Chapter 12: Bhakti-yoga – Practice and Attainment of Devotion / Verse 18

Explanation of verses 12.18 and 12.19 –

Krishna defines the pinnacle of devotional equality. Look at friend and foe alike. Love one who is even unfriendly to you. Have the freedom to love him, give him the freedom to dislike you. By unfriendliness, he gives you the rare opportunity to grow all-fold friendship and expansion. Say mentally, “I love you, giving you freedom to hate me.” Imagine the degree of inner strength and gracefulness such an attitude bestows!

Spirituality does not want us to treat cold and heat alike. Krishna cites cold and heat only to describe the mutually opposite nature of sukha and duhkha. Cold and heat are bodily experiences, sukha-duhkhas are mental. By treating sukha-duhkhas alike, their intensity will decline and be extinct.

Even attitude should be towards all kinds of situations. One blames you, because he relishes the act. So too does one rejoice in praising another. Your response to both will be to look into the truth in their blame or praise. If there is any truth, feel grateful to them. Or else, disregard it and remain unshakeable.

Contentment is an emotion. Mind is its source. Tell and train the mind to be contented with whatever you get. Never host in your mind any possessiveness about your abode. By this, your mind will be an ocean of peace and poise.

What a beautiful way of imbuing devotional qualities! Who will not aspire to absorb and actualize the message? Considering devotion to be more effective, Krishna lists qualities to enrich it, making it practical, benevolent and fulfilling!