Bhakti
In Bhagavad Gītā Śrī Kṛṣṇa highlights that by bhakti, devotion one can know The Truth, The Supreme. Thus by knowing the Supreme by devotion; becomes one with the Supreme.
भक्त्या माम् अभिजानाति यावान् यश् चा अस्मि तत्त्वतः ।
ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम् ॥ भ.गी.१८.५५
bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cā 'smi tattvataḥ .
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tadanantaram .. —bg.18.55
S. Radhakrishan:- Through devotion he comes to know Me, what My measure is and who I am in truth; then, having known Me in truth, he forthwith enters into Me.
In his Bhakti Śūtra Adyāya 1, Śūtra 1-6, Nārada highlights that bhakti is parapremarūpa; boundless love, amṛtasvarūpa beloved nature. Bhakti gives siddhi; fulfilment, amṛtatvam; imperishable state, tṛpti; satisfaction. Bhaktimān ātmārāmo bhavati, attains the state of Supreme.
परभक्तिस्वरूपम् :-
अथातो भक्तिं व्याख्यास्यामः । १ - १.०१
सा त्वस्मिन् परप्रेमरूपा । २ - १.०२
अमृतस्वरूपा च । ३ - १.०३
यल्लब्ध्वा पुमान् सिद्धो भवति
अमृतो भवति तृप्तो भवति । ४ - १.०४
यत्प्राप्य न किञ्चिद् वाञ्छति न शोचति
न द्वेष्टि न रमते नोत्साही भवति । ५ - १.०५
यज्ज्ञात्वा मत्तो भवति स्तब्धो भवति
आत्मारामो भवति । ६ - १.०६
parabhaktisvarūpaṁ :-
atāto bhaktiṁ vyākyāsyāmaḥ
sā tvasmin parapremarūpā
amṛtasvarūpa ca
yallabdhvā pumān siddho bhavati
amṛto bhavati tṛpto bhavati
yatprāpya na kiñcid vañchati na shocati
na dveṣṭi na ramate notsahī bhavati
yajñātvā matto bhavati stabdho bhavati
ātmārāmo bhavati
Tirujñāna Campantar in his beautiful tevaram (Tirumuṟai 3.49) says, nama śivāya is the absolute Truth praised by the four Vedas. When the pañcākṣara mantra nama śivāya recited with boundless love, emotion and tears in ones eyes guides to ultimate truth, the Supreme.
kātal āki, kacintu, kaṇṇīr malki,
ōtuvār tamai naṉ neṟikku uyppatu;
vētam nāṉkiṉum meypporuḷ āvatu-
nātaṉ nāmam namaccivāyavē.
aṉpe civam - śiva is love
Śiva = happiness, welfare, benovolent, benign, kind, gracious; amṛtaṁ = boundless love, affection, parama-prema-svarūpa ityarthaḥ