Last updated: December 21, 2023
What Does
Bhav Mean?
Bhav is a Sanskrit word that refers to emotions. It can be translated as sentiment, feelings, attitude, affinity or absorption, but bhav also has religious significance. In the context of Hindu and yogic philosophy, bhav is the spiritual attitude of immersing in thoughts of the Divine or higher Self.
It can be described as an intense awareness of the presence God or the guru during one's everyday activities. It's natural to think bhav is generated by sadhana (spiritual practice), but that practice must dovetail with intense yearning for God- and Self-realization.
Yogapedia Explains Bhav
Swami Kriyananda (1932-2013), a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, described the multiple levels of the meaning of bhav. He said it is:
- The way you view God
- How you see yourself in relation to God
- Your view of God as a particular deity or as love and wisdom
Bhav can also be broken down into different types, depending on the tradition and philosophy. Types of bhav include:
- Sant bhav (peaceful, pure)
- Dasya bhav (master-servant relationship)
- Sakhya bhav (divine friendship)
- Vatsalya bhav (awareness of God as a child in need of love and care)
- Madhurya bhav (deep, passionate love)
During These Times of Stress and Uncertainty Your Doshas May Be Unbalanced.
To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.
Try not to stress over every question, but simply answer based off your intuition. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else.