Verse 01
अर्जुन उवाचएवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते।येचाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः।।12.1।।
arjuna uvācha
evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate
ye chāpy akṣharam avyaktaṁ teṣhāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ
Arjuna said: Which of these has greater knowledge of yoga—those devotees who meditate on You, ever integrated, or those who meditate on the Imperishable and the Unmanifest?
Verse 02
श्री भगवानुवाचमय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते।श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः।।12.2।।
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
mayy āveśhya mano ye māṁ nitya-yuktā upāsate
śhraddhayā parayopetās te me yuktatamā matāḥ
The Lord said, "Those who, ever integrated with Me and possessing supreme faith, worship Me, focusing their minds on Me—these are considered by Me to be the highest among the yogis."
Verse 03
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते।सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम्।।12.3।।
ye tv akṣharam anirdeśhyam avyaktaṁ paryupāsate
sarvatra-gam achintyañcha kūṭa-stham achalandhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ
te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
But those who meditate on the Imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, omnipresent, unthinkable, common to all beings, immovable, and constant—
Verse 04
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः।ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः।।12.4।।
sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
Having subdued all the senses, being even-minded, and engaged in the welfare of all beings, they too come to Me only.
Verse 05
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते।।12.5।।
kleśho ’dhikataras teṣhām avyaktāsakta-chetasām
avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate
Greater is the difficulty for those whose minds are thus attached to the unmanifest, for the way of the unmanifest is hard to reach for embodied beings.
Verse 06
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः।अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते।।12.6।।
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ
ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
For those who dedicate all their actions to Me, hold Me as their supreme goal, are intent on Me, and worship Me, meditating on Me with exclusive devotion;
Verse 07
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्।भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम्।।12.7।।
teṣhām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛityu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt
bhavāmi na chirāt pārtha mayy āveśhita-chetasām
Those whose minds are thus focused on Me, I soon become their savior from the ocean of mortal life.
Verse 08
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय।निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः।।12.8।।
mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya
nivasiṣhyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na sanśhayaḥ
Focus your mind on Me alone; and let your intellect enter into Me. Then, you will live in Me alone; there is no doubt.
Verse 09
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्।अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय।।12.9।।
atha chittaṁ samādhātuṁ na śhaknoṣhi mayi sthiram
abhyāsa-yogena tato mām ichchhāptuṁ dhanañjaya
If now you are unable to focus your mind on Me, then seek to reach Me, O Arjuna, through the practice of repetition.
Verse 10
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव।मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।।12.10।।
abhyāse ’py asamartho ’si mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
If you are incapable of even this practice of repetition, then devote yourself to My deeds. For even by working for My sake, you will attain perfection.
Verse 11
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः।सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्।।12.11।।
athaitad apy aśhakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśhritaḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
If you are unable to do even this—that is, take refuge in My Yoga—then, with your self-control, renounce the fruits of every action.
Verse 12
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते।ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्।।12.12।।
śhreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj jñānād dhyānaṁ viśhiṣhyate
dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas tyāgāch chhāntir anantaram
Far better is knowledge of the Self than the repeated practice (of remembrance of the Lord). Better is meditation than this knowledge; better is renunciation of the fruits of action than meditation. From such renunciation, peace ensues.
Verse 13
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च।निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी।।12.13।।
adveṣhṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva cha
nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣhamī
He who never hates any being, who is friendly and compassionate, who is free from the feelings of "I" and "mine," who looks upon all pain and pleasure equally, and who is enduring;
Verse 14
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः।मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः।।12.14।।
santuṣhṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who is content, who meditates ever, is self-restrained, and is firm in his convictions, and has his mind and reason dedicated to Me—he is dear to Me.
Verse 15
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः।हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः।।12.15।।
yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yaḥ
harṣhāmarṣha-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa cha me priyaḥ
He from whom the world has no cause to be frightened, who is not frightened by the world, who is free from joy and impatience, fear, and aversion - he is dear to me.
Verse 16
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः।।12.16।।
anapekṣhaḥ śhuchir dakṣha udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who is free from desires, who is pure, expert, indifferent, and free from agony, who has renounced every undertaking—he is dear to me.
Verse 17
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति।शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्ितमान्यः स मे प्रियः।।12.17।।
yo na hṛiṣhyati na dveṣhṭi na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati
śhubhāśhubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who does not rejoice, nor hate, nor grieve, nor desire, who renounces both good and evil, and who is full of devotion to Me—such a devotee is dear to Me.
Verse 18
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः।शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः।।12.18।।
samaḥ śhatrau cha mitre cha tathā mānāpamānayoḥ
śhītoṣhṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣhu samaḥ saṅga-vivarjitaḥ
He who is the same to foe and friend, honor and dishonor, who is alike to both cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and who is free from all attachments;
Verse 19
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येनकेनचित्।अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्ितमान्मे प्रियो नरः।।12.19।।
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī santuṣhṭo yena kenachit
aniketaḥ sthira-matir bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
He who regards both blame and praise alike, who is silent and content with any lot, who has no home, who is firm of mind, and who is devoted to Me - such a man is dear to Me.
Verse 20
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते।श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः।।12.20।।
ye tu dharmyāmṛitam idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate
śhraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
But those devotees who follow this nectar of virtuous duty, as taught above, who are full of faith and regard Me as the Supreme, are exceedingly dear to Me.
20 verses · Meaning is kept with the chapter. Plain meaning after Swami Adidevananda. Essence notes on selected verses are ours.
