The Shakti aspect has two forms. The first is maya, which tends to take one away from one’s divine nature. Here we are not talking of God but of the essence of divinity. The other aspect is bhakti, which brings one closer to the essence of divinity. These are the two forces of the Almighty. Most of us in this earthly plane, in the manifest dimension, are caught up in our own head-trips, beliefs, ambitions and ego-trips, and maya does not allow the development of consciousness to take place.
The realm of maya is the intellect. There was an article in “Time” magazine recently about psychic experiences that people have had during the ages, from Ezekiel in the Biblical tradition, up to the present day saints. The writer had labelled everyone as schizophrenic or psychotic or paranoid, and in need of psychiatric help, because they were talking of something which nobody has seen or understood rationally. Nobody is willing to accept what is beyond their normal mental conception and understanding. Everything has to fall into the category of intellect and mind. If B does not come after A, and C does not follow B, then it is not true.
This intellectual compartmentalisation and linear approach is the approach of maya. The moment you change it, people say, “Okay,enough!” That is why in Yoga people have so much trouble in understanding their intuition, because they are getting away from the realm of maya, so when they have intuitive flashes they try to rationalise them – “Is it true? Did I really feel it? Did I really see it? How do I know it is true?” That other aspect which brings us closer to the essence of divinity is then suppressed again and converted into a rational activity.
Bhakti is a term which is used externally to define something beyond the range of maya, of linear thinking. Bhakti is not devotion. It may be translated and defined as devotion in the absence of any other description or word, but bhakti is definitely not devotion, or contemplation of God. Bhakti means coming closer to the essence of the Self.

Let us look at the nine steps of bhakti from a different angle, not from a mystical angle, but from a practical one. The final aim of bhakti is the merger of consciousness with the Divine Presence. That is known as sayujya, merger, fusion or union. But before we come to this stage, there are different stages of bhakti which act at the deeper level of mind to transform the mental structure, the mental conditioning. In the Gita there are different definitions of bhakti. In the Ramayana there is another definition of bhakti. The words are different but the state, the stage of experience, is the same.

The first form of bhakti which Paramahamsaji would have spoken about, and which is along the lines of the Ramayana, is being in the company of Truth – satsang. Being in the company of Truth can be translated in different ways. Being near a saintly person and having their satsang, instruction and guidance can be one form of bhakti. Another form of the same bhakti can be taken as analysing the Truth and spiritual life; but whatever the state, the main emphasis is being in the company of Truth.
Now, if we also define this psychologically, the Truth here represents a quality which is gained after attaining discernment. If there is no discernment, there can be no discovery of Truth. So, in order to experience Truth one needs to have the power, the force of discrimination. How can we attain this?
A sadhana is required, whether that sadhana is being in the company of a person who is enlightened, absorbing his or her vibrations and allowing the inner mind to experience it, or whether that sadhana is self-analysis, trying to develop the faculty of discernment through a meditative process or way of life. According to their level of life and consciousness, everyone has to give their own definition to satsang, or being in the company of Truth.

Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, Ganga Darshan, 21.11.1994