Bhagavad Gita/Conversation 12. Bhakti Yoga
Conversation 12.
Bhakti Yoga
Arjuna said:
12:1. Who is more successful in Yoga: those full of love for You or those worshipping the Incognizable Unmanifest?
Lord Krishna 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 conquer 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 have 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 by the souls in Me!
12:8. Fix your thoughts on 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 achieve Perfection!
12:11. If you are not able of doing even this, then seek 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. The one 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, having devoted the mind and consciousness to Me — such a loving Me disciple is dear to Me!
12:15. The one 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. The one 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. The one 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 towards a friend and towards a foe, the same towards 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 that 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 Aim — 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.