What is the difference between Bhakti and Prapatti?

What is the difference between Bhakti and Prapatti?

Bhakti is devotion and Prapatti is sampoorna saranaagathi(yielding to god, surrendering to god completely)by the devotee.

Bhakta is the one with bhakti - Devotee
Prapanna is the one who is with prapatti (I don't think there is an English word for this).

HH.Chinna Jeeyar gave a very nice example of Bhakta and Prapanna calling it Marjala Nyayam and Markata Nyayam(Style of Cat and Monkey). He says
"When You become Bhakta, God becomes Prapanna
When you become Prapanna, God becomes Bhakta"

If you are a Bhakta it means that you believe in GOD but you want to take of things on your own and God exhibits "Prapanna" characteristic by leaving things to you since you want to be in charge. Ex:- Monkey and her kids. Look at any mother monkey with her kids jumping from one branch to another. The monkey happily jumps from one tree to another. It is up to the kid to tightly clasp her/his mother around her stomach. The little monkey holding her mother is the Bhakta here and mother monkey is the prapanna.

If you are a Prapanna it means that you surrendered yourself completely to GOD and it is up to him to take care of you. God here has no choice but become your savior and look after you. God exhibits "Bhakta" characteristic by taking good care of you since he is in charge now. Ex:- Cat and Kitten. Look at the kitten. They exhibit the characteristic of a Prapanna where they leave everything to their mother. The cat takes the responsibility of the kitten and it moves those kitten by carefully grabbing them and holding with her teeth.

In the journey of the spiritual world, the fruit of the journey is the journey itself . The first step to start your journey is to become a Bhakta and you would get a promotion to be a prapanna when your punya-phalam is ripe enough that you deserve a place in God's abode.

Following are the 9 types of Bhakti Lakshnamulu(Bhakti Nava Ratnala laaga nava vidhamulu)
1)Sravanamu(Listening to holy talks, music, chantings, hymns etc )
2)Kirtanamu (Singing holy songs, bhajans, chantings, hymns etc )
3)Smaranamu (Constantly remembering/memorizing GOD)
4)Paada Seva (Serving his holy feet)
5)Archanamu
6)Vandanamu (Greeting God)
7)Daasyamu (Serving God like a slave - no worries here...God is a very good Master :)
8)Sakhyamu (Befriending God)
9)Aathma Nivedanamu (Prapatti - Culmination of Bhakti and you surrender yourself completely to GOD)

Archanamu(5th step above) ashta vidhamulu - (Performing puja with any of the following 8 things
1.Muggu/Rangavalli(designs - Generally Tamilians follow this style by offering a deepam on top of a muggu)
2.Fragrance(gandham/sandalwood)
3.Akshtalu(yellow rice)
4.Pushpam(flowers)
5.Dhoopam(holy smoke)
6.Deepam(lighted candle)
7.Upaharama(offering food/oblation)
8.Tamboolam(3 beetel leaves, some nutmegs and some currency coins)

Rama Krishna Paramahamsa says you could choose god to be your mother, father, master, teacher, lover(like the gopikas), friend, philosopher or guide. I find "befriending" him is easy because god is "SUHRUTH"(From Vishnu Sahasra Namam) which means "the one with pure heart/a good friend. He would always stand by your side. We have two lovely examples from our itihaasaas that he is a great friend. Rama befriended Sugriva and was his constant companion in happiness and sorrow also. Krishna and Kuchela(Sudhama). We know the story of what happened to Kuchela when Krishna accepted the atukulu(fluffed rice) with affection.

That is all for now...Let me know if you have any questions...