Bhakti Marga (organisation)

Bhakti Marga is a neo-Hindu organisation founded by Mauritian-born guru Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda. It was established on 13 June 2005 in Frankfurt, Germany. Its main headquarters is located in Heidenrod, Hesse, Germany. It views itself as being part of a new tradition founded by Vishwananda, the ''Hari Bhakta Sampradaya'', which represents a combination of certain Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta philosophies. The followers not only adhere to multiple sets of Hindu scriptures but also predominantly on the "personality of Paramahamsa Vishwananda", similar to the Sant tradition. It is a rare example of a formally Hindu tradition exported from the diaspora - Mauritius.

History

Bhakti Marga means "Path of Devotion". Hari means 'God' (more specifically Vishnu), ''Bhakta'' means 'devotees' and ''Sampradaya'' means 'lineage of teachings'. The ''sampradaya'' has been viewed as a combination of the teachings of various vedantic saints, such as Mahavatar Babaji, Ramanujacharya and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, including other Hindu denominations.

Vishwananda arrived in the West in the year of 2004 and settled in a house in Steffenshof, Germany, with a small group of followers. The group held their activities at a center in the Hunsrück region (Steffenshof), but later became inadequate to contain them as the followers grew in numbers. The members then found a new place – an old conference center equipped with facilities including seminar rooms, guest rooms and swimming pool. The center was later converted into a temple. He later established the organisation on 13 June 2005 at the age of 27. He began the movement by travelling the world to give '' darshans'', lead pilgrimages, build communities, and to initiate monks into the Bhakti Marga spiritual lineage. The first Bhakti Marga ashram, Shree Peetha Nilaya, opened to the public in 2013 in Heidenrod, Germany. Following Paramahamsa Vishwananda's lead, additional ''ashrams'' have been built by the organization's swamis around the world such as ''ashrams'' in India (Vrindavan), Latvia (Riga) and Russia (Moscow). According to a report of the Portuguese national newspaper TVI, meetings are held in those ashrams to study sacred scriptures, sing mantras, songs and carry out other spiritual practices. in each place of worship, hundreds of people are reported to find meaning and a more elevated life purpose.

By 2018, the movement claimed that it had between 30 and 50 centers or temples worldwide, some of which were rather small. This number soon increased, with the movement being present in over 80 countries by 2020. By the end of 2022 the organisation had around 10,000 followers. By the end of 2023, Bhakti Marga experienced an increase of up to around 50,000 followers, which included 450 initiated male and female Brahmacharis, as well as more than 50 male and female Swamis and Rishis. Bhakti Marga and its guru, Paramahamsa Vishwananda were the first non-Indian disciples allowed to join India’s official Kumbh Mela Shahi Sangam bathing procession of Sadhus and Akharas.

The first version of the logo of Bhakti Marga featured the Hindu 'Om' alongside symbols from Abrahamic traditions, including a cross, a small Islamic crescent, and the Star of David. This design has since been replaced by a logo depicting a white horse rearing from a lotus. According to Martin J. Haigh, the new symbol resonates with themes of transformation and new beginnings, and signifies the anticipated arrival of Kalki, the 10th, prophesied avatar of Sri Vishnu.

Motto and principles

The tradition of Bhakti Marga is centered around developing a deeply personal relationship with the Divine and the guru. This relationship fosters an environment in which unconditional acceptance of oneself can flourish, allowing practitioners to experience and express pure love in all aspects of their lives. As it arises, it is intended to nurture a sense of self-confidence, empowering practitioners to integrate this love into their daily activities and interactions. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual development alongside personal growth, and tries to ensure that the love cultivated through the practice is both internal and external, benefiting the practitioner and the broader community.

Navadhana Bhakti

Bhakti Marga incorporates nine distinct forms of bhakti which are central to its transformative power through Atma Kriya Yoga. Each of the fifteen techniques in Atma Kriya Yoga is believed to awaken a different form of bhakti, enriching the practitioner's spiritual journey. Greater awareness of the soul, combined with love and devotion to God, is said to enhance the practice.

The forms of bhakti include Shravana bhakti, which involves listening to stories and glories of the God and the saints, and chanting. Kirtana bhakti is the singing of God's pastimes, bringing joy and divine resonance to the body, mind, and spirit. Smarana bhakti focuses on the constant remembrance of the Divine, helping the mind release worries and turn to the Divine. Padaseva bhakti involves serving humanity, recognizing the divinity within all living beings.

