Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 12 All Verses with Meaning and Audio With Lyrics, Audio, Meaning, Significance in Sanskrit, English and other languages

Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 12 All Verses with Meaning and Audio

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

arjuna uvāca
evaṃ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate
ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ 12-1

Those devotees who, eversteadfast, thus worship you, and also those who worship the imperishable, the unmanifested — which of them are better versed in YOGA?

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ १२-२॥

śrībhagavānuvāca
mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nityayuktā upāsate
śraddhayā parayopetāḥ te me yuktatamā matāḥ 12-2

The Blessed Lord said: 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.

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते ।
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ॥ १२-३॥

ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyam avyaktaṃ paryupāsate
sarvatragamacintyañca kūṭasthamacalandhruvam 12-3

Those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable. the unchangeable. the immovable and the eternal, . . .

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

sanniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ sarvatra samabuddhayaḥ
te prāpnuvanti māmeva sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ 12-4

Having restrained all the senses, even-minded everywhere, rejoicing ever in the welfare