Bhakti is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘bhaj’ which means ‘to divide or share’. This suggests an intimate, two-way relationship between the deity and the devotee. The idea of Bhakti is present in Bhagavad Gita.
In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna (the God) asks Arjuna (his devotee and friend) to abandon all dharmas and take refuge in him, as only he can set Arjuna free from every evil. Those who followed the system of Bhakti emphasized devotion and individual worship of a god or goddess rather than the performance of elaborate sacrifices.