KarmaVaaniChapter 12
भक्तियोग
Bhakti Yog — The Yoga of Devotion
The twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Bhakti Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna emphasizes the superiority of Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) over all other types of spiritual disciplines and reveals various aspects of devotion. He further explains that the devotees who perform pure devotional service to Him, with their consciousness, merged in Him and all their actions dedicated to Him, are quickly liberated from the cycle of life and death. He also describes the various qualities of the devotees who are very dear to Him.
12.1
अर्जुन उवाचएवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते।येचाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः।।12.1।।
arjuna uvācha evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate ye chāpy akṣharam avyaktaṁ teṣhāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ
Arjuna said, "Which of them are better versed in Yoga—those who steadfastly worship You, or those who worship the imperishable and the unmanifested?"
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; evam—thus; satata—steadfastly; yuktāḥ—devoted; ye—those; bhaktāḥ—devotees; tvām—you; paryupāsate—worship; ye—those; cha—and; api—also; akṣharam—the imperishable; avyaktam—the formless Brahman; teṣhām—of them; ke—who; yoga-vit-tamāḥ—more perfect in Yog
12.2
श्री भगवानुवाचमय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते।श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः।।12.2।।
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha mayy āveśhya mano ye māṁ nitya-yuktā upāsate śhraddhayā parayopetās te me yuktatamā matāḥ
The Blessed Lord said, "In My opinion, those who fix their minds on Me, worship Me ever steadfastly, and are endowed with supreme faith, are the best in Yoga."
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Blessed Lord said; mayi—on me; āveśhya—fix; manaḥ—the mind; ye—those; mām—me; nitya yuktāḥ—always engaged; upāsate—worship; śhraddhayā—with faith; parayā—best; upetāḥ—endowed; te—they; me—by me; yukta-tamāḥ—situated highest in Yog; matāḥ—I consider
12.3
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते।सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम्।।12.3।।
ye tv akṣharam anirdeśhyam avyaktaṁ paryupāsate sarvatra-gam achintyañcha kūṭa-stham achalandhruvam sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
Those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the immovable, and the eternal.
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
ye—who; tu—but; akṣharam—the imperishable; anirdeśhyam—the indefinable; avyaktam—the unmanifest; paryupāsate—worship; sarvatra-gam—the all-pervading; achintyam—the unthinkable; cha—and; kūṭa-stham—the unchanging; achalam—the immovable; dhruvam—the eternal; sanniyamya—restraining; indriya-grāmam—the senses; sarvatra—everywhere; sama-buddhayaḥ—even-minded; te—they; prāpnuvanti—attain; mām—me; eva—also; sarva-bhūta-hite—in the welfare of all beings; ratāḥ—engaged
12.4
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः।ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः।।12.4।।
sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
Having restrained all the senses, being even-minded everywhere, and intent on the welfare of all beings, they verily come unto Me.
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
sanniyamya-controlling; indriya-grāmam—all the senses; sarvatra—everywhere; sama-buddayaḥ—equally disposed; te-they; prāpnuvanti—achieve; mām—unto Me; eva—certainly; sarva-bhūtahite—all living entities' welfare; ratāḥ—engaged.
12.5
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते।।12.5।।
kleśho ’dhikataras teṣhām avyaktāsakta-chetasām avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate
Greater is their trouble whose minds are set on the unmanifested, for the goal of the unmanifested is very hard for the embodied to reach.
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kleśhaḥ—tribulations; adhika-taraḥ—full of; teṣhām—of those; avyakta—to the unmanifest; āsakta—attached; chetasām—whose minds; avyaktā—the unmanifest; hi—indeed; gatiḥ—path; duḥkham—exceeding difficulty; deha-vadbhiḥ—for the embodied; avāpyate—is reached
12.6
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः।अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते।।12.6।।
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
But to those who worship Me, renouncing all actions in Me, regarding Me as the supreme goal, meditating on Me with single-minded yoga.
