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Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga
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— begin anuṣṭubh meter (4x8) —
Śloka 12.1
अर्जुन उवाच
arjuna uvāca
एवं सततयुक्ता ये
evaṃ satatayuktā ye
भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।
bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate |
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं
ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ
तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥ १ ॥
teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ ‖ 1 ‖
~~~
arjuna: Arjuna; uvāca: he said; evam: thus; satata-yuktāḥ: constantly + engaged; ye: those who; bhaktāḥ-tvām: devotees + you; paryupāsate: they worship; ye: those who; ca-api-akṣaram-avyaktam: and + also + imperishable + unmanifest; teṣām: of them; ke: which; yogavit-tamāḥ: knowers of [bhakti]-yoga + best
Arjuna said: “There are those constantly engaged devotees who worship you, and those who worship the ‘imperishable unmanifest.’ Which of them knows [bhakti]-yoga best?”
Śloka 12.2
श्रीभगवानुवाच
śrībhagavānuvāca
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां
mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ
नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
nityayuktā upāsate |
श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्-
śraddhayā parayopetās-
ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ २ ॥
te me yuktatamā matāḥ ‖ 2 ‖
~~~
śrī-bhagavān-uvāca: The Blessed + Lord + he said; mayi-āveśya: on me + having fixed; manaḥ: mind; ye: those who; mām: me; nitya-yuktā: constantly + engaged; upāsate: they worship; śraddhayā: with faith; parayā-upetāḥ-te: with transcendental + endowed + they; me: me; yukta-tamāḥ: fit + most; matāḥ: considered
The Blessed Lord said: “Having fixed their minds on me, those who are constantly engaged in worshipping me, and who are endowed with transcendental faith, I consider to be the most fit.”
Śloka 12.3
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यम्-
ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyam-
अव्यक्तं पर्युपासते ।
avyaktaṃ paryupāsate |
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च
sarvatragamacintyaṃ ca
कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥ ३ ॥
kūṭasthamacalaṃ dhruvam ‖ 3 ‖
~~~
ye: those who; tu-akṣaram-anirdeśyam-avyaktam: but + imperishable + inexplicable + unmanifest; paryupāsate: they worship; sarvatragam-acintyam: all-pervading + inconceivable; ca: and; kūṭastham-acalam: unchanging + immovable; dhruvam: fixed
“But those who worship the inexplicable, all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, immovable, fixed ‘imperishable unmanifest’…”
Śloka 12.4
सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं
sanniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ
सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः ।
sarvatra samabuddhayaḥ |
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव
te prāpnuvanti māmeva
सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ ४ ॥
sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ‖ 4 ‖
~~~
sanniyamya-indriyagrāmam: having controlled + collective senses; sarvatra: everywhere; samabuddhayaḥ: even-minded; te: they; prāpnuvanti: they attain; mām-eva: me + still; sarvabhūtahite: in (for) the welfare of all living beings; ratāḥ: dedicated
“…having controlled the collective senses, who are even-minded everywhere, and who are dedicated to the welfare of all living beings, they still attain me.”
Śloka 12.5
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषाम्-
kleśo’dhikatarasteṣām-
अव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ।
avyaktāsaktacetasām |
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं
avyaktā hi gatirduḥkhaṃ
देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ ५ ॥
dehavadbhiravāpyate ‖ 5 ‖
~~~
kleśaḥ-adhikataraḥ-teṣām-avyakta-āsakta-cetasām: difficulty + far greater + for those + [imperishable] unmanifest + attached to + whose minds; avyaktā: [imperishable] unmanifest; hi: for; gatiḥ-duḥkham: progress + difficult; dehavadbhiḥ-avāpyate: by (for) the embodied + it is obtained
“The difficulty is far greater for those whose minds are devoted to the [imperishable] unmanifest, for progress toward it is difficult to obtain for the embodied.”
Śloka 12.6
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi
मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः ।
mayi saṃnyasya matparāḥ |
अनन्येनैव योगेन
ananyenaiva yogena
मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ ६ ॥
māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate ‖ 6 ‖
~~~
ye: those who; tu: but; sarvāṇi: all; karmāṇi: actions; mayi: to me; saṃnyasya: having renounced; matparāḥ: devoted to me; ananyena-eva: without division + thus; yogena: with [bhakti]-yoga; mām: me; dhyāyantaḥ: meditate on; upāsate: they worship
“But having renounced all actions to me, those who are devoted to me with unwavering [bhakti]-yoga, who worship me, who meditate on me…”
Śloka 12.7
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता
teṣāmahaṃ samuddhartā
मृत्युसंसारसागरात् ।
mṛtyusaṃsārasāgarāt |
भवामि न चिरात्पार्थ
bhavāmi na cirātpārtha
मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ ७ ॥
mayyāveśitacetasām ‖ 7 ‖
~~~
teṣām-aham: for them + I; samuddhartā: by (for) savior; mṛtyu-saṃsāra-sāgarāt: death + transmigration + from the ocean; bhavāmi: I become; na: not; cirāt-pārtha: after a long time + O Son of Pṛthā; mayi-āveśita-cetasām: on me + fixed + whose minds
“…and whose minds are fixed on me, O Son of Pṛthā, for them I quickly become the savior from the ocean of transmigratory death.”
