The word bhakti is used in the scriptures in two different meanings. Bhakti means devotion towards God. In our tradition, we talk about matr bhakti, pitr bhakti, guru bhakti, desa bhakti and isvara bhakti. Therefore, in general, bhakti is love towards a higher principle, especially love towards God.

Three grades of devotion (Bhakthi):

  • means- love : love of goal, wanting to achieve some end.
  • end-love : it is because we love them that we want to acquire them.
  • self-love : love oneself

Scriptures point out that the intensity of love depends upon how you look upon God, because different people see God in different ways. Majority of people look upon God only as the means for various worldly ends.

As long as you look upon God as a means, that love is called mandabhakti (inferior devotion). The next set of people is still rare. They are able to choose God as the end of life. The end of life means the goal of life. They know that everyone is seeking security, peace and happiness alone. This bhakti is madhyama bhakti. Third one is rarest form of love which is the most intense form of love. Here, The lord and the self being identical, God-love is equal to self-love. This  most intense form of love is called uttama bhakti.