Question: In some of Your previous talks You have spoken about bhakti marga - the path of devotion. Can You please speak a little more about it?

Babaji:

Bhakti marga is based on utilizing the imaginations of the mind. The mind is out of control - into fears, cravings and so on. So its imaginations are out of control. By using the same imagination technique of the mind you can bring the mind back under control by focusing it. Bhakti marga uses one's faith and devotion. Devotion is when you have respect for someone, in its highest pitch. Similarly if you are devoted to a practice then you will do it seriously. I always say that every human emotion can be your strongest or weakest point. So when you have emotions, have love. When the mind loses that love, at that time it goes a little crazy into greed, jealously, anger and so on. So in bhakti marga, we take that emotion of love, and direct it towards God. This capacity of the mind referred to as 'imagination' is not an ordinary thing. The whole of this creation has come about through this power of imagination only.

If you are devoted to God, then you will focus on God. As a child, the parents will instruct their children, "This is God." Then this can lead to some attachment developing, and then faith will come. And as faith develops, the mind's concentration increases. Also surrender will come.
  
In meditation we instruct the student, "Do not imagine anything." You see when the mind imagines, then that can create some turmoil of, "This is good; this is bad" and so on. If one can learn to surrender, then one can surrender to God. Then one develops the attitude, "Everything is God's wish," and then the mind also doesn't analyze, and it becomes quiet.
       
Just like in service to the Guru, there is no analysis of what reward will come from this service - the disciple just simply does it because of love for the Guru.
       
In the bhakti marga, one uses the imagination of the mind, devotion and surrender. Devotion is so important. Then if one is doing something, the mind will be focussed there.  So this is also a way for mind control, just as with meditation. If you fall in love with God or the Guru, then the mind surrenders, and when it surrenders like that, the mind settles. If you are devoted, you will follow the instructions of the Guru implicitly, exactly.

When one stops imagination, that is surrender. And in turn when one surrenders, then the imaginations stop.