Bhagavad Gita: 12) Yoga of Path of Devotion

OM

This page tells the twelfth installment of an amazing story occurring in the midst of a battle field, long long ago. I am only re-writing (the translation of) this wonderful story on this blog. Originally written in Sanskrit, the Bhagavad Gita, even though conceived as a religious text, is an entire coded system in itself for any human being (irrespective of cast, creed, sex and religion) to become perfect. While the Bhagavad Gita has been been translated into English by many great authors, I have mostly referred to the version of Swami Chinmayanada Ji. This page - and the 17 others in this series/story - are dedicated, with great respect, to the author of the most amazing book (according to me) ever written, Sage Vyasa.

12. Bhakti Yoga. 

1)      ARJUNA:

Those devotees who ever steadfast, thus worship You, and also those who worship the imperishable, the un-manifest – which of them are better versed in Yoga?

2)      SRI KRISHNA:

Those who, fixing their mind on Me, worship Me, ever steadfast and endowed with supreme faith, these, in My opinion, are the best in Yoga.

3)      Those who worship the Imperishable, the Indefinable, the Un-manifest, the Omnipresent, the Unthinkable, the Unchangeable, the Immovable and the Eternal…

4)      Having restrained all the senses, even-minded everywhere, rejoicing ever in the welfare of all beings – verily they also come unto Me.

5)      Greater is their trouble, whose minds are set on the ‘Un-manifest’; for the goal, the ‘Un-manifest’ is very hard for the embodied to reach.

6)      But those who worship Me, renouncing all actions in Me, regarding Me as the Supreme Goal, meditating on Me with single minded devotion (Yoga)

7)      For them whose minds are set on Me, verily I become, ere long, O Partha (Arjuna) , the Savior, (to save them) out of the ocean of finite experiences; the Samasara.

8)      Fix your mind on Me only, place your intellect in Me; then (thereafter) you shall, no doubt, live in Me alone.

9)      If you are unable to fix your mind steadily upon Me, then by the Yoga of constant practice, seek to reach Me, O Dhananjaya.

10)   If you are unable even to practice Abhyasa-Yoga, be you intent on performing actions for My sake; even by doing actions for My sake, you shall attain perfection.

11)   If you are unable to do even this, then taking refuge in Me, self-controlled, renounce the fruits of all actions.

12)   ‘Knowledge’ is indeed better than ‘practice’; ‘meditation’ is better than ‘Knowledge’; ‘renunciation of the fruits-of-actions’ is better than ‘meditation’; peace immediately follows ‘renunciation’

13)   He who hates no creature, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from attachment and ego-ism, balanced in pleasure and pain, and forgiving…

14)   Ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessed of firm conviction, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear to Me.

15)   He by whom, the world is not agitated (affected), and who cannot be agitated by the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear and anxiety – he is dear to Me.

16)   He who is free from wants, pure, alert, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing all undertakings, (or commencements) – he who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me.

17)   He who neither rejoices, nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, renouncing good and evil, full of devotion, is dear to Me.

18)   He who is same to foe and friend, and also in honor and dishonor, who is the same in cold and heat and in pleasure and pain, who is free from attachment…

19)   To whom, censure and praise are equal, who is silent, content with anything, homeless, steady-minded, full of devotion – that man is dear to Me.

20)   They indeed, who follow this ‘Immortal Dharma’ (Law of  Life) as described above, endowed with faith, regarding Me, as their supreme Goal – such devotees are exceedingly dear to Me.

Thus ends the 12th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.