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

Devotional pursuit is a wholesome pursuit. The mind and intelligence of the seeker should be dissolved in the thought of and reliance on the Supreme. As devotion grows wholesome, the Sādhana undergoes a drastic transformation and the focus shifts from ‘God’ to ‘devotion’. 

But such wholesome inner devotional pursuit is not feasible for many. Recognizing this, Krishna presents a sequence of steps, which can be taken up and pursued. For those who are unable to take to devotional wholesomeness, he recommends earnest bodily or sensory practices. If even these prove difficult, Krishna advises making all activities a full-fold offering to the Supreme. Should this also be beyond one’s reach, one must take to restraint and discipline and grow in the spirit of inner renunciation. Each of these practices are ultimately aimed at attaining yogic enrichment. Devotional sādhana may appear to revolve around the Supreme, but in reality it revolves round the devotee’s inner being itself. 

In this chapter, Sri Krishna explains the Bhakta-lakṣaṇas (the characteristics of a devotee). The eight concluding verses describe who is the right, best and pleasing devotee. Krishna also presents the whole devotional science, practice, goal and its realization. Devotion and devotional practice should aim at making one a model human. Krishna says that a devotee who is endowed with these characteral excellences is, indeed, most dear to him.

This chapter on ‘who is a true and dear devotee’ is unique and profound and is to be reflected upon deeply. It is a touch-stone for all spiritual seekers and devotees any time, anywhere. Its special note is that the whole description relates directly to the devotee’s mind and intelligence, showing clearly what should be their character and behaviour in actual life, making devotion an adorable and effective way of life.

अर्जुन उवाच ।

एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमा: ॥

arjuna uvāca

evaṃ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās-tvāṃ paryupāsate
ye cāpy-akṣaram-avyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yoga-vittamā: – 12.1

Arjuna said: Which of these are best yogis – those who worship You (the Supreme) thus with constant mental attunement, or those others who contemplate exclusively on the unmanifest Imperishable?

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मता:॥

śrī bhagavān-uvāca

mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nitya-yuktā upāsate
śraddhayā parayopetās-te me yukta-tamā matā: – 12.2

Lord Krishna said: Those who, infusing Me (the Supreme) in their mind, worship Me through a note of constant identity, impelled by the highest attitude and aim, I hold them to be the most united.

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते ।
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥

सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धय: ।
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रता:॥

ye tvakṣaram-anirdeśyam-avyaktaṃ paryupāsate
sarvatragam-acintyaṃ ca kūṭastham-acalaṃ dhruvam – 12.3

sanniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ sarvatra sama-buddhaya:
te prāpnuvanti mām-eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratā: – 12.4

Those, on the other hand, given to all-fold contemplation of the Imperishable, Indefinable, Indistinct, All-permeating, Unthinkable, Unchangeable, Immobile, Eternal, also reach Me (the Supreme) alone, provided they are imbued with ample sense-restraint and equal-vision, and are equally interested in the welfare of all creatures.

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दु:खं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥

kleśo’dhikataras-teṣām-avyaktāsakta-cetasām
avyaktā hi gatir-du:khaṃ dehavadbhir-avāpyate – 12.5

Hardship is more for those given to the path of contemplation on the Imperishable. For the embodied ones, to get attuned to the Imperishable is difficult.

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि सन्न्यस्य मत्परा: ।
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् ।
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-parā:
ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate – 12.6

teṣām-ahaṃ samuddhartā mṛtyu-saṃsāra-sāgarāt
bhavāmi nacirāt-pārtha mayy-āveśita-cetasām – 12.7

For those who renounce all their actions as dedication to Me (the Supreme), and worship the Supreme with unwavering meditation, I very soon become the deliverer from the death-ridden worldly life. For, O Partha (Arjuna), the mind of such devotees is attuned to Me (the Supreme) wholesomely.

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशय: ॥

mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya
nivasiṣyasi mayyeva ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśaya: – 12.8

Repose your mind on Me (the Supreme) alone, and then establish the intelligence too in Me. From then on, you will certainly abide in Me (the Supreme), no doubt.

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥

atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram
abhyāsa-yogena tato mām-icchāptuṃ dhanañjaya – 12.9

O Dhananjaya (Arjuna), if you are unable to fix your mind steadily in Me (the Supreme), then by means of yoga-practice, aspire to attain Me.