Śloka 12.8
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व
mayyeva mana ādhatsva
मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya |
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव
nivasiṣyasi mayyeva
अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ ८ ॥
ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ ‖ 8 ‖
~~~
mayi-eva: on me + alone; manaḥ: mind; ādhatsva: you should fix; mayi: on me; buddhim: intellect; niveśaya: you should settle; nivasiṣyasi: you will dwell; mayi-eva: on me + alone; ataḥ: then; ūrdhvam: thereafter; na: no; saṃśayaḥ: doubt
“Fix your mind on me alone. Settle your intellect on me alone. Then you will dwell in me thereafter, without a doubt.”
Śloka 12.9
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं
atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ
न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram |
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो
abhyāsayogena tato
मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥ ९ ॥
māmicchāptuṃ dhanañjaya ‖ 9 ‖
~~~
atha: if; cittam: mind; samādhātum: to fix; na: not; śaknoṣi: you are able; mayi: on me; sthiram: steadily; abhyāsa-yogena: by repeated + practice; tataḥ: then; mām-icchā-āptum: me + you should try + to reach; dhanañjaya: O Conqueror of Wealth
“If you are unable to steadily fix your mind on me, O Conqueror of Wealth, then try to reach me by repeated practice.”
Śloka 12.10
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि
abhyāse’pyasamartho’si
मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
matkarmaparamo bhava |
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि
madarthamapi karmāṇi
कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १० ॥
kurvansiddhimavāpsyasi ‖ 10 ‖
~~~
abhyāse-api-asamarthaḥ-asi: in practice + even + unable + you are; mat-karma-paramaḥ: to me + actions + dedicated; bhava: you should be; madartham-api: for my sake + even; karmāṇi: actions; kurvan-siddhim-avāpsyasi: performing + perfection + you will attain
“If you are unable to practice, dedicate your actions to me. Even by performing action for my sake, you will attain perfection.”
Śloka 12.11
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि
athaitadapyaśakto’si
कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः ।
kartuṃ madyogamāśritaḥ |
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं
sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṃ
ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ ११ ॥
tataḥ kuru yatātmavān ‖ 11 ‖
~~~
atha-etat-api-aśaktaḥ-asi: if + this + even + unable + you are; kartum: to work; mat-yogam-āśritaḥ: from me + [karma]-yoga + taken shelter; sarva-karmaphala-tyāgam: all + fruit of action + renunciation; tataḥ: then; kuru: you should act; yatātmavān: with self-restraint
“If you are unable even to work for me, then having taken refuge in my [karma]-yoga, renounce the fruit of all actions and act with self-restraint.”
Śloka 12.12
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्-
śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsāj-
ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
jñānāddhyānaṃ viśiṣyate |
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्-
dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgas-
त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२ ॥
tyāgācchāntiranantaram ‖ 12 ‖
~~~
śreyaḥ: better; hi: for; jñānam-abhyāsāt-jñānāt-dhyānam: knowledge + than practice + than knowledge + meditation; viśiṣyate: it is considered; dhyānāt-karmaphala-tyāgaḥ-tyāgāt-śāntiḥ-anantaram: than meditation + fruit of action + renunciation + from renunciation + peace + ensues
“Knowledge is better than practice, meditation is better than knowledge, and renunciation of the fruit of action is better than meditation; for from renunciation peace ensues.”
Śloka 12.13
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ
मैत्रः करुण एव च ।
maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca |
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ
समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १३ ॥
samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ‖ 13 ‖
~~~
adveṣṭā: without hostility; sarvabhūtānām: for all living beings; maitraḥ: friendly; karuṇa: compassionate; eva: certainly; ca: and; nirmamaḥ: without possessiveness; nirahaṅkāraḥ: without egoism; samaduḥkhasukhaḥ: equal in happiness and suffering; kṣamī: patient
“One who is without hostility for any living being, friendly, compassionate, free from possessiveness and egotism, equal in happiness and suffering, patient…”
Śloka 12.14
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी
santuṣṭaḥ satataṃ yogī
यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः ।
yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ |
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्-
mayyarpitamanobuddhir-
यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १४ ॥
yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ‖ 14 ‖
~~~
santuṣṭaḥ: content; satatam: always; yogī: yogī; yatātmā: self-restrained; dṛḍhaniścayaḥ: steady resolve; mayi-arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ-yaḥ: on me + fixed + mind + intelligence + he who; madbhaktaḥ: devoted to me; saḥ: he; me: to me; priyaḥ: dear
“…always content, who is a yogī, self-restrained, of steady resolve, whose mind and intelligence are fixed on me, and devoted to me, they are dear to me.”
