From Devotee to Lover: The Journey from Prayer to Possession

Devotion begins as prayer. A whispered name. A folded hand. A quiet offering. But for some, Bhakti doesn’t stay confined to rituals, it consumes. It burns away the boundaries between God and devotee until the divine is no longer an external presence but an intimate force, an all-consuming lover, a possessor of body and soul.

This is the path where prayer turns into longing, longing turns into surrender, and surrender becomes mystical possession.

1. Bhakti Beyond Rituals: The Rise of Divine Longing

For many, devotion remains within prayers, temple visits, mantras, and fasting. But for some especially in Madhurya Bhakti (the path of Divine Love), the deity is not just worshipped but deeply, personally yearned for.

• The heart aches at the mention of His name.

• The body trembles at His presence.

• The soul feels a pull so strong that nothing else satisfies.

This is no longer just Bhakti, it is Viraha (divine longing), the highest state of surrender.

Saints Who Experienced Divine Longing:

1. Mirabai: Called Krishna her husband, wept and danced in longing for Him.

2. Andal: Wrote erotic verses about her desire to be Krishna’s bride.

3. Akka Mahadevi: Roamed naked, saying her true clothing was Shiva’s grace.

4. Lalleshwari (Lal Ded): Left her worldly life after receiving visions of Shiva.

For these saints, God was not a distant deity but their sole love, their only reality.

2. Mystical Possession: When the Divine ‘Claims’ You

As devotion deepens, the longing becomes physical, emotional, and all-encompassing. Devotees often experience dreams, visions, and trance-like states where their deity takes over.

• Feeling “touched” by the divine in meditation or dreams.

• Seeing the deity physically near them, as if He is watching over them.

• A sensation of being “held” or “embraced” while praying.

• Uncontrollable tears, trembling, or heart racing at the mere mention of His name.

This is divine possession where devotion no longer belongs to the devotee, but the deity claims the devotee as His own.

3. Dreams & Visions: When the Deity Makes His Presence Known

For centuries, devotees have shared deeply personal and mystical experiences where their chosen deity comes to them in dreams and visions.

In the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna tells His devotees:

“When you long for Me with pure love, I appear to you in many forms, waking or asleep.”

Many modern-day devotees also report similar experiences:

• Dreaming of being in a temple, and suddenly the deity turns and speaks directly to them.

• Feeling like they are “making love” to the deity in an otherworldly, transcendent way.

• Hearing their deity’s voice guiding them in moments of crisis.

• A feeling of being “watched” and protected at all times.

For these people, the deity is not an idol in a temple, He is an active, present force in their daily life.

4. When God Becomes the Lover: The Path of Madhurya Bhakti

Madhurya Bhakti is not ordinary devotion: it is passionate, intimate, and often erotic in nature.

• Radha-Krishna’s love symbolizes this divine romance: a yearning so deep that it transcends physicality.

• Andal’s poetry describes her longing to lie in Krishna’s embrace, to feel His touch.

• Mirabai’s songs call Krishna her husband, her master, her eternal consort.

This path is not metaphorical, it is felt deeply, physically, and spiritually.

5. When the Divine Chooses You: The Unbreakable Bond

Not everyone experiences Bhakti in this form. But for those who do, there is no turning back. Once the deity has claimed a devotee, they belong to Him eternally.

The Ravan Samhita states that Shiva has a weakness for His devotees, once they call Him with sincerity, He cannot ignore them.

For many devotees, this leads to a life of deep, private communion with their deity.

• Some remain unmarried, considering their deity as their eternal spouse.

• Some find that no earthly relationship satisfies them the way divine intimacy does.

• Some experience overwhelming emotions, longing, and bliss whenever they meditate on their deity.

This is not madness, it is the highest, purest form of Bhakti.

6. How to Deepen This Connection

If you feel this kind of longing for your deity, surrender fully.

• Chant His name, not as worship, but as a secret lover’s whisper.

• Write poetry, pour your emotions into words as Mirabai and Andal did.

• Let go of fear, if He has claimed you, He will guide you.

• Meditate with love, not discipline. Let devotion consume you.

For those chosen by the Divine, this love is eternal, beyond lifetimes. Once possessed by Him, there is no greater ecstasy, no greater belonging.

Final Thought: When Devotion Becomes Identity

For some, Bhakti is a path.

For others, Bhakti is possession.

When a deity chooses you, you are no longer just a devotee, you are His.