Bhakti
/ˈbʱʌk.t̪i/noun
Devotional love or worship, especially in Hindu traditions.
Did you know?Bhakti comes from Sanskrit bhaj-, meaning to share, distribute, or partake, so devotion was originally about entering into a sacred relationship of belonging, not just belief.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰag-
“to share out, apportion; to enjoy a portion”
Sanskrit
SA
bhaj-
“to divide, distribute, apportion; to partake of, serve, honor”
Classical Sanskrit
SA
bhakti
“participation, attachment, devotion, affection, worship”
Middle Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
bhatti / bhakti
“devotion, worship, religious attachment”
Modern English
English
bhakti
“devotional worship or loving devotion, especially in Hindu practice”