Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 35

Bhakti Yoga: The Three Modes of Devotion, Non-Envy, and Time as the Lord

भक्तियोगश्च योगश्च मया मानव्युदीरित: । ययोरेकतरेणैव पुरुष: पुरुषं व्रजेत् ॥ ३५ ॥

bhakti-yogaś ca yogaś ca mayā mānavy udīritaḥ yayor ekatareṇaiva puruṣaḥ puruṣaṁ vrajet

My dear mother, O daughter of Manu, I have taught both bhakti-yoga and yoga; by either one alone a person can attain the abode of the Supreme Purusha—especially through devotional service.

bhakti-yogaḥbhakti-yoga
bhakti-yogaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः: 'yoga of devotion'
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), conjunction
yogaḥ(aṣṭāṅga) yoga
yogaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), conjunction
mayāby me
mayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInstrumental (तृतीया) singular (एकवचन) of 1st person pronoun
mānaviO Mānavī (daughter of Manu)
mānavi:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootmānava (प्रातिपदिक)
FormVocative (सम्बोधन/प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन), feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) addressing Devahūti: 'O daughter of Manu'
udīritaḥdeclared; taught
udīritaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रियापद-भाव)
TypeVerb
Rootud + √īr (धातु) + क्त
FormPast passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), masculine nominative singular (एकवचन); used predicatively with implied 'is/has been declared'
yayoḥof which two
yayoḥ:
Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive (षष्ठी) / Locative (सप्तमी) dual (द्विवचन) of relative pronoun; here genitive dual: 'of which two'
ekatareṇaby either one
ekatareṇa:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootekatara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया) singular (एकवचन); 'by either one (of the two)'
evaindeed; alone
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (अवधारण)
puruṣaḥa person
puruṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)
puruṣamthe Supreme Person
puruṣam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन)
vrajetshould attain; should go to
vrajet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vraj (धातु)
FormOptative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Herein the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kapiladeva perfectly explains that the mystic yoga system, consisting of eight different kinds of yoga activities, has to be performed with the aim of coming to the perfectional stage of bhakti-yoga. It is not acceptable for one to be satisfied simply by practicing the sitting postures and thinking himself complete. By meditation one must attain the stage of devotional service. As previously described, a yogī is advised to meditate on the form of Lord Viṣṇu from point to point, from the ankles to the legs to the knees to the thighs to the chest to the neck, and in this way gradually up to the face and then to the ornaments. There is no question of impersonal meditation.

K
Kapila
D
Devahuti

FAQs

In this verse, Lord Kapila states that he has taught both bhakti-yoga and yoga, and that by following either path one can attain the Supreme Person.

Kapila is instructing his mother Devahuti on spiritual realization, summarizing that both devotion (bhakti-yoga) and disciplined yoga can lead one to the Lord.

Choose a steady practice—either daily devotion (hearing, chanting, worship, remembrance) or sincere meditation and self-discipline—and make it consistent, aiming your life toward realizing and serving the Supreme Person.