16 verses
Arjuna said: Who are the best knowers of yoga-- those devotees who worship You as just described, with desire to constantly associate with You, or those who worship the unmanifest Brahman?
The Lord said: I consider those who worship Me, desiring to associate with Me constantly, absorbing their minds in Me, endowed faith beyond the guṇas, to be the best knowers of yoga.
Among them, My devotees are the best. Those who absorb their minds in Me, Śyāmasundara, those who desire to be constantly united with Me (nitya-yuktā), with faith which is beyond the guṇas (parayā śraddhayā)--they, My ananya-bhaktas, are the best knowers of yoga (yuktatamā).
Concerning faith, it is said:
sāttviky ādhyātmikī śraddhā karma-śraddhā tu rājasī
tāmasy adharme yā śraddhā mat-sevāyāṁ tu nirguṇā
Faith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of goodness, faith rooted in fruitive work is in the mode of passion, faith residing in irreligious activities is in the mode of ignorance, but faith in My devotional service is purely transcendental. SB 11.25.27
From this it should be inferred that inferior to these ananya-bhaktas are those having bhakti mixed with jñāna, karma or other processes, who are called yoga-vittarā. Thus it shown here that bhakti is better than jñāna, and that, among the types of bhakti, ananyā bhakti is the best.
But those who worship the unnamed, formless entity, all-pervading in space and time, the inconceivable, unchanging, eternal Brahman, completely subduing their senses, looking on all things equally, intent on the welfare of all, attain Me alone-- in the form of impersonal Brahman.
Those who worship My impersonal svarūpa known as Brahman are inferior because of their state of suffering. This the Lord states in two verses. Those who worship the Brahman (akṣaram) which is not possible to designate (anirdeśyam), because it is without form or other qualities (avyaktam), which is spread everywhere (sarvatra-gam), beyond logic (acintyam) and extending over all time (kūṭa-stham), devoid of increase or other change (acalam) and eternal (dhruvam), attain Me in the form the impersonal Brahman. He says that they attain “Me” because the Brahman is non-different from the Lord. Amara Kośa says that kūṭasha means “that which pervades time with one form.”
Those who are attached to the impersonal realization encounter extreme difficulties. The unmanifest goal brings suffering to those who have bodies.
This verse describes a little of their inferior position. Those who are attracted to only Brahman (avyaktāsakta-cetasām), who desire only realization of Brahman, undergo excessive difficulties in attaining it, because (hi) by what means at all can something without qualities be made manifest? That goal is attained by the jīvas endowed with bodies (dehavadbhiḥ) only by undergoing suffering (duḥkham). The senses have the power for particular knowledge such as sound, not for something which does not possess particular qualities. Therefore, stopping of the senses is necessary for those who desire knowledge of the impersonal without particular qualities (nirviśeṣa). But stopping the senses is like stopping rivers. Stopping the senses is difficult. Sanat Kumāra says:
yat-pāda-paḍkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā
karmāśayaṁ grathitam udgrathayanti santaḥ
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo’ pi ruddha-
sroto-gaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam
The devotees, who are always engaged in the service of the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, can very easily overcome hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the non-devotees—the jñānīs and yogīs —although trying to stop the waves of sense gratification, cannot do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. SB 4.22.39
kṛcchro mahān iha bhavārṇavam aplaveśāṁ
ṣaò-varga-nakram asukhena titīrṣanti
tat tvaṁ harer bhagavato bhajanīyam aḍghriṁ
kṛtvoòupaṁ vyasanam uttara dustarārṇam
The ocean of nescience is very difficult to cross because it is infested with many dangerous sharks. Although those who are non-devotees undergo severe austerities and penances to cross that ocean, we recommend that you simply take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, which are like boats for crossing the ocean. Although the ocean is difficult to cross, by taking shelter of His lotus feet you will overcome all dangers. SB 4.22.40
Furthermore, even that goal of impersonal Brahman which is attained by such suffering is attained only by having a mixture with bhakti. Without bhakti to the Lord, the worshippers of the impersonal Brahman obtain only suffering, and not Brahman. Brahmā says:
teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate
nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām
As a person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain, one who simply speculates cannot achieve self-realization. His only gain is trouble. SB 10.14.4
O son of Pṛthā, I quickly deliver from the ocean of repeated birth and death those who meditate on Me and worship Me with ananyā bhakti, having surrendered to Me and given up all other processes for attaining Me.