Archana bhakti brings the external worship of the Divine, with breathing techniques that purify the body and focus the mind. Vandana bhakti, the act of bowing down, establishes humility and the acknowledgment of the Divine's greatness, transforming yoga postures into acts of devotion. Dasya bhakti is about offering service to the Divine through daily duties, seeing every act as an offering of love and gratitude. Sakhya bhakti emphasizes the personal and eternal relationship each devotee has with the Divine, which can be expressed in various ways. Atmanivedana bhakti represents the soul's natural devotion upon realizing the Divine's omnipresence, which is believed to be achievable through the grace of a saint and facilitated by Atma Kriya Yoga's Shaktipat Initiation.

Motto

The main aim of the organisation and its sampradaya is to re-establish harmonious relationship with God, characterized by unconditional love and devotion.

Religious practices

Bhakti Marga devotees follow ''Sadhana'' or 'spiritual practice', which can be carried out in any form or sequence. The spiritual practices are divided in 4 arms: Rituals, Meditation, Devotional Arts and Knowledge. However, the main practices are ''japa'', the reciting of the holy names, meditation with Atma Kriya Yoga, daily prayer in worship through ''puja'' and ''yajna.'' Encouragement is also made to take up at least one verse of the ''Bhagavad Gita'' daily. Devotional arts are also seen as ways to express bhakti towards Hari, such as painting, Sri Yantra composition, singing, dancing and theatre plays.

Atma Kriya Yoga

Rui Patrício, the goalkeeper of the Portuguese national team, practises Atma Kriya Yoga. He visited the Shree Peetha Nilaya Ashram in Germany, where he was introduced to the practice. Vishwananda, originally from Mauritius, is the spiritual guru of the Portuguese international. He is the founder of Atma Kriya Yoga, a meditation practice designed to purify the mind, body, and spirit in order to move closer to God. This practice encompasses a variety of techniques, including breathing exercises for full-body balance, as well as meditation and concentration methods. The Sporting goalkeeper was introduced to Atma Kriya Yoga through Ricardo Peres, the former goalkeeper coach for both Sporting and the national team. During this time, he formed a personal bond with Paramahamsa Vishwananda

Darshan

In 2023, different newspapers report about Vishwanandas travels around the world where he gives "darshans" (blessings) to thousands of people. Newspapers from Spain and Slovenia, for example report about darshans with over 2000 people. Heike Kiefer, a Swiss travel agent who has been organizing Vishwanandas events since 2002, reports that he has conducted 331 darshans in 46 countries and 220 cities, and has provided blessings to more than 133,000 persons. Some darshans can last up to 17 hours. Devotees seemingly report that they have intense emotional experiences during darshan, feel a sense of lightness and gain the impression that their everyday worries disappear for that moment. The portuguese newspaper TVI reports: “the religious community of Bhakti Marga welcomes people from all parts of the world and different faiths, and everyone can find their place here.”

Initiation

A Bhakti Marga follower's initiation into the sampradaya to become a devotee would need to adhere to its religious rules for a minimum of 2 years.

* Maintain a strict vegetarian diet, refraining from eggs, fish, or meat consumption, especially from involvement in purchasing, handling, or cooking any form of meat.
* Abstain from intoxicants, including smoking, recreational drugs, and alcoholic beverages.
* Engage in monthly participation in Bhakti Marga activities, whether physical or online.
* Perform daily japa, allowing for occasional missed periods.
* Study either the Bhagavad Gita Essentials or the Shreemad Bhagavad Gita: The Song of Love.
* Peruse a minimum of one of Paramahamsa Vishwananda's books, excluding the Bhagavad Gita commentary.
* Successfully complete a Devotee Course (the student is taught the concepts needed in mind in order to receive formal initiation).
* Obtain approval from a swami/ni or rishi/ka.

Vestments and roles within the spiritual order

Bhakti Marga monks/nouns are all initiated followers who take additional vows of celibacy and voluntarily take part in all the organization's activities.

Bhakti Marga members wear long, colored robes as part of their traditional attire, which reflect their roles within the community. Swamis, who are spiritual leaders responsible for spreading the teachings and guiding communities, wear orange robes. Those who are in the process of studying and deepening their understanding of the teachings, such as brahmacharis and brahmacharinis, wear yellow. The organization's '' rishis/rishikas'' wear red and carry out the mission of disseminating the organization's teachings and are regarded as "swamis-in-training." Both groups receive their initiation directly from Paramahamsa Vishwananda. Their clothing is usually in the form of kurtas, dhotis, and saris.

Tilak

The mark on their forehead represents Vaishnavism—a branch of Hinduism. It’s similar to the red dot (bindi) commonly used in India, but this is for a different tradition. All are initiated followers who take additional vows of celibacy and voluntarily take part in all the organization's activities.

Some monks and nuns reside in ashram