Concept of Bhakti in Upanishads is mainly viewed in the context of the issue of whether or not Bhakti yoga is advocated in the Upanishads as a direct means to moksha. This is an issue mainly because of two reasons. In the first place, the term bhakti is not mentioned in the Upanishads. The texts which speak of the upaya for moksha use other terms, such as jnana, vedana, darsana, dhyana, dhruva smriti, nididhyasana and upasana. Secondly, the Upanishads also state explicitly that jnana or knowledge of Brahman is the only means to moksha. Thus says the Svetasavatara Upanishad, "Having known Him, he (the individual) transgresses death (bondage) and there is no other means to attain Him." The Taittiriya Upanishad also asserts, "He who knows Brahman attains the highest." In fact, the Advaita Vedanta maintains, on the authority of such scriptural texts, that jnana alone is the sole means to moksha. The practice of upasana or nididhyasana (meditation) referred to in other texts is considered by the Advaitin as a subsidiary means to jnana.

Regarding the first point, it may be pointed out that the term upasana