But the devotees, even without jñāna, by kevalā bhakti alone, comfortably attain liberation from saṁsāra. Having given up (sannyasya means tyāga or renunciation) all other process for the purpose of attaining Me (mayi), they worship Me by ananyā bhakti-yoga (ananyena yogena)—which is devoid of karma, jñāna, tapas or other elements. It is said:
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat
yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate’ñjasā
svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati
Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 11.20.32-33
In the Mokṣa Dharma, Nārāyaṇīya portion it also says:
yā vai sādhana m sampattiḥ puruṣārtha catuṣṭaye
tayā vinā tad apnoti naro nārāyaṇāśrayaḥ
Whatever among the four goals of human life can be achieved by various spiritual practices is automatically achieved without such endeavors by the person who has taken shelter of Lord Nārāyaṇa, the refuge of all persons.
“Still, what is the method by which they cross saṁsāra?”
“There is no question about the method by which they cross saṁsāra, because without even having a method, I take them over it. I quickly become their deliverer from the ocean of saṁsāra.” Implied here is that the Lord has affection for His devotees, but not for the jñānīs.
Concentrate your mind only on Me. Fix your intelligence on Me. You will attain residence with Me after leaving the body, without doubt.
“Since bhakti is the best, please perform only bhakti.” He teaches this bhakti in three verses.
The word eva excludes the impersonal aspect of the Lord. Concentrate your mind on Me only, remember only Me (mayy eva mana ādhatsva), that form of Śyāmasundara, with yellow cloth and forest garland--and not the impersonal Brahman. And also, fix your intelligence, which has the power of discrimination, upon Me. This means to continually reflect on the statements of scripture using intelligence, which will result in meditation. Such contemplation is called manana. Thus, you will attain residence near Me. Nivasiṣyasi is a poetic form of nivatsyasi (future of nivas) for metrical purpose.
Otherwise, if you are not able to concentrate your mind on Me steadily, then seek to attain Me by the method of repetition of fixing your mind on Me, O conqueror of wealth.
The Lord then speaks of a method to attain the state of remembrance mentioned above, if one is unable to remember the Lord with no preparation. Repeatedly withdrawing the mind when it goes here and there, and fixing the mind on Me is called abhyāsa. By this method of abhyāsa (abhyāsa-yogena), endeavor to attain Me.
In common words, this means, “Stop the movement of mind, which like a river cannot be controlled, and which gravitates to vulgar sense objects such as taste, and establish the mind’s movement in My beautiful form and taste. O Dhanañjaya, having conquered many enemies, you have taken much wealth. Now, conquering the mind, you can take the treasure of meditation.”
If you are unable to practice in this manner, then perform transcendental services for Me. Performing activities for My pleasure, you will attain perfection.
“As the tongue contaminated by jaundice does not like sugar candy, so the mind contaminated by ignorance does not accept Your form, even though it is sweet. Therefore, it is not possible for me to combat this very strong, uncontrollable mind.”
“If you should think in this way, then I answer with these words.”
“Become engaged in My supreme activities, in activities meant for the highest benefit (mat-karma-paramaḥ). Doing services (karmāṇi kurvan) such as hearing and singing about Me, bowing to Me, worshiping Me, sweeping and washing My temple, picking flowers, even without remembrance of Me as previously described, you will attain perfection (siddhim), characterized by being one of My associates in prema.”
If you cannot do this, take shelter of dedicating all prescribed actions to Me. While controlling your mind, act with detachment from the results of the work.
If you are unable to do this, then taking shelter of the process of offering all your actions to Me (mad-yogam āśritaḥ), give up all the results of your actions as described in the first six chapters (karma-yoga).
The meaning is this. In the first six chapters, the Lord spoke of niṣkāma-karma-yoga offered to the Lord, a method to attain liberation. In the second six chapters, the Lord spoke of bhakti-yoga, the method of gaining the Lord Himself. Bhakti-yoga has two types: being fixed in bhakti through internal senses, and being fixed in bhakti through external senses.
The first type of bhakti, using internal senses, has three sub categories: smaraṇa ātmika and manana ātmika (mentioned in verse 8, using mind and intellect), and for those who desire remembrance, but cannot do continual remembrance, practice of the above, called abhyāsa-rūpa (verse 9). These three are difficult for a person with poor intelligence, and easy to perform for one with good intellect and no offenses.
The second type, relying on external senses, is composed of hearing and chanting (verse 10). It is easy to perform for everyone. Those who are qualified for performing both methods (internal and external) are most outstanding. This was stated in the second six chapters. Those who cannot do this, who do not have faith in fixing the senses on the Lord, those who are qualified for niṣkāma-karma offered to the Lord as mentioned in the first six chapters of the Gītā , are in an inferior position to the devotees (verse 11).
