Nine stages of Bhakti

The nine steps are as follows;

1. Shraddha - preliminary faith (not strong) 
2. Sadhu Sanga (associating with like minded and advanced devotees) 
3. Bhajana Kriya (performing devotional service based on rules and regulations) 
4. Anartha Nivrti (gradually freeing one's self from unwanted propensities) 
5. Nishta (faith becomes stronger) 
6. Ruci (cultivate a taste as result) 
7. Asakti (cultivate attachment to Krishna and His form, pastimes and Holy Name) 
8. Bhava (spontaneous attachment and preliminary stages of love) 
9.  Prema (unalloyed love for Krishna) 

This is a deep subject that can be justified by senior realized devotees and/or by studying Nectar of Devotion. Below is my 2 cents. Krishna Consciousness is a science albeit a science of non-matter. Normally, science is attributed to matter that which can be tested and verified. So if science equals testing and verification, then these steps exactly show us that anyone regardless of background when they take up to Krishna Bhakti will personally experience the nine symptoms above. That is the test and our verification. The beginning is faith (shraddha) and it is not strong faith. This faith is secondary mostly, dependent on guru, sadhu and shastra. This faith is sentimental and or theoretical. The journey has to begin from here. In the Western Judeo-Christian religions, all they have is Step 1. They believe in God and thats it. But as you can see, our acharyas have given a systematized exposition on this subject clearly stating its predictable symptoms. For the initial faith to go from theory to reality requires practical application which is the rest of the eight steps.

Without sadhus and blessings of sadhus (again this is an esoteric idea since blessings is not testable or sensual however it works) it is difficult almost to nil that our chance to progress in spiritual life. If they bless, we have to accept the blessings. The way we accept their blessings is through seva or bhajana kriya. This submissiveness of accepting the blessings of sadhus and shastra is the beginning of our real spiritual life (punctuated in our life as initiation or diksha). Diksha is not a ritualistic ceremony. To the degree we accept the blessings in the form of service, to that degree we will experience the remaining steps. Sadhus here not only refers to one's spiritual master but also a new devotee walking into the temple. Although we associate with elevated souls but by pleasing devotees of all caliber Krishna is pleased. But if we just focus on pleasing guru and not pleasing other vaishnavas then our understanding of bhakti is incomplete as we fail to see the relationship with Krishna and the new devotee.

As a result of pleasing Krishna, there is a sense of fulfillment (much like a hungry man who had a full meal) and this fulfillment provides us a sense of inner security and peace of mind that Krishna will protect. As a result, the soul will not hover anymore or desire to hover on the mode of passion and ignorance. The soul will voluntarily journey to satva guna or mode of goodness by giving up unwanted material lifestyle (anartha nivrti) and become more benevolent, compassionate and charity minded to all beings. The desire now to be submissive to guru, sadhu and shastra will become more intense and focused (nisha).

The rest of the journey is pretty much like auto-pilot mode because once the soul gets a higher taste (ruchi) and feels relief from the pangs of material miseries, the soul will journey closer and closer to Krishna (asakti). It is like if we are feeling cold, and journey towards heat we will not stop once we feel the initial waves of heat. Similarly, spiritual world and spiritual life is the anti-thesis of materialism which means relief from material miseries. Once we taste spiritual peace and happiness, the soul will not stop. Having said that we should still have determination to stay on the path since we are in this material creation and at any moment calamity can befall. Thinking like this, the soul is not proud of his security and position but rather humble always praying to Krishna for shelter and protection with a desire to seek His association (bhava).

This utter dependence on Krishna and literally crying for His mercy is the real sign that we are on the path and close to the destiny of Krishna prema which is step nine of the bhakti sequence.

Hare Krishna