Sukriti

Sukriti is a concept in Vaishnava philosophy denoting the pious or meritorious activities that, directly or indirectly, generate spiritual credit for the soul. In the context of bhakti-yoga, two main types of sukriti are distinguished: karma-sukriti (mundane pious merit that produces temporary material rewards such as health, wealth, or birth in higher planes) and bhakti-sukriti (devotional merit that leads to the awakening of spiritual faith). Bhakti-sukriti accumulates through actions such as association with pure devotees (sadhu-sanga), visiting temples or sacred places, participation in devotional festivals, or even accidentally hearing the chanting of the holy names, without the conscious intention of the individual. When sufficient bhakti-sukriti accumulates over many lifetimes, genuine faith (sraddha) awakens in the soul, which is the starting point of conscious devotional life. This concept explains why some people feel a spontaneous attraction toward spirituality and devotion, while others remain indifferent. Sukriti thus serves as an invisible bridge connecting past actions with future spiritual awakening.