Bhagavad Gita — Bhakti Yoga, Shloka 13

Bhakti Yoga

Devanagari script

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

Transliteration

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca | nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī || 12.13 ||

Translation

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.

Gita Press Meaning

He who hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and egoism, balanced in pleasure and pain, and forgiving—he is dear to Me.

Critical Edition Meaning

One who is not hostile toward all beings, who is friendly and compassionate; without ‘mine-ness’ and without ego-sense; equal in suffering and happiness; patient/forbearing.

Comparative Note

Traditional translations often supply the implied predicate “is dear to Me” from the surrounding refrain in the passage (explicit in nearby verses). The Sanskrit here lists qualities in apposition; interpretive differences revolve around whether these are ethical virtues, contemplative traits, or both.

Word by Word

• अद्वेष्टा: non-hater; one who does not hate
• अद्वेष्टा: Karta
• Root: अद्वेष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)

• मैत्रः: friendly; benevolent
• मैत्रः: Karta
• Root: मैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• करुणः: compassionate
• करुणः: Karta
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)

• एव: indeed; certainly
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Root: च

• निर्ममः: without possessiveness; free from ‘mine’-ness
• निर्ममः: Karta
• Root: निर्मम (प्रातिपदिक)

• निरहंकारः: without egoism; free from ‘I’-notion
• निरहंकारः: Karta
• Root: निरहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)

• समदुःखसुखः: equal in sorrow and happiness
• समदुःखसुखः: Karta
• Root: सम + दुःख + सुख (प्रातिपदिक)

• क्षमी: forbearing; patient; forgiving
• क्षमी: Karta
• Root: क्षमिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

Speakers

• Krishna

Primary Concepts

• Adveṣa (non-hostility)
• Maitrī (friendliness)
• Karuṇā (compassion)
• Nirmamatā (non-possessiveness)
• Nirahaṅkāra (absence of ego-sense)
• Samatva (equanimity)
• Kṣamā (forbearance)

Key Themes

• Ethical virtues
• Ego-reduction
• Universal regard

FAQs

Psychological significance?

Non-hostility and forgiveness are presented as stabilizers of affect, reducing reactive cycles of resentment and defensiveness.

Metaphysical meaning?

The pairing of compassion with non-ego and non-possessiveness suggests a self-understanding less bound to personal ownership and status, consistent with broader Gītā accounts of the self as not reducible to transient identifications.

Contextual relevance?

This verse begins a catalog of traits of the exemplary devotee, shifting from techniques to character formation.

Modern Application?

Practice perspective-taking and intentional forgiveness; reduce possessive language and status-driven self-talk to cultivate steadier relationships.