“BHAKTI AS ETHICAL PRACTICE IN THE BRAHMA VAIVARTA PURANA”

Abstract

This study examines Bhakti as an ethical practice in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, highlighting how devotion is not presented merely as emotional attachment to the divine but as a lived moral discipline shaping everyday conduct. The Purana places Radha–Krishna devotion at the center of spiritual life and frames bhakti as a transformative force that refines character, relationships, and social responsibility. Through narratives, dialogues, and theological reflections, the text emphasizes virtues such as humility, compassion, self-restraint, fidelity, and selfless service as natural expressions of true devotion. Ethical behavior in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana does not arise from fear of punishment or rigid adherence to ritual law alone; rather, it emerges organically from loving surrender (śaraṇāgati) to the divine. Bhakti is portrayed as accessible to all, transcending caste, gender, and social status, thereby offering an inclusive moral vision grounded in empathy and mutual respect. The Purana also redefines dharma by aligning moral duty with inner devotion, suggesting that righteous action becomes effortless when motivated by love for God. In this way, bhakti functions as an inner ethical compass, guiding individuals toward harmony with themselves, society, and the cosmos. By interpreting devotion as an ethical practice, the Brahma Vaivarta Purana contributes a distinctive perspective to Hindu moral thought, where love-centered spirituality becomes the foundation of righteous living and social harmony.