How to begin bhakti — what does Premanand Maharaj Ji say?

Many people ask Shri Premanand Maharaj Ji: I want to do bhakti, but I don't know where to start. His answer is always the same: start with Radha's name. You do not need a particular ritual, a specific room, an auspicious date, or a guru's formal initiation before you begin. The name itself is the door, and the door is always open.

He teaches that bhakti begins the moment you genuinely want it. That wanting — that longing — is already bhakti's first stirring. Don't wait until you feel worthy or ready. Sit down wherever you are, close your eyes, and say 'Radhe Radhe' with whatever sincerity you have. Even one minute done with a genuine heart is worth more than an hour done mechanically. Consistency matters more than duration. Ten minutes every morning, every single day, will change you more than an hour on weekends.

Maharaj Ji also says: keep the company of devotees. The fire of bhakti spreads from heart to heart. Listen to satsangs, surround yourself with those who remember God, and your own love will grow. And when the mind wanders — which it will — don't be discouraged. Come back. Every time you notice you have wandered and return to the name, that return itself is an act of devotion.

Based on Shri Premanand Maharaj Ji's satsangs.