The Gradations of Bhakti-Yoga in Kapiladeva’s Teachings By Yadunandana Swami Introduction Among the many theological discourses of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the dialogue between Lord Kapiladeva and His mother Devahūti stands out for its precise analysis of bhakti-yoga, the path of devotion (Canto 3, Chapter 29). Kapiladeva, an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, explains how the practice of devotion can appear in different forms according to the influence of the three modes of material nature (guṇas). These modes shape the consciousness of the practitioner, resulting in devotion colored by ignorance, passion, or goodness. Yet Kapiladeva also reveals that beyond these conditioned forms lies śuddha-bhakti—pure devotional service, which is the unalloyed and eternal function of the soul. The purpose of this essay is to examine Kapiladeva’s gradation of bhakti-yoga: from devotion in the modes of ignorance, passion, and goodness, to the transcendental platform of pure devotion. By analyzing these levels and their philosophical and practical implications, we will see that although devotion may begin in a mixed state, its intrinsic nature gradually purifies the practitioner, culminating in unmotivated, uninterrupted love for Krishna.
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