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥

abhyāse’py-asamartho’si mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham-api karmāṇi kurvan-siddhim-avāpsyasi – 12.10

If you are unable even to take to any practice, consider your supreme aim is to do My work. Doing all actions for the sake of Me (the Supreme), you will attain fulfilment.

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रित: ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं तत: कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥

athaitadapy-aśakto’si kartuṃ mad-yogam-āśrita:
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṃ tata: kuru yatātmavān – 12.11

If you are unable to do even this, have full refuge in My Yoga, and then with self-control, renounce (inwardly) all kinds of (subjective) results accruing from actions.

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥

śreyo hi jñānam-abhyāsājjñānād-dhyānaṃ viśiṣyate
dhyānāt-karma-phala-tyāgas-tyāgācchāntir-anantaram – 12.12

Knowledge is surely better than practice, and meditative introspection excels mere knowledge. From such reflective meditation, dawns renunciation of the (internal) results of action, and from such relinquishment follows peace.

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्र: करुण एव च ।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कार: समदु:खसुख: क्षमी ॥

सन्तुष्ट: सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चय: ।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्त: स मे प्रिय: ॥

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṃ maitra: karuṇa eva ca
nirmamo nirahaṅkāra: sama-du:kha-sukha: kṣamī – 12.13

santuṣṭa: satataṃ yogī yatātmā dṛḍha-niścaya:
mayy-arpita-mano-buddhiryo mad-bhakta: sa me priya: – 12.14

He who is free of hatred towards all beings, friendly and kind to all, free of possessiveness and egoism, equal in unhappiness and happiness, forbearing, ever contented, inwardly integrated, with senses and mind well-disciplined, of firm conviction, with mind and intelligence fully resting on Me (the Supreme), is dear to Me.

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च य: ।
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो य: स च मे प्रिय: ॥

yasmān-nodvijate loko lokān-nodvijate ca ya:
harṣāmarṣa-bhayodvegair-mukto ya: sa ca me priya: – 12.15

One by whom the world is not troubled and who does not feel troubled by the world, who is freed from the clutches of delight and anger, fear and anxiety, is dear to Me (the Supreme).

अनपेक्ष: शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथ: ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्त: स मे प्रिय: ॥

anapekṣa: śucir-dakṣa udāsīno gatavyatha:
sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhakta: sa me priya: – 12.16

The devotee who is free from expectations, pure outwardly and inwardly, efficient, indifferent and impartial, free of any strong afflictions, who keeps away all sense of doership in all that he does or proposes to do, is dear to Me (the Supreme).

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।
शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्य: स मे प्रिय: ॥

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati
śubhāśubha-parityāgī bhaktimān-ya: sa me priya: – 12.17

He who does not get elated (by the pleasant) or resent (the unpleasant), neither grieves nor desires, who relinquishes the sense of auspicious and inauspicious, is dear to Me (the Supreme).

सम: शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयो: ।
शीतोष्णसुखदु:खेषु सम: सङ्गविवर्जित: ॥

तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् ।
अनिकेत: स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नर: ॥

sama: śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpamānayo:
śītoṣṇa-sukha-du:kheṣu sama: saṅga-vivarjita: – 12.18

tulya-nindāstutir-maunī santuṣṭo yena kenacit
aniketa: sthira-matir-bhaktimān-me priyo nara: – 12.19

A devotee who has evenness towards enemy and friend, honour and dishonour, happiness and unhappiness which are like cold and heat, who remains free of wrong identification (clinging), and is even-minded towards blame and praise, who is given to spiritual silence and indifference, contented with whatever comes or goes, has no special possessiveness about any place, and of stable mind, is dear to Me (the Supreme).

ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते ।
श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रिया: ॥

ye tu dharmyāmṛtam-idaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate
śraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās-te’tīva me priyā: – 12.20

Those devotees who strive to follow this nectarine, righteous path as detailed by Me here, with sufficient attention, holding Me, the Supreme, as the most desirable in life, are extremely dear to Me.

ओं तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे भक्तियोगो नाम द्वादशोऽध्याय: ।

oṃ tat-sad-iti śrīmad-bhagavad-gītāsūpaniṣatsu brahma-vidyāyāṃ yoga-śāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjuna-saṃvāde bhakti-yogo nāma dvādaśo’dhyāya:

Thus ends the twelfth chapter entitled Bhakti Yoga, during the Srikrishna-Arjuna dialogue in Śrīmad Bhagavad Gita, constituting Yoga-śāstra, which falls within Brahmavidya as presented in the Vedic Upanishads.