the name, and an idol (विग्रह, vigraha) as a symbol for the form. He transforms the mental effort of single-pointed focus into a ritual. Thus, Bhakti is the journey of using the names, forms, and actions of God’s creation as a support to worship the God-principle.

We have established that this is Saguna Bhakti. It is not born of true knowledge but is a practice undertaken to generate that knowledge. Therefore, this is not the stage following Jnana, but the stage preceding it. Since it involves form, it inevitably includes idols, mantras, and rituals. Because names and forms are various, the devotee chooses what he likes, which becomes his इष्टदैवत (iṣṭadaivata—chosen deity). For Shaivites, it is Shiva in the form of the Linga; for Vaishnavites, it is Maha Vishnu adorned with the conch and discus. This creates a vast world of deities, corresponding mantras, and rituals. This is the Bhakti commonly described in the world and, to a large extent, in the scriptures. But all of this is merely the prelude to Knowledge.

From the Particular to the Universal

As one progresses on this path of Bhakti, a mental maturity evolves. The focus on the particular (व्यष्टि, vyaṣṭi) gradually leads the devotee toward the universal (समष्टि, samaṣṭi). This is natural, for the Universal Consciousness is what exists everywhere; it merely assumes these particular forms. If one keeps swimming in the river, one must eventually reach the ocean. The only requirement is the readiness to move in that direction. One must realize that whatever specific deity is being meditated upon is a symbol of the Universal. Without this understanding, devotion devolves into bigotry—“my god is great, yours is inferior”—leading to hatred. That is not Bhakti; it is the semblance of Bhakti (भक्त्याभास, bhaktyābhāsa).

When true devotion arises and one contemplates the Universal through the particular, it quickly transforms into ज्ञान (jñāna). This is because the devotee’s vision is now fixed on the Universal. The Universal is not limited; it is all-pervading. As it becomes all-pervading, names and forms recede. Eventually, like space, it becomes a completely abstract concept. There is no longer a distinction between Shiva or Vishnu, no difference between mantras, no rituals. Furthermore, although it pervades like space, it is not inert matter; it is imbued with the seeker’s awareness. Therefore, it is of the nature of Knowledge. Usually, knowledge implies a distinct object to be known. But here, there is no contact with a “knowable object.” If there were, the entire world of knowable names and forms would have to dissolve into it and appear as that Consciousness itself. The theory, after all, is that the world was never distinct from It; it only appeared so due to our ignorance (अविद्या, avidyā). When the knot of ignorance is loosened by the power of universal contemplation, the knowable world shines forth as Knowledge itself. In that state, there is no external world, nor is there this complex of body and mind.

Consciousness is Brahman

Furthermore, Ishvara no longer exists somewhere externally. If He did, He would be an object of knowledge like the world, possessed of attributes, and thus merely a part of the world. But Ishvara is distinct from the world; He is the pure Consciousness itself. That is why the Upanishad declares: प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म (prajñānam brahma—Consciousness is Brahman). As long as we view the world, that Consciousness appears limited and distant. But when all this dissolves into Knowledge and is experienced as a singular mass of Awareness (ज्ञानैकरस, jñānaikarasa), the dams of limitation break. The Jiva realizes itself as Infinite Consciousness. It is the realization: “I exist as the Existence-Consciousness (सच्चिद्रूप, saccidrūpa), pervading everything, everywhere, at all times; there is nothing else.” This is the flash of the non-dual Self (अद्वितीयात्म, advitīyātma).

Jnana-Nishtha: Steadfastness in Knowledge

This state of viewing the Self devoid of the world is true Advaitic Knowledge. The knowledge that existed before this was merely a reflection or semblance. Bhakti was established based on that reflective knowledge. As that Bhakti matured, this actual Knowledge dawned. Thus, the Bhakti that aided the rise of this Knowledge must be called its preliminary form.

However, simply having this Knowledge dawn is not enough. It should not be a lightning flash that vanishes. It must remain permanent. It does not stay on its own; we must strive to sustain it. This is not mere knowledge; it is ज्ञाननिष्ठा (jñānaniṣṭhā—steadfastness in knowledge). Do not mistake Nishtha for a process different from the Knowledge itself. When Knowledge flows in a continuous stream, it is Jnana-nishtha. Adi Shankara meaningfully termed this ज्ञानसंतानकरणम् (jñānasantānakaraṇam). It is also called निदिध्यासन (nididhyāsana). It is the stream of homogenous thoughts centered on the Self, uninterrupted by heterogeneous thoughts of the non-Self. The names and forms of the non-Self are like darkness; they are always lurking. If the light of Knowledge dims, they attack again, and one falls back into samsara. To avoid slipping back to the worldly level, one must hold onto this awareness without negligence.

