Premanand Maharaj Ji
What is sadhan bhakti, the first stage of bhakti?
Sadhan bhakti comes first
Bhakti has three stages: sadhan bhakti, bhav bhakti and prem bhakti. If the first is right, the next comes, and sadhan bhakti itself removes troubles.
All effort through the senses being for the Lord, such as name kirtan, name chanting, hearing the leelas, doing seva and doing parikrama.