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
ye—who; tu—but; sarvāṇi—all; karmāṇi—actions; mayi—to me; sannyasya—dedicating; mat-paraḥ—regarding me as the Supreme goal; ananyena—exclusively; eva—certainly; yogena—with devotion; mām—me; dhyāyantaḥ—meditating; upāsate—worship;
12.7
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्।भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम्।।12.7।।
teṣhām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛityu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt bhavāmi na chirāt pārtha mayy āveśhita-chetasām
To those whose minds are set on Me, O Arjuna, verily I soon become the savior out of the ocean of Samsara.
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teṣhām—of those; aham—I; samuddhartā—the deliverer; mṛityu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt—from the ocean of birth and death; bhavāmi—(I) become; na—not; chirāt—after a long time; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; mayi—with me; āveśhita chetasām—of those whose consciousness is united
12.8
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय।निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः।।12.8।।
mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya nivasiṣhyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na sanśhayaḥ
Fix your mind on Me, and your intellect in Me. Then you will certainly live in Me alone hereafter.
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mayi—on me; eva—alone; manaḥ—mind; ādhatsva—fix; mayi—on me; buddhim—intellect; niveśhaya—surrender; nivasiṣhyasi—you shall always live; mayi—in me; eva—alone; ataḥ ūrdhvam—thereafter; na—not; sanśhayaḥ—doubt
12.9
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्।अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय।।12.9।।
atha chittaṁ samādhātuṁ na śhaknoṣhi mayi sthiram abhyāsa-yogena tato mām ichchhāptuṁ dhanañjaya
If you are unable to fix your mind steadily on Me, then seek to reach Me through the yoga of constant practice, O Arjuna.
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
atha—if; chittam—mind; samādhātum—to fix; na śhaknoṣhi—(you) are unable; mayi—on me; sthiram—steadily; abhyāsa-yogena—by uniting with God through repeated practice; tataḥ—then; mām—me; ichchhā—desire; āptum—to attain; dhanañjaya—Arjun, the conqueror of wealth
12.10
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव।मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।।12.10।।
abhyāse ’py asamartho ’si mat-karma-paramo bhava mad-artham api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
If you are unable to practice even this Abhyasa Yoga, be intent on doing actions for My sake; even by doing actions for My sake, you will attain perfection.
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
abhyāse—in practice; api—if; asamarthaḥ—unable; asi—you; mat-karma paramaḥ—devotedly work for me; bhava—be; mat-artham—for my sake; api—also; karmāṇi—work; kurvan—performing; siddhim—perfection; avāpsyasi—you shall achieve
12.11
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः।सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्।।12.11।।
athaitad apy aśhakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśhritaḥ sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
If you are unable to do even this, then, resort to union with Me and renounce the fruits of all actions with self-control.
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atha—if; etat—this; api—even; aśhaktaḥ—unable; asi—you are; kartum—to work; mad-yogam—with devotion to me; āśhritaḥ—taking refuge; sarva-karma—of all actions; phala-tyāgam—to renounce the fruits; tataḥ—then; kuru—do; yata-ātma-vān—be situated in the self
12.12
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते।ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्।।12.12।।
śhreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj jñānād dhyānaṁ viśhiṣhyate dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas tyāgāch chhāntir anantaram
Better indeed is knowledge than practice; better than knowledge is meditation; better than meditation is the renunciation of the fruits of actions: peace immediately follows renunciation.
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śhreyaḥ—better; hi—for; jñānam—knowledge; abhyāsāt—than (mechanical) practice; jñānāt—than knowledge; dhyānam—meditation; viśhiṣhyate—better; dhyānāt—than meditation; karma-phala-tyāgaḥ—renunciation of the fruits of actions; tyāgāt—renunciation; śhāntiḥ—peace; anantaram—immediately
12.13
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च।निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी।।12.13।।
adveṣhṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva cha nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣhamī
He who hates no creature, is friendly and compassionate to all, is free from attachment and egoism, is balanced in pleasure and pain, and is forgiving.
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adveṣhṭā—free from malice; sarva-bhūtānām—toward all living beings; maitraḥ—friendly; karuṇaḥ—compassionate; eva—indeed; cha—and; nirmamaḥ—free from attachment to possession; nirahankāraḥ—free from egoism; sama—equipoised; duḥkha—distress; sukhaḥ—happiness; kṣhamī—forgiving;
12.14
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः।मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः।।12.14।।
santuṣhṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessing firm conviction, with the mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear to Me.
