Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12 : Bhakti Yoga

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12

Author Kedi Ganapati

✦ ✦ ✦

✦ Shlokas ✦

12:1 12:2 12:3 12:4 12:5 12:6 12:7 12:8 12:9 12:10 12:11 12:12 12:13 12:14 12:15 12:16 12:17 12:18 12:19 12:20

Shloka 12:1

ॐ

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

arjuna uvacha
evam satata-yukta ye bhaktas tvam paryupasate
ye capy aksaram avyaktam tesam ke yoga-vittamah

Translation

Arjuna said: Those devotees who are always steadfast and worship You with devotion, and those who worship the imperishable, unmanifest Absolute—which of them is considered more perfect in yoga?

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Shloka 12:2

ॐ

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ १२:२ ॥

shri bhagavan uvacha
mayy avesya mano ye mam nitya-yukta upasate
sraddhaya parayopetas te me yuktatama matah

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: Those who fix their minds on Me, worship Me with constant devotion, and are endowed with supreme faith are considered by Me to be the most perfect in yoga.

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Shloka 12:3

ॐ

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते ।
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥ १२:३ ॥

ye tv aksaram anirdesyam avyaktam paryupasate
sarvatra-gam acintyam ca kuta-stham acalam dhruvam

Translation

But those who worship the imperishable, indefinable, unmanifest, all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, immovable, and eternal Reality also follow the path of spiritual realization.

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Shloka 12:4

ॐ

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

sanniyamyendriya-gramam sarvatra sama-buddhayah
te prapnuvanti mam eva sarva-bhuta-hite ratah

Translation

Having controlled all the senses, remaining equal-minded everywhere, and delighting in the welfare of all beings, they too ultimately attain Me.

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Shloka 12:5

ॐ

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२:५ ॥

kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham dehavadbhir avapyate

Translation

For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest, the path is more difficult, because the unmanifest goal is hard for embodied beings to realize.

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Shloka 12:6

ॐ

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः ।
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२:६ ॥

ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate

Translation

But those who dedicate all their actions to Me, accept Me as the supreme goal, and worship Me with single-minded devotion while constantly meditating on Me—

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Shloka 12:7

ॐ

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

tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha mayy avesita-cetasam

Translation

O Arjuna, for those whose minds are fully absorbed in Me, I quickly become the deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.

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Shloka 12:8

ॐ

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

mayy eva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva ata urdhvam na samsayah

Translation

Fix your mind on Me alone and place your intellect in Me. Then you shall certainly live in Me forever. There is no doubt about this.

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Shloka 12:9

ॐ

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

atha cittam samadhatum na saknosi mayi sthiram
abhyasa-yogena tato mam icchaptum dhananjaya

Translation

If you are unable to steadily fix your mind on Me, then, O Dhananjaya, seek to attain Me through the practice of repeated spiritual discipline.

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Shloka 12:10

ॐ

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

abhyase 'py asamartho 'si mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmani kurvan siddhim avapsyasi

Translation

If you are unable even to practice such discipline, then dedicate yourself to performing actions for My sake. By working for Me, you shall attain perfection.

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Shloka 12:11

ॐ

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

athaitad apy asakto 'si kartum mad-yogam asritah
sarva-karma-phala-tyagam tatah kuru yatatmavan

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: If you are unable to do even this, then take refuge in My yoga and, with self-control, renounce the fruits of all your actions.

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Shloka 12:12

ॐ

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२:१२ ॥

sreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj jnanad dhyanam visisyate
dhyanat karma-phala-tyagas tyagac chantir anantaram

Translation

Knowledge is superior to mere practice; meditation is superior to knowledge; and renunciation of the fruits of actions is superior to meditation, for peace immediately follows such renunciation.

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Shloka 12:13

ॐ

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

adveshta sarva-bhutanam maitrah karuna eva ca
nirmamo nirahankarah sama-duhkha-sukhah ksami

Translation

One who has no hatred toward any living being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, equal in happiness and distress, and forgiving—such a devotee is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:14

ॐ

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

santustah satatam yogi yatatma drdha-niscayah
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

Translation

One who is always content, self-controlled, firmly determined, and has dedicated both mind and intellect to Me—such a devotee is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:15

ॐ

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

yasman nodvijate loko lokan nodvijate ca yah
harsa-marsa-bhayodvegair mukto yah sa ca me priyah

Translation

One by whom the world is not disturbed, and who is not disturbed by the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety—such a devotee is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:16

ॐ

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

anapeksah sucir daksa udasino gata-vyathah
sarvarambha-parityagi yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

Translation

One who is free from expectations, pure, skillful, impartial, free from anxiety, and who has renounced selfish undertakings—such a devotee is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:17

ॐ

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

yo na hrsyati na dvesti na socati na kanksati
subhasubha-parityagi bhaktiman yah sa me priyah

Translation

One who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, and who has renounced attachment to both good and bad results—such a devoted person is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:18

ॐ

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

samah satrau ca mitre ca tatha mana-apamanayoh
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu samah sanga-vivarjitah

Translation

One who remains equal toward friend and enemy, honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, and is free from attachment—is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:19

ॐ

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

tulya-ninda-stutir mauni santusto yena kenacit
aniketah sthira-matir bhaktiman me priyo narah

Translation

One who is the same in praise and blame, restrained in speech, content with whatever comes, unattached to any residence, steady in mind, and full of devotion—such a person is dear to Me.

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Shloka 12:20

ॐ

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

ye tu dharmyamrtam idam yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama bhaktas te 'tiva me priyah

Translation

But those faithful devotees who follow this immortal path of righteousness as described above, accepting Me as their supreme goal, are exceedingly dear to Me.

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Note: Every interpretation published here is the original work of Kedi Ganapati alone. No other author, commentator, or interpreter has contributed to these explanations. These interpretations are based on Kedi Ganapati's own understanding of the Bhagavad Gita's verses through personal study, research, wisdom, and experience.