Bhagavad Gita’s chapter 12 is Krushna’s disclosure about his recommended devotional path and nature of love. This chapter is often known as Bhakti Yog or The Yog Of Devotion, and it includes 20 verses.
Bhagavad Gita’s chapter 12 is Krushna’s disclosure about his recommended devotional path and nature of love. This chapter is often known as Bhakti Yog or The Yog Of Devotion, and it includes 20 verses.
Arjun asks which is a better way to worship Krushna – the devotional practice for Krushna’s manifest form or devotion for his more vast and less tangible universal form? Krushna accepts that the worship for his manifest form is relatively easier because it helps provide more concentration and association. On the other hand, worshipping his universal form can be more complicated and solemn. It requires graduating to the next level of realization.
Krushna says one can achieve his sincere love through meditation, direct devotional practices, selfless actions and non-attachment, or carrying compassion for every living being. Non-attachment is not the same as detachment. Being detached is distancing oneself. While non-attachment is being present and mindful of the material existence and yet not being indulged by the material pleasures.
Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita, titled “Bhakti Yoga” or “The Yoga of Devotion,” focuses on the significance of devotion (bhakti) as a means to attain the Supreme. In this chapter, Lord Krushna elaborates on the path of devotion, emphasizing love and unwavering faith in God as the most accessible and effective way to achieve spiritual enlightenment and union with the Divine.
Arjun begins the chapter by asking Krishna which path is superior: the path of those who worship the formless, unmanifested Brahman or the path of those who worship Krishna’s personal form with devotion.
Krushna responds that those who worship him with unwavering devotion and love, focusing their minds on him, are indeed the most perfect. He acknowledges that the path of worshipping the unmanifested is also valid but more challenging, as it requires intense discipline and detachment, which is difficult for embodied beings.
Krushna then describes the qualities of a true devotee. A true devotee is one who surrenders all actions to him, is free from ego, desires, and attachments, and remains even-tempered in joy and sorrow, success and failure. Such a devotee is compassionate, free from malice, and treats friends and foes alike.
He further explains that devotees who are tolerant, content, self-controlled, and who have firm determination, dedicating their minds and intellect to him, are exceedingly dear to him. Krishna assures that he swiftly delivers his devoted followers from the cycle of birth and death, leading them to eternal union with him.
Krushna also provides various levels of devotion to accommodate different spiritual capacities. For those who cannot constantly fix their minds on him, he suggests engaging in regulated spiritual practices. If one finds this difficult, he recommends dedicating all actions to him. If even this is challenging, he advises performing actions selflessly for the welfare of others, which ultimately purifies the heart and leads to devotion.
The chapter concludes with Krushna enumerating the virtues of his dearest devotees, who are free from envy, friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness, tranquil, self-satisfied, and engaged in constant meditation on him. These devotees remain undisturbed by the world and remain unshaken amidst adversities, embodying humility, patience, and a balanced outlook.
In essence, Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that the path of devotion, characterized by unwavering love and faith in God, is a powerful and accessible means to attain spiritual fulfillment and liberation. Krushna highlights the virtues of true devotees and assures them of his protection and grace, reinforcing the importance of bhakti as the supreme path to divine union.
।। अथ द्वादशोऽध्यायः ।।
अर्जुन उवाच ।
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥ १२-१ ॥
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ १२-२ ॥
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते ।
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ॥ १२-३ ॥
सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः ।
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ १२-४ ॥
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ।।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२-५ ॥
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः ।
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२-६ ॥
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् ।
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ १२-७ ॥
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ १२-८ ॥
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥ १२-९ ॥
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १२-१० ॥
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ १२-११ ॥
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२-१२ ॥
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च ।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२-१३ ॥
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः ।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२-१४ ॥
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः ।
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥ १२-१५ ॥
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२-१६ ॥
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।
शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२-१७ ॥
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः ।
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥ १२-१८ ॥
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् ।
अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ १२-१९ ॥
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते ।
श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥ १२-२० ॥
ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
भक्तियोगो नाम द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२ ॥