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santuṣhṭaḥ—contented; satatam—steadily; yogī—united in devotion; yata-ātmā—self-controlled; dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ—firm in conviction; mayi—to me; arpita—dedicated; manaḥ—mind; buddhiḥ—intellect; yaḥ—who; mat-bhaktaḥ—my devotees; saḥ—they; me—to me; priyaḥ—very dear
12.15
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः।हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः।।12.15।।
yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yaḥ harṣhāmarṣha-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa cha me priyaḥ
He whom the world does not agitate, and who cannot be agitated by the world, and who is freed from joy, anger, fear, and anxiety—he is dear to Me.
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yasmāt—by whom; na—not; udvijate—are agitated; lokaḥ—people; lokāt—from people; na—not; udvijate—are disturbed; cha—and; yaḥ—who; harṣha—pleasure; amarṣha—pain; bhaya—fear; udvegaiḥ—anxiety; muktaḥ—freed; yaḥ—who; saḥ—they; cha—and; me—to me; priyaḥ—very dear
12.16
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः।।12.16।।
anapekṣhaḥ śhuchir dakṣha udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who is free from wants, pure, expert, unconcerned, and free from pain, renouncing all undertakings and commencements, he who is devoted to Me is dear to Me.
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anapekṣhaḥ—indifferent to worldly gain; śhuchiḥ—pure; dakṣhaḥ—skillful; udāsīnaḥ—without cares; gata-vyathaḥ—untroubled; sarva-ārambha—of all undertakings; parityāgī—renouncer; saḥ—who; mat-bhaktaḥ—my devotee; saḥ—he; me—to ne; priyaḥ—very dear
12.17
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति।शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्ितमान्यः स मे प्रियः।।12.17।।
yo na hṛiṣhyati na dveṣhṭi na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati śhubhāśhubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves nor desires, renouncing both good and evil, and who is full of devotion, is dear to Me.
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yaḥ—who; na—neither; hṛiṣhyati—rejoice; na—nor; dveṣhṭi—despair; na—neither; śhochati—lament; na—nor; kāṅkṣhati—hanker for gain; śhubha-aśhubha-parityāgī—who renounce both good and evil deeds; bhakti-mān—full of devotion; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that person; me—to me; priyaḥ—very dear
12.18
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः।शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः।।12.18।।
samaḥ śhatrau cha mitre cha tathā mānāpamānayoḥ śhītoṣhṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣhu samaḥ saṅga-vivarjitaḥ
He who is the same to foe and friend, and also in honor and dishonor, who is the same in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and who is free from attachment.
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samaḥ—alike; śhatrau—to a foe; cha—and; mitre—to a friend; cha tathā—as well as; māna-apamānayoḥ—in honor and dishonor; śhīta-uṣhṇa—in cold and heat; sukha-duḥkheṣhu—in joy and sorrow; samaḥ—equipoised; saṅga-vivarjitaḥ—free from all unfavorable association;
12.19
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येनकेनचित्।अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्ितमान्मे प्रियो नरः।।12.19।।
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī santuṣhṭo yena kenachit aniketaḥ sthira-matir bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
He to whom censure and praise are equal, who is silent, content with anything, homeless, of a steady mind, and full of devotion; that man is dear to me.
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tulya—alike; nindā-stutiḥ—reproach and praise; maunī—silent contemplation; santuṣhṭaḥ—contented; yena kenachit—with anything; aniketaḥ—without attachment to the place of residence; sthira—firmly fixed; matiḥ—intellect; bhakti-mān—full of devotion; me—to me; priyaḥ—very dear; naraḥ—a person
12.20
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते।श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः।।12.20।।
ye tu dharmyāmṛitam idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate śhraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
They who follow this immortal Dharma, endowed with faith and regarding Me as their supreme goal, are exceedingly dear to Me.
Word-by-word meaningsHide word meanings
ye—who; tu—indeed; dharma—of wisdom; amṛitam—nectar; idam—this; yathā—as; uktam—declared; paryupāsate—exclusive devotion; śhraddadhānāḥ—with faith; mat-paramāḥ—intent on me as the supreme goal; bhaktāḥ—devotees; te—they; atīva—exceedingly; me—to me; priyāḥ—dear