Fruits of Bhakti

Fruits of Bhakti

by Swami sivananda

Bhakti softens the heart and removes jealousy, hatred, lust, anger, egoism, pride and arrogance. It infuses joy, divine ecstasy, bliss, peace and knowledge. All cares, worries and anxieties, fears, mental torments and tribulations entirely vanish. The devotee is freed from the Samsaric wheel of births and deaths. He attains the immortal abode of everlasting peace, bliss and knowledge. Love for God is as sweet as nectar by tasting which one becomes immortal. One who lives, moves and has his being in God becomes immortal.

“That unmanifested, the Indestructible, It is called; It is named the highest path. They who reach It return not. That is My Supreme Abode” (Gita: VIII‑21). “By His grace thou shalt obtain supreme peace, the everlasting dwelling place” (XVIII‑62). “The devotees, liberated from the bonds of birth, go to the blissful seat” (II‑51). Param Dhama (Supreme abode), Anandamaya Pada (Blissful seat), Sasvata Pada (everlasting abode), Parama Gati (highest path) are all synonymous terms.

HARVEST OF GOD-REALISATION

Faith is the seed;

Divine grace is the rain;

Prayer is the plough;

Self-surrender is the rein;

Worship is the handle;

Meditation is the ox;

Devotion is the goal;

Ploughing is weeding

‘I’-ness and ‘mine’-ness;

The harvest is God-realisation,

Which removes all sorrows and pains,

And bestows everlasting peace,

Joy and eternal satisfaction.

Fruits of Bhakti – Divine Love, Inner Peace, and Spiritual Freedom

Fruits of Bhakti are the beautiful results that arise when the heart is filled with sincere devotion to God. Bhakti is not merely emotional worship, singing, rituals, or outer expression. It is a sacred transformation of the inner life. When devotion becomes deep and pure, the mind becomes calm, the ego becomes soft, and life begins to shine with faith, humility, love, and spiritual strength.

The first result of devotion is purity of heart. A person may have many desires, fears, jealousies, and attachments in the beginning, but sincere prayer and remembrance slowly cleanse these impurities. The heart that was once restless begins to feel lighter. Anger becomes weaker, greed loses force, and selfishness gradually gives way to kindness and service.

Fruits of Bhakti include peace of mind. The devotee learns to depend on the Divine rather than only on changing outer situations. Life may still bring success and failure, pleasure and pain, gain and loss, but the heart becomes more balanced. Faith gives strength during difficulty and gratitude during happy moments. This inner balance is one of the greatest blessings of devotion.

Another result is humility. The ego says, “I am the doer, I am the owner, I am great.” Devotion teaches, “All strength, talent, opportunity, and success come through divine grace.” This understanding does not make the devotee weak. It makes the heart gentle, simple, and open to higher guidance.

Love expands through devotion. At first, a person may love only family, friends, or those who are useful. But as devotion deepens, the heart becomes broader. The devotee begins to see the presence of God in all beings. Compassion grows naturally. Service no longer feels like a burden; it becomes worship.

Fruits of Bhakti also appear as freedom from fear. A devotee may face illness, loss, uncertainty, or loneliness, yet the heart remembers that it is not alone. Faith becomes an inner shelter. Prayer gives courage. The Divine Name becomes a support in moments of weakness. Fear may arise, but it does not rule the heart as before.

Devotion gives sweetness to spiritual practice. Discipline without love can become dry and mechanical. But when prayer, mantra, meditation, service, and worship are filled with feeling, they become joyful. The seeker does not practice only out of duty; practice becomes a natural expression of love.

Another great blessing is control of the mind. The mind usually runs after desires, worries, memories, and distractions. But when it is trained to remember God, it slowly becomes steady. Mantra repetition gives it a pure channel. Prayer softens emotions. Surrender reduces anxiety. In this way, devotion becomes a powerful method for mental discipline.

Fruits of Bhakti can be seen in speech and conduct. A true devotee tries to avoid harsh words, gossip, criticism, lies, and unnecessary arguments. The tongue that repeats the Divine Name becomes more careful and kind. Gentle speech, forgiveness, patience, and truthfulness become natural ornaments of devotional life.

Devotion also brings strength in suffering. Pain is not always removed immediately, but its meaning changes. The devotee begins to ask, “How can I grow through this? How can I remain close to God in this situation?” Such an attitude transforms suffering into purification. Difficulties become lessons, and tears become prayer.

Surrender is another precious result. The devotee learns to do sincere effort and offer the result to God. This reduces pride in success and despair in failure. Surrender does not mean laziness or weakness. It means action with faith, duty with purity, and acceptance with trust. Such surrender makes life peaceful.

Fruits of Bhakti include constant remembrance. In the beginning, the seeker remembers God only during worship or difficulty. Later, remembrance enters daily life. While working, walking, eating, serving, or resting, the heart silently turns toward the Divine. This remembrance makes ordinary actions sacred and fills life with inner meaning.

The devotee also becomes more forgiving. When ego is strong, even small insult feels unbearable. But devotion teaches patience and compassion. The heart understands that everyone is struggling in some way. Forgiveness does not mean approving wrong action, but it frees the mind from hatred and bitterness.

The highest result of devotion is union with the Divine. As love becomes pure, the sense of separation becomes weaker. The devotee no longer seeks God only for worldly benefit. The heart longs for God alone. This pure love burns ignorance, removes selfishness, and leads the soul toward liberation.

In the end, Fruits of Bhakti show that devotion is a path of purity, peace, humility, courage, surrender, remembrance, compassion, and divine love. Through prayer, mantra, worship, service, good conduct, and sincere faith, the devotee’s heart becomes a temple of grace. Such devotion transforms life and leads the seeker toward spiritual freedom.

How I Abide in Peace Now!