Manana is better than practice, but meditation is better than manana. From meditation, one easily becomes detached from the results of work in the form of bhukti and mukti. From this detachment one finally attains lasting peace (absorbing his senses only in Me.)
In this verse, the Lord makes clear the successive superiority of abhyāsa, manana and smaraṇa (meditation) mentioned previously.
Better than practice is fixing the intelligence on Me (jñānam or mananam). By performing practice alone, it is difficult to achieve meditation. By performing manana, easily one can come to meditation. Therefore, by this distinction, it is concluded that meditation (mayi mana ādhatsva, or smaraṇa) is better than jñāna (manana). Why? From meditation one becomes devoid of desire for fruits of sakāma-karma in the form of Svarga, and the fruits of niṣkāma-karma in the form of liberation. Even though Svarga and liberation are attained without his endeavor, the devotee becomes indifferent to them. Before the devotee reaches steady meditation, when he has not yet attained rati (bhāva), he has just a desire to give up liberation. But when he becomes fixed in meditation (at bhāva stage), he becomes disgusted with mokṣa. He takes liberation as insignificant. That meditation is the cause for indifference to mokṣa. This is stated in Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu, where bhakti is glorified with six qualities:
kleśa-ghnī śubhadā mokṣa-laghutākṛt sudurlabhā
sāndrānanda-viśeṣātmā śrī-kṛṣṇākarṣaṇī ca sā
Bhakti is characterized by destruction of suffering, bestowal of good qualities, disregard for liberation, rarity, intense spiritual bliss and attracting even Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu 1.1.17
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na mahendra-dhiṣṇyaṁ
na sārvabhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
mayy arpitātmecchati mad vinānyat
The devotee who has offered his soul to Me does not want anything if it is separate from Me—not the position of the supreme demigod of the universe, Brahmā, nor that of Lord Indra, nor kingship over the entire earth or over the lower planetary systems, nor the mystic perfections of yoga, nor even freedom from the cycle of rebirth. SB 11.14.14
In that verse, the phrase mayy arpita ātmā means “fixed in dhyāna on Me.”
After developing distaste for the fruits of action, he then attains peace in the form of stopping the senses from dwelling on all objects except My form and qualities. This explanation directly links the succession of stages from the two words śreyaḥ and viśiṣyate in the first line to anantaram in the second line. No other explanation can be considered.
That devotee who is without hatred towards any person, who is a friend to all living entities, who is merciful, without possessiveness, without false identification with his body, who is equal in happiness and distress, tolerant, satisfied with what comes of its own accord, constantly engaged in bhakti-yoga, restrained in mind, fixed in determination, and with mind and intelligence offered to Me, is dear to Me.
What is the description of the devotee who has attained such peace? In response to this question, the different natures of many types of devotees are described in eight verses.
Adveṣṭa means that a person does not have hatred even for those who hate oneself. Rather one has friendliness towards them (maitraḥ). One is merciful to them, thinking that they should not end up in unfortunate circumstances (karuṇaḥ).
“But by having what type of discriminating powers can one attain friendliness and mercy even to enemies?”
“One should not make distinctions at all. By non-possessiveness of children and wife (nirmamaḥ), by not thinking of the body as the self (nirahaḍkāraḥ), My devotee never develops hatred towards others. Why should he accept such distinctions, if he wants to reduce suffering produced from hatred (a distinction)?”
“But then one will be suffering pain in the body by getting punched or kicked by others.”
“It is said by Siva:
nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ
Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord. SB 6.17.28
Thus one should consider happiness and distress equally (sama-duḥkha-sukham). Moreover, that person thinks that he should necessarily endure his prārabdha-karmas. In being equal to happiness and distress, he should be tolerant of the suffering (kṣamī).” Kṣamī means having tolerance, coming from the root kṣam meaning to endure.
“But how will such a devotee be able to maintain his life?”
“He is satisfied to eat what comes of its own accord, or with very little effort (santuṣṭhaḥ).”
“But since You have said that one should be equal in happiness and distress, then how can one express satisfaction (santuṣtḥaḥ) with getting something to eat?”
“That person is constantly engaged in bhakti-yoga (satataṁ yogī). He is acting for the purpose of attaining perfection in bhakti. It is said:
āhārārthaṁ yatataiva yuktaṁ tat-prāṇa-dhāraṇam
tattvaṁ vimṛśyate tena tad vijñāya paraṁ vrajet
If required, one should endeavor to get sufficient foodstuffs, because it is always necessary and proper to maintain one’s health. When the senses, mind and life air are fit, one can contemplate spiritual truth, and by understanding the truth one is liberated. SB 11.18.34
“Moreover, if by chance he does not attain his required food, his mind is restrained (yata ātmā); it is without agitation. Even if his mind happens to become disturbed, he does not resort to aṣṭāḍga-yoga or other processes to bring about peace. He remains convinced that he should only perform ananyā bhakti (dṛòha-niścayaḥ). His devotion does not become weakened. The cause of all of this is mentioned: he is absorbed in meditating on and contemplating Me (mayy arpita mano buddhiḥ). Such a devotee greatly pleases Me (me priyaḥ).”
