Śrimad Bhagavad Gīta | Chapter 12

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ŚRIMAD BHAGAVAD GĪTA
CHAPTER 12
THE WAY OF DEVOTION


Chapter XII , verse ... 1 2 3-4 5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12 13-14 15 16 17 18-19 20

CHAPTERS: ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18


The twelfth chapter sets about to determine which of the two,
i.e., the worship of the Impersonal or that of the Personal, is superior.

अथ द्वादशोऽध्यायः । भक्तियोगः
atha dvādaśo' dhyāyaḥ | bhaktiyogaḥ

Thus the Twelfth Chapter |
The Path of Devotion

1.

अर्जुन उवाच ।
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥ १२- १ ॥

arjuna uvāca:
evaṃ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate |
ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ ||

Arjuna said:
Between those devotees who worship You being thus
ever devoted, and those who worship the Imperishable,
the Unmanifest, who are better versed in Yoga?

2.

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ १२- २ ॥

śrībhagavānuvāca:
mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nityayuktā upāsate |
śraddhayā parayopetāḥ te me yuktatamā matāḥ ||

The Blessed Lord said:
Those who worship Me fixing their mind on Me, ever
devoted, and endowed with supreme faith-them I regard
as the best Yogins.

3.- 4.

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते ।
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ॥ १२- ३ ॥

सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः ।
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ १२- ४ ॥

ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyaṃ avyaktaṃ paryupāsate |
sarvatragamaciṃtyaṃca kūṭasthaṃ acalaṃdhruvam ||

saṃniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ sarvatra samabuddhayāḥ |
te prāpnuvanti māmeva sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ||

But they who worship the Imperishable, Indescribable,
Unmanifest, All-pervading, Inconceivable, Changeless,
Immovable and Eternal, controlling well their senses,
even-minded everywhere and devoted to the good of all
beings, (also) attain Me alone.

5.

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ॥
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२- ५ ॥

kleśo'dhikatarasteṣāṃ avyaktāsaktacetasām ||
avyaktāhi gatirduḥkhaṃ dehavadbhiravāpyate ||

The trouble of those whose minds are attached to the
unmanifest is greater; for the way of the Unmanifest is
attained with difficulty by the embodied soul.

6-7.

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः ।
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२- ६ ॥

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् ।
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ १२- ७ ॥

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ |
ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate ||

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ |
ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate ||
teṣāmahaṃ samuddhartā mṛtyusaṃsārasāgarāt |
bhavāmi na cirātpārtha mayyāveśitacetasām ||

Those, however, who renouncing all actions in Me,
and being attached to Me, worship Me with unswerving
devotion through meditation-these people, who have
fixed their mind on Me, I quickly redeem from this ocean
of transmigratory existence beset with death.

8.

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ १२- ८ ॥

mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya |
nivasiṣyasi mayyeva ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ ||

Fix your mind on Me alone, let your intellect rest in Me,
you will live in Me alone hereafter; there is no doubt (about it).

9.

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् ।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥ १२- ९ ॥

athacittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram |
abhyāsayogena tato māmicchāptuṃ dhanaṃjaya ||

If, however, you are not able to fix the mind steadily on Me,
then through the Yoga of practice seek to attain Me, O Dhananjaya.

10.

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १२- १० ॥

abhyāse'pyasamartho'si matkarmaparamo bhava |
madarthamapi karmāṇi kurvansiddhimavāpsyasi ||

If you are unable even to practice, then be solely devoted
to rites for Me; even by doing rites for My sake, you will
attain perfection.

11.

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः ।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ १२- ११ ॥

athaitadapyaśakto'si kartuṃ madyogamāśritaḥ |
sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān ||

If, however, you are unable to do even this, then taking
refuge in Me and being self-controlled, renounce the fruit
of all actions.

12.

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२- १२ ॥

śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsājjñānāddhyānaṃ viśiṣyate |
dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgastyāgācchāṃtiranantaram ||

Knowledge is superior to (mere) practice, meditation
is superior to knowledge, superior to meditation is
renunciation of the fruit of action, from renunciation
results peace immediately.

13.-14.

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च ।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२- १३ ॥

सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः ।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२- १४ ॥

adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca |
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||

saṃtuṣṭaḥ satataṃ yogī yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ |
mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||

Non-envious, friendly, and compassionate towards all
beings, free from ideas of possession and ego-consciousness,
sympathetic in pain and pleasure, forgiving, always contented,
contemplative, self-controlled, of firm conviction
with his mind and intellect dedicated to Me
- such a devotee of Mine is dear to Me.

15.

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः ।
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥ १२- १५ ॥

yasmānnodvijate loko lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ |
harṣāmarṣabhayodvegairmukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ ||

From whom the world gets no trouble, and who gets no
trouble from the world, who is free from elation, jealousy,
fear and anxiety - he is dear to Me.

16.

अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२- १६ ॥

anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa udāsīno gatavyathaḥ |
sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||

Independent, clean, dexterous, indifferent, untroubled,
and discarding all endeavours – such a devotee of Mine is
dear to Me.

17.

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।
शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२- १७ ॥

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati |
śubhāśubhaparityāgī bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||

He who neither rejoices nor dislikes nor grieves nor
desires, who renounces good and evil, and who is devoted,
is dear to Me.

18.-19.

समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः ।
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥ १२- १८ ॥

तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् ।
अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ १२- १९ ॥

samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpamānayoḥ |
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu samaḥ saṅgavivarjitaḥ ||

tulyanindāstutirmaunī saṃtuṣṭo yena kenacit |
aniketaḥ sthiramatirbhaktimānme priyo naraḥ ||

Alike to foe and friend, in honour and dishonour, in heat
and cold, happiness and misery, free from attachment,
alike in praise and censure, reticent, satisfied with
anything, without a home, steady in mind – such a devoted
person is dear to Me.

20.

ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते ।
श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥ १२- २० ॥

ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate |
śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste'tīva me priyāḥ ||

Those devotees who practice this nectar-like religion just
taught with faith, and with Me as their supreme goal, are
extremely dear to Me.

The way of the Unmanifest is difficult and is attained with many
obstacles; therefore the wise man should take to the easier and
noble path of devotion to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
भक्तियोगो नाम द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२ ॥

OM tatsaditi śrīmad bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde
bhaktiyogo nāma dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