Who is Devotee (भक्त) - The Bhagavad Gita

Who is Devotee (भक्त) - The Bhagavad Gita
॥ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥ ॥ ॐ श्री परमात्मने नमः ॥ ॥ अथ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥
 
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita has explained to Arjuna, the attributes of Devotee or Bhakta in its various chapters. Bhaktas are dear to the almighty. A true bhakta get liberation from re-birth.
 
A bhakta is a friend of all, free from self-centredness, unaffected by vanity (arrogance) and pride, ever cheerful, patient in all circumstances and situations, firm in his resolves, absolutely self-surrendered to the God, attracting love and affection of all, unperturbed, pure, indifferent to worldly values, devoid of the feeling that he is the doer of anything, alike to friend & foe, alike in praise and insult, and looking on the whole world as his home. Detachment, universal love, resignation, self-control, absence of egoism etc. are the common characteristics of perfect person.
For one who is thus endowed with devotion that constantly makes the mind centred in Me (Brahman, Almighty, Shree Krishna), there is no need of knowledge and renunciation, as disciplines, separate from the practice of devotion, for attainment of the highest spiritual goal. 
Shree Krishna says, when a man continues to follow the disciplines of Bhakti without break, I begin to dwell in his heart and thereupon, all the desires of the heart are destroyed owing to my presence. When an aspirant realises Me, the soul of all, his ego-sense, which constitutes the knot of the heart, is cut as under:

1. All his doubts about God, the soul etc., are dispelled;
2. The hold of the past karma on him gets attenuated.

The path of devotion has advantage that, as he depends on personal God and not on his effort alone. Shree Krishna says that He is always at back to lift devotee out of the ocean of samsara. The persons should practise whole-hearted devotion.

Service of living beings with feeling that almighty dwell in them is real pada seva of God. Ritualism need to be accompanied by the service of society, of poor and the holy ones without them, it is futile.

The detailed explanations of attributes of Bhakta, chapter wise and verse-wise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (the relevant Sanskrit verses of Bhagavad Gita are mentioned at the bottom) are as under: 
Chapter: 12

1. One, who is free from malice towards all beings, friendly and compassionate, and free from the feelings of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, balanced in joy and sorrow, forgiving by nature, ever-contented and mentally united with Me (Brahman, Almighty, Shree Krishna), who has subdued his mind, senses and body, has a firm resolve, and has surrendered his mind and reason to Me-that devotee of Mine is dear to Me (12.13, 12.14).
2. One, who is not a source of annoyance to his fellow-creatures, and who in his turn, does not feel vexed with his fellow-creatures, and who is free from delight and envy, perturbation and fear, is dear to Me (12.15).
3. One, expects nothing, who is both internally and externally pure, is wise and impartial and has risen above all distractions, and who renounces the sense of doership in all undertakings-such a devotee of Mine is dear to Me (12.16).
4. One, who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, and who renounces both good and evil actions and is full of devotion, is dear to Me (12.17).
5. One, who deals equally with friend and foe, and is the same in honour and ignominy, who is alike in heat and cold, pleasure and pain and other contrary experiences, and is free from attachment, he who takes praise and criticism alike, and is given to contemplation and is contented with any means of subsistence available, entertaining no sense of ownership and attachment in respect of his dwelling-place and is full of devotion to Me, that person is dear to Me (12.18, 12.19).
6. Those devotees, however, who partake in a disinterested way of this nectar of pious wisdom set forth above, endowed with faith and solely devoted to Me, they are extremely dear to Me (12.20).

Chapter: 18

1. One who give one’s mind to Me; be devoted to Me, worship Me by listening, chanting, meditating & studying scriptures, offer everything to Me by mind, speech & body; by excellent devotion, bhakti, love & with great affliction pray Me and bow to Me. Doing so, he will come to Me alone, I truly promise; for, he are exceptionally dear to Me (18.65).
2. Resigning all your duties to Me, the all-powerful and all supporting Lord, take refuge in Me alone; I shall absolve you of all sins, worry not (18.66).

Read More