The Yoga of Devotion
20 versesअर्जुन उवाच। एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते। ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥
arjuna uvāca evaṃ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ
Of the worshippers, who thus, constantly devoted, meditate on you, and those who (meditate) on the unperceived and indestructible, which best know devotion? Those who being constantly devoted and possessed of the highest faith
Open passageश्रीभगवानुवाच। मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते। श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nityayuktā upāsate śraddhayā parayopetāḥ te me yuktatamā matāḥ
worship me with a mind fixed on me
Open passageये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते। सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ॥
ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyamavyaktaṃ paryupāsate sarvatragamacintyañca kūṭasthamacalandhruvam
are deemed by me to be the most devoted. But those who restraining the (whole) group of the senses
Open passageसन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः। ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥
sanniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ sarvatra samabuddhayaḥ te prāpnuvanti māmeva sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ
and with a mind at all times equable meditate on the indescribable indestructible unperceived (principle) which is all-pervading unthinkable indifferent
Open passageक्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥
kleśo.adhikatarasteṣāmavyaktāsaktacetasām avyaktā hi gatirduḥkhaṃ dehavadbhiravāpyate
immovable and constant they intent on the good of all beings necessarily attain to me. For those whose minds are attached to the unperceived the trouble is much greater. Because the unperceived goal is obtained by embodied (beings) with difficulty. As to those however O son of Pṛthā! who dedicating all their actions to me and (holding) me as their highest (goal)
Open passageये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः। अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate
worship me
Open passageतेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्। भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥
teṣāmahaṃ samuddhartā mṛtyusaṃsārasāgarāt bhavāmi nacirātpārtha mayyāveśitacetasām
meditating on me with a devotion towards none besides me and whose minds are fixed on me I Without delay come forward as their deliverer from the ocean of this world of death.
Open passageमय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय। निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥
mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya nivasiṣyasi mayyeva ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ
Place your mind on me only
Open passageअथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्। अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥
atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram abhyāsayogena tato māmicchāptuṃ dhanañjaya
fix your understanding on me. In me you will dwell hereafter, (there is) no doubt. But if you are unable to fix your mind steadily on me then
Open passageअभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव। मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥
abhyāse.apyasamartho.asi matkarmaparamo bhava madarthamapi karmāṇi kurvansiddhimavāpsyasi
O Dhanañjaya ! endeavour to obtain me by the abstraction of mind (resulting) from continuous meditation. If you are unequal even to continuous meditation, then let acts for (propitiating) me be your highest (aim). Even performing actions for (propitiating) me, you will attain perfection.
Open passageअथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥
athaitadapyaśakto.asi kartuṃ madyogamāśritaḥ sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
If you are unable to do even this
Open passageश्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते। ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥
śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsājjñānāddhyānaṃ viśiṣyate dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgastyāgācchāntiranantaram
then resort to devotion to me and with self-restraint abandon all fruit of action. For knowledge is better than continuous meditation concentration is esteemed higher than knowledge and the abandonment of fruit of action than concentration from (that) abandonment tranquillity soon (results). That devotee of mine
Open passageअद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī
who hates no being who is friendly and compassionate who is free from egoism and from (the idea that this or that is) mine to whom happiness and misery are alike who is forgiving
Open passageसन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥
santuṣṭaḥ satataṃ yogī yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
contented constantly devoted self-restrained and firm in his determinations and whose mind and understanding are devoted to me he is dear to me.
Open passageयस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः। हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥
yasmānnodvijate loko lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ harṣāmarṣabhayodvegairmukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ
He through whom the world is not agitated and who is not agitated by the world who is free from joy and anger and fear and agitation he too is dear to me. That devotee of mine
Open passageअनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः। सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥
anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa udāsīno gatavyathaḥ sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
who is unconcerned pure assiduous impartial free from distress who abandons all actions (for fruit) he is dear to me.
Open passageयो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति। शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥
yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati śubhāśubhaparityāgī bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who is full of devotion to me
Open passageसमः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः। शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥
samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpamānayoḥ śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu samaḥ saṅgavivarjitaḥ
who feels no joy and no aversion who does not grieve and does not desire who abandons (both what is) agreeable and (what is) disagreeable he is dear to me. He who is alike to friend and foe as also in honour and dishonour
Open passageतुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित्। अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥
tulyanindāstutirmaunī santuṣṭo yena kenacit aniketaḥ sthiramatirbhaktimānme priyo naraḥ
who is alike in cold and heat pleasure and pain who is free from attachments to whom praise and blame are alike who is taciturn and contented with anything whatever (that comes) who is homeless and of a steady mind and full of devotion that man is dear to me. But those devotees who
Open passageये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते। श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥
ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste.atīva me priyāḥ
imbued with faith and (regarding) me as their highest (goal) resort to this holy (means for attaining) immortality as stated they are extremely dear to me.
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