Bhakti Yoga

The path of devotion. Of all paths, Krishna says, this one is dearest to him, and most accessible to those who love.

All 20 verses of this chapter on one page. Read straight through, or press play and follow each verse as it is recited.

• Verse 12.1

  अर्जुन उवाच एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते । येचाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥

  Arjuna said: Those devotees who worship You with constant devotion, and those who worship the imperishable, unmanifest reality—who among them are the most accomplished in yoga?

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• Verse 12.2

  श्री भगवानुवाच मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते । श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥

  Those who focus their mind on me, worship me with unwavering devotion, and are filled with supreme trust are, in my view, the highest yogis.

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• Verse 12.3

  ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते । सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥

  Those who worship the unchanging, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the all-pervading, the unthinkable, the unmoving, the eternal, the imperishable—restraining the senses—reach Me alone.

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• Verse 12.4

  संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः । ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥

  Those who restrain the senses, remain even-minded everywhere, and delight in the welfare of all beings reach me alone.

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• Verse 12.5

  क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् । अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥

  For those whose minds cling to the unmanifest, the struggle is greater. The unmanifest path is hard to reach for embodied beings.

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• Verse 12.6

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

  But those who surrender all actions to Me, take Me as their highest aim, and worship Me with single-pointed devotion, meditating on Me alone.

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• Verse 12.7

  तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् । भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥

  I quickly become the one who lifts those whose minds are fixed on me from the ocean of mortal existence, O Partha.

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• Verse 12.8

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

  Fix your mind on me alone. Place your discerning mind in me, and you will live in me beyond doubt.

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• Verse 12.9

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

  If you cannot steadily fix your mind on me, then, Dhananjaya, seek me through practice yoga.

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• Verse 12.10

  अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव । मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥

  If you are unable even to practice, then be devoted to working for Me. By doing actions for My sake, you will attain perfection.

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• Verse 12.11

  अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥

  If you still cannot do even this while taking refuge in my yoga, then, self-controlled, renounce all fruits of action.

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• Verse 12.12

  श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते । ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥

  Knowledge is better than practice; meditation is better than knowledge. Renouncing the fruits of action is better than meditation, and peace follows at once from renunciation.

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• Verse 12.13

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

  One who hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, equal in pleasure and pain, and forgiving.

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• Verse 12.14

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

  The devoted yogi is always content, self-controlled, and steady in resolve. One whose mind and discerning mind are offered to Me is dear to Me.

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• Verse 12.15

  यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः । हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥

  The one who disturbs no one and is disturbed by no one, and who is free from delight, envy, fear, and agitation, is dear to me.

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• Verse 12.16

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

  One who has no expectation, is pure, skilled, detached, free from anxiety, and has given up all undertakings is dear to me, my devotee.

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• Verse 12.17

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

  One who neither rejoices, hates, grieves, nor craves, and who has given up attachment to both good and bad actions, is dear to me.

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• Verse 12.18

  समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥

  One who is equal to enemy and friend, honor and dishonor, heat and cold, pleasure and pain, and is free from attachment is dear to Me.

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• Verse 12.19

  तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येनकेनचित् । अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥

  Equal in praise and blame, silent, content with whatever comes, homeless, steady-minded—the devoted person is dear to me.

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• Verse 12.20

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

  Those devotees who trust, take refuge in Me, and faithfully live this nectar-like teaching are exceedingly dear to Me.

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