The Nine Forms of Devotion (Navadhā Bhakti)

Devotion, the tradition teaches, is not one act but many; the Bhāgavata Purāṇa famously enumerates nine forms. The devotee may relate to God by hearing about him, by singing his praises, by holding him in memory, by serving his feet, by ritual worship, by reverent salutation, by the posture of a servant, by the intimacy of a friend, and finally by the complete offering of oneself. The ninefold list became a beloved map of the devotional life, showing that any of these paths, wholeheartedly followed, can carry one to the goal.