Chapter 12: Bhakti-yoga – Practice and Attainment of Devotion / Verse 5

For an ardent seeker, contemplating upon the imperishable Self will be far easier and effective, when instructed by the enlightened, as Krishna does to Arjuna. Right from the start (2.12) Krishna was exposing the Self to Arjuna. Arjuna was grasping it well. How pertinently he enquired about Sthita-prajna (2.54), and how clearly Krishna answered him!

In the 9th chapter, Krishna describes Self-knowledge as the Kingly knowledge and Kingly secret (Rāja-vidyā, Rājaguhyam), explaining how kings used to possess it. He also clarifies that it is easy and comfortable to practise (9.1-2).

In fact, Krishna instructed Brahmavidya to Arjuna, finding no other level or kind of instruction effective to relieve Arjuna’s grief. A true seeker should not regard Self-knowledge as difficult to pursue. He should rather take to it with fondness, resolve and a sense of emergency. That will take away all feelings of hardship and distance.