Swami Mukundananda
What does bhakti actually mean, and what kind of bhakti do beginners practise?
Bhakti is seva; the bhakti we practise now is sadhana bhakti
Bhakti comes from the root bhaj, meaning seva, so it is service of Bhagwan and the guru. The bhakti we practise now is sadhana bhakti, the preparatory kind.
The word bhakti comes from the root bhaj, which means to serve. Bhakti is therefore service of Bhagwan and His representative, the guru.