Within the Sri Vaishnava tradition shaped by Ramanuja, bhakti is understood as a sustained, loving relationship with Vishnu (Narayana), not as fleeting emotion but as steady, contemplative devotion. It is described as continuous, loving meditation and remembrance of the Supreme, a profound attachment marked by an inability to bear separation from God. This devotion is grounded in a right understanding of the nature of God, the soul, and the world, and it is nourished by the contemplation of God’s auspicious qualities. Bhakti is thus both an inner disposition of love and an ongoing discipline of thought, word, and deed directed toward Vishnu.

Bhakti is regarded as a primary means to liberation, a spiritual path that unites knowledge, ethical living, and worship into a single, coherent way of life. It is not merely an inner feeling but a comprehensive practice that includes worship of Vishnu’s forms, participation in temple traditions, recitation and meditation, and service to God and His devotees. This devotion is often described in graded forms—devotion intertwined with ritual action, devotion joined with knowledge, and finally pure, unmixed devotion—indicating a maturation of the devotee’s relationship with the Divine. Throughout, bhakti remains both the path (upaya) and the cherished goal (upeya), culminating in eternal loving service.

A distinctive feature of Sri Vaishnavism is the close link between bhakti and śaraṇāgati or prapatti, the act of complete surrender to Vishnu and reliance on divine grace. Bhakti is never seen as a purely human achievement; it is awakened, sustained, and brought to fulfillment through the grace of Vishnu, who is understood as the inner ruler present within all beings. At the same time, human effort in the form of disciplined devotion, cultivation of virtues, and steadfast remembrance is affirmed as meaningful and necessary. Genuine bhakti naturally expresses itself as kainkarya, selfless service rendered to God and to His devotees, so that love, surrender, and service form an integrated vision of the devotional life in Sri Vaishnavism.