This does not mean one must abandon worldly duties. Essential actions must continue. The import is that whatever action is performed, it must be constantly resolved into the Pure Consciousness, ensuring the grip on the Non-dual Self does not loosen. This was the life of great devotees like Prahlada. Even while eating or conversing, they never lost their contemplation of Narayana. Eventually, through the strength of this alignment, they forgot the universe itself—meaning, they saw the universe not as the universe, but as ब्रह्म (Brahman).

Para Bhakti: Supreme Devotion

This state—whether called Nididhyasana or Jnana-nishtha—is also termed Bhakti by the wise. But this is not the Bhakti described earlier. That was prior to Knowledge; this is post-Knowledge. Because both are called Bhakti, many people—not just the ignorant but also the learned—mistakenly think they are the same. To distinguish this, the Bhagavad Gita specifically labels this as परा भक्ति (parā bhakti—supreme devotion), अनन्य भक्ति (ananya bhakti—exclusive devotion), or एक भक्ति (eka bhakti—single-pointed devotion). The Lord says, “By exclusive devotion to Me…” (भक्त्या त्वनन्यया, bhaktyā tvananyayā). Accordingly, texts like the Bhagavatam describe the two types of devotees differently. The devotion of Ambarisha is not the same as that of Prahlada or the Gajendra. The former practiced devotion to acquire knowledge; the latter possessed devotion as the form of steadfastness after knowledge. In the case of Gajendra, the sage describes both his past and present lives. In his past life as Indradyumna, his devotion was Saguna (beneficial for knowledge); as Gajendra, his devotion was Nirguna (rooted in knowledge). Hence, Indradyumna experienced the fruit of a curse, while Gajendra experienced the fruit of Liberation (मोक्ष, mokṣa). The curse was merely a pretext to move from Saguna to Nirguna.

The Synthesis

In summary, Bhakti first leads to Jnana, and that Jnana is subsequently perfected by Bhakti. The sequence is Bhakti → Jnana → Bhakti. The first is Saguna; the second is Nirguna. Liberation occurs only when the Saguna reaches the Nirguna level. This happens only through Knowledge; there is no other way. The great poet Potana proclaimed this secret at the very beginning of the Andhra Bhagavatam: “Living with a devotion that never leaves the mind, without a trace of Maya…” To be without Maya means the removal of ignorance, which implies the dawn of true Knowledge. Only when such Knowledge dawns does “devotion that never leaves the mind” arise. Note that he says “never leaves.” This is Ananya Bhakti, not ordinary devotion. It enters not just the mind, but one’s very life. One can perform any action with the body and speech without fear. This is what it means to “live” or “abide.”

Thus, we have understood what Bhakti is, what Jnana is, and the relationship between them. The idea that both are independent paths to liberation is a fallacy. ज्ञान (jñāna) alone is the direct path to liberation. Bhakti (in its initial stage) does not have that power because it relies on qualities like name and form. As long as the scent of name and form remains, it is samsara, not सायुज्य (sāyujya—union/liberation). However, the Bhakti that nurtures Knowledge, and subsequently transforms into Nishtha (steadfastness), is what grants liberation. Although it is called Bhakti, it is not Saguna; it is Nirguna Jnana itself. When Adi Shankara said, “Among the means for liberation, Bhakti is supreme” (मोक्षसाधनसामग्र्यां भक्तिरेव गरीयसी, mokṣasādhanasāmagryāṃ bhaktireva garīyasī), he spoke with this vision. This is the synthesis of Bhakti and Jnana.

The Authority of Scripture

Failing to grasp this thread of synthesis, many scholars and laypeople alike get entangled in the path of practice, mistakenly believing that whatever they have believed in is the only path. The root of this is the failure to study spiritual science systematically. That is why the Lord stated: “Therefore, let the Scripture be your authority in determining what should and should not be done” (तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ, tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau). Scripture is the lamp that illuminates truth and untruth. He warned that “He who casts aside the ordinances of Scripture and acts under the impulse of desire attains not perfection” (यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति, yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ na sa siddhimavāpnoti). Adi Shankara affirmed that definitive, fruitful knowledge is obtained only through Scripture. Therefore, for those who view things through the authority of Scripture, it is clear: Saguna Bhakti leads to Jnana; Jnana leads to Ananya Bhakti; these are the means to liberation. They are three stages on the path to Moksha, cooperating with one another to finally bestow the collective fruit of Liberation.

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Adapted from the teachings of Brahmashri Yellamraju Srinivasa Rao. Original source: advaitavedanta.in