He who does not agitate others, nor is agitated by others, he who is free from material emotions such as joy, jealousy, fear and anxiety, is dear to Me.
Moreover, it is said:
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
One who has unflinching devotion for the Personality of Godhead has all the good qualities of the demigods. SB 5.18.12
By this statement it is understood that other qualities which please the Lord also automatically appear by the constant performance of bhakti to Me. Please hear about these. Five verses describe these qualities. The qualities mentioned here--being freed from material jubilation, anger, fear and anxiety--are mentioned again in verse 17 in order to show the difficulty in becoming free from those elements.
He who is devoid of expectations from his work, is clean, skilful in all situations, detached from other persons, without distress, and who rejects all undertakings, is dear to Me.
Anapekṣaḥ means devoid of expectations from material work. Udāsīnaḥ means to be unattached to material persons. He has the quality of giving up all material endeavors in the present and future, and even some spiritual endeavors such as teaching scripture (sarvārambha-parityāgī).
The devotee who neither rejoices or hates, neither laments nor hankers, who gives up all sinful and pious actions, is dear to Me.
The devotee who is equal to enemy and friend, equal in respect or disrespect, in cold or heat, happiness or distress, who is free from attachments, equal in criticism or praise, silent, satisfied with whatever is there, unattached to his house, and steady in mind, is dear to Me.
Aniketaḥ means that he is not attached to his material house.
But those devotees who completely take up the nectar of these qualities just taught, who are full of faith and most devoted, are most dear to Me.
Summarizing the qualities fixed in various types of His devotees which He has just mentioned, the Lord now describes the result of hearing and deliberating on the these qualities by devotees desirous of obtaining all those qualities. Since these qualities arise from sense control (śānti, mentioned in verse 12), which in turn arises from bhakti, they are thus not material qualities. bhaktyā tuṣyati kṛṣṇo ṇa guṇaiḥ: Kṛṣṇa is pleased by bhakti, not by good material qualities. (Padyāvalī 8) Such statements are innumerable in the scriptures.
Tu here indicates differentiation. The various devotees previously mentioned were fixed in their individual natures with certain qualities. But those practitioners who desire all of the qualities of all the types of devotees are superior to those just mentioned, who have attained only some of the qualities. Therefore, the word atīva (surpassingly) is used. Such devotees, who take up all the qualities, are even dearer to Me.
The astonishing qualities of bhakti, which is supreme and blissful, whose goal can be attained by all, and which is easy to perform, have been explained in this chapter. Though it has been shown that jñāna is bitter like nīma fruit and bhakti is sweet like grape juice, still, these two processes are taken up their respective followers who crave that particular taste.
Thus end the commentaries on the twelfth chapter of the Gītā , to give joy to the hearts of devotees, through the mercy of the ācāryas.
In the twelfth chapter, the superiority of all types of devotees to the jñānīs is described, and among the devotees those who are endowed with wonderful qualities like lack of hatred are praised. Arjuna heard the great superiority of bhakti at the beginning of the topic of bhakti in the following words:
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
But I consider he who worships Me with faith, with mind attached to Me, to be greater than all types of yogīs. BG 6.47
Arjuna, desiring to hear about the superiority of bhakti, even if it is in summary, asks a question. The devotees described as being constantly engaged, worship You as Śyāmasundara, mentioned at the end of the last chapter with - mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramaḥ (BG 11.55). Others worship the Brahman (akṣara) with no qualities (avyakta means nirviśeṣa) described in the śrutis with statements such as etad vai tad akṣaraṁ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanty asthūlam anaṇv ahrasvam: O Gārgī, that akṣara, which is not wide, not small and not short, is called Brahman. (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.8.9) Among these two types of persons who know yoga, who are the best knowers of yoga (yoga-vittamaḥ)? Who know the best process for attaining You? Or, do they not know the process for attaining You?
In a comparison involving two items, usually the form yoga-vittara (which of the two types know yoga better) would be used. The word yoga-vittama should be understood to suggest that among the better of the two types of knowers of yoga (yoga-vittarā), who are the best knowers of yoga (yoga-vittamā)?