भक्ति

Bhakti (भक्ति) is devotion to the Lord, a bond of love and faith. The word and its relatives occur in the Gita in several forms: devotee, worship, devotion. In chapter 6 the Lord says that among all yogis the most united is the one who turns the mind to Him with faith and worships Him (Gita 6.47). In chapter 12 the same idea returns: the mind fixed on Him, steadiness that does not break, and supreme faith (Gita 12.2).

The fruit of bhakti is more than feeling. In chapter 18 the Lord says that through devotion one comes to know Him in truth and, having known Him, enters Him (Gita 18.55). So in the Gita devotion and knowledge do not stand opposed. Devotion is itself a way of knowing.

Common misreading: taking bhakti to be mere emotion, or worship done without thought.

Better sense: the Gita counts three marks of devotion: the mind placed on the Lord, steadiness and faith. All three are inner steadiness. The same chapter also asks the seeker for restrained senses, even sight and care for the good of all, so devotion is not apart from discipline.

To compare devotion with worship of the formless, see Devotion or the Unmanifest.