Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga

Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच । एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते । ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥ १२.१ ॥

Arjuna said: Those devotees who, ever steadfast, worship You, and those who worship the imperishable unmanifest—who among them are the best knowers of yoga?

Verse 2

श्रीभगवानुवाच । मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ १२.२ ॥

The Blessed Lord said: Those who, ever steadfast, worship Me with supreme faith, fixing their mind on Me—those are considered by Me to be the most united in yoga.

Verse 3

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते । सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥ १२.३ ॥

But those who worship the Imperishable—indefinable, unmanifest, all-pervading, unthinkable, unchanging, immovable, eternal—(they too are devoted).

Verse 4

संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः । ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ १२.४ ॥

Having restrained the host of senses, even-minded everywhere, delighting in the welfare of all beings, they too attain Me alone.

Verse 5

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् । अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२.५ ॥

Greater is the difficulty for those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest; for the goal of the unmanifest is hard to attain for embodied beings.

Verse 6

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः । अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२.६ ॥

But those who, dedicating all actions to Me, regarding Me as the Supreme, worship Me—meditating on Me with single-minded Yoga—(they are My devotees).

Verse 7

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् । भवामि न चिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ १२.७ ॥

Of those whose minds are absorbed in Me, O Pārtha, I soon become the deliverer from the ocean of death and saṃsāra.

Verse 8

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय । निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ १२.८ ॥

Fix your mind on Me alone; place your intellect in Me. Thereafter you shall dwell in Me alone—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 9

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् । अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनंजय ॥ १२.९ ॥

If you are unable to fix your mind steadily on Me, then seek to attain Me through the Yoga of practice, O Dhanañjaya.

Verse 10

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव । मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १२.१० ॥

If you are unable even to practice, then be devoted to performing actions for My sake; even by doing works for Me you shall attain perfection.

Verse 11

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ १२.११ ॥

If you are unable even to do this, then taking refuge in My Yoga, renounce the fruits of all actions; thus act with self-control.

Verse 12

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते । ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२॥

Knowledge is superior to mere practice; meditation is superior to knowledge; renunciation of the fruits of action is superior to meditation; from such renunciation, peace follows immediately.

Verse 13

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च । निर्ममो निरहंकारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२.१३ ॥

He who bears no hatred toward any being, who is friendly and compassionate; who is free from possessiveness and ego-sense; who is even-minded in sorrow and joy, and forgiving—such a one is dear to Me.

Verse 14

संतुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः । मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१४ ॥

Ever content, a yogin self-controlled and of firm resolve, whose mind and intellect are offered to Me—such a devotee is dear to Me.

Verse 15

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः । हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१५ ॥

He by whom the world is not disturbed, and who is not disturbed by the world; who is free from exultation, resentment, fear, and agitation—he is dear to Me.

Verse 16

अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः । सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१६ ॥

He who is without expectation, pure, capable, impartial, free from distress, and who has renounced all self-centered undertakings—such a devotee is dear to Me.

Verse 17

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति । शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१७ ॥

He who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires; who has renounced both the auspicious and the inauspicious—such a devoted one is dear to Me.

Verse 18

समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥ १२.१८ ॥

He who is even-minded toward foe and friend alike, and likewise in honor and dishonor; who is the same in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain; and who is free from attachment—

Verse 19

तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् । अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ १२.१९ ॥

He to whom censure and praise are equal; who is silent (restrained in speech); content with whatever comes; without a fixed abode; of steady understanding—such a devoted person is dear to Me.

Verse 20

ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते । श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥ १२.२० ॥

But those devotees who, with faith, making Me their supreme goal, duly follow this dharma—this nectar-like teaching as declared—those are exceedingly dear to Me.