Conversation 12. Bhakti Yoga

Bhagavad Gita with Commentaries / Conversation 12. Bhakti Yoga

Conversation 12. Bhakti Yoga

Arjuna said:

12:1. Who is more successful in yoga: they who are full of love for You or those worshipping the Incognizable Unmanifest?

The Blessed One said:

12:2. They who fix the mind on Me, are devoted to Me, and constantly aspire to Me — they are more successful in yoga.

12:3. They who worship the Indestructible, Untold, Unmanifest, Omnipresent, Incognizable, Immutable, Unmovable, Eternal,

12:4. who conquered their indriyas, who are equally calm about everything, who are happy about the good of others — they too come to Me.

12:5. But for those who direct their thoughts to the Unmanifest, this achievement is more difficult; it is harder for them to progress.

12:6. They who renounced the maya for the sake of Me and keep concentration on Me, practicing yoga, O Partha,

12:7. — I promptly raise them above the ocean of births and deaths, for they dwell with the souls in Me.

12:8. Direct your thoughts to Me, submerge yourself as a consciousness into Me — verily, then you will live in Me!

12:9. But if you are not able to fix your thoughts steadily on Me — try to reach Me by practicing yoga, O Dhananjaya.

12:10. If you are not capable of doing constantly yoga exercises, then dedicate yourself to serving Me, performing only those actions which are needful to Me — and you will reach Perfection!

12:11. If you are not able of doing even this, then seek the Mergence with Me by renouncing the personal profit of your activity; restrain yourself in this way.

12:12. Knowledge is more important than exercises. Meditation is more important than knowledge. But renouncing personal profit is more important than meditation, because after such renunciation peace comes.

12:13. He who is hostile to no living being, who is friendly and compassionate, without worldly attachments and egoism, even-minded among joy and sorrow, all-forgiving,

12:14. ever content, seeking unity with Me, resolutely cognizing the Atman, devoted the mind and consciousness to Me — such a loving Me disciple is dear to Me.

12:15. He who does not injure people and does not suffer from them, who is free from anxiety, elation, anger, fear — such one is dear to Me.

12:16. He who requires nothing from others, who is pure, knowing, passionless, selfless, who has abandoned all undertakings* — such a loving Me disciple is dear to Me.

12:17. He who neither falls in love nor hates, who neither grieves nor seeks self-profit, who has transcended good and bad, who is full of love — such one is dear to Me.

12:18. Equal toward a friend and toward a foe, the same toward glorification and disgrace, in warmth and in cold, among joy and sorrow, free from worldly attachments,

12:19. regarding equally praise and blame, laconic, content with everything what happens, not attached to home, determined in decisions, full of love — such a person is dear to Me.

12:20. Verily, all who share this life-giving wisdom, who are imbued with faith, for whom I am the Supreme Goal — such loving Me people are dear to Me above all.

Thus in the upanishads of the blessed Bhagavad Gita, the Science of Eternal, the Scripture of yoga, says the twelfth conversation between Shri Krishna and Arjuna, entitled:

Bhakti Yoga.