Śloka 12.15
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको
yasmānnodvijate loko
लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः ।
lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ |
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्-
harṣāmarṣabhayodvegair-
मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥ १५ ॥
mukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ ‖ 15 ‖
~~~
yasmāt-na-udvijate: from who + neither + he is agitated; lokaḥ: people; lokāt-na-udvijate: from people + nor + he is agitated; ca: and; yaḥ: he who; harṣa-amarṣa-bhaya-udvegaiḥ-muktaḥ: desire + impatience + fear + with anxiety + freed from; yaḥ: he who; saḥ: he; ca: and; me: to me; priyaḥ: dear
“One who neither agitates people nor is agitated by them, who is freed from desire, impatience, fear, and anxiety, they are dear to me.”
Śloka 12.16
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष
anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa
उदासीनो गतव्यथः ।
udāsīno gatavyathaḥ |
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी
sarvārambhaparityāgī
यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १६ ॥
yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ‖ 16 ‖
~~~
anapekṣaḥ: indifferent; śuciḥ-dakṣaḥ: pure + skillful; udāsīnaḥ: neutral; gatavyathaḥ: untroubled; sarvārambha-parityāgī: all pride + renouncer; yaḥ: he who; madbhaktaḥ: devoted to me; saḥ: he; me: to me; priyaḥ: dear
“One who is indifferent, pure, skillful, neutral, free from anxiety, renounced of all pride, and devoted to me, they are dear to me.”
Śloka 12.17
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि
yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi
न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।
na śocati na kāṅkṣati |
शुभाशुभपरित्यागी
śubhāśubhaparityāgī
भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥ १७ ॥
bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ ‖ 17 ‖
~~~
yaḥ: he who; na: neither; hṛṣyati: he thrills; na: nor; dveṣṭi: he hates; na: nor; śocati: he grieves; na: nor; kāṅkṣati: he craves; śubha-aśubha-parityāgī: fortune + misfortune + renouncer; bhaktimān-yaḥ: devotee + he who; saḥ: he; me: to me; priyaḥ: dear
“One who neither thrills nor hates, who neither grieves nor craves, who renounces fortune and misfortune, such a devotee is dear to me.”
Śloka 12.18
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च
samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca
तथा मानापमानयोः ।
tathā mānāpamānayoḥ |
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu
समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥ १८ ॥
samaḥ saṅgavivarjitaḥ ‖ 18 ‖
~~~
samaḥ: same; śatrau: to enemies; ca: and; mitre: to friends; ca: and; tathā: as well as; māna-apamānayoḥ: in honor + dishonor; śīta-uṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu: in cold + heat + happiness + suffering; samaḥ: same; saṅgavivarjitaḥ: free from attachment
“One who is the same to enemies and friends, who is the same in respect and disrespect, heat and cold, and happiness and suffering, who is free from attachment…”
Śloka 12.19
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी
tulyanindāstutirmaunī
सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् ।
santuṣṭo yena kenacit |
अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्-
aniketaḥ sthiramatir-
भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ १९ ॥
bhaktimānme priyo naraḥ ‖ 19 ‖
~~~
tulya-nindā-stutiḥ-maunī: same + blame + praise + silent; santuṣṭaḥ: content; yena: with that; kenacit: anything; aniketaḥ: no fixed abode; sthira-matiḥ-bhaktimān-me: steady + intelligence + devoted + to me; priyaḥ: dear; naraḥ: person
“…who is the same in blame and praise, silent, content with anything, with no fixed abode, whose intelligence is steady, such a devoted person is dear to me.”
Śloka 12.20
ये तु धर्मामृतमिदं
ye tu dharmāmṛtamidaṃ
यथोक्तं पर्युपासते ।
yathoktaṃ paryupāsate |
श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा
śraddadhānā matparamā
भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥ २० ॥
bhaktāste’tīva me priyāḥ ‖ 20 ‖
~~~
ye: those who; tu: but; dharma-amṛtam-idam: teaching + immortal + this; yathā-uktam: as + stated; paryupāsate: they follow; śraddadhānāḥ: with faith; matparamāḥ: having me as the highest goal; bhaktāḥ-te-atīva: devotees + they + especially; me: to me; priyāḥ: dear
“But those who faithfully follow this immortal teaching as stated, and for who I am the highest goal, such devotees are especially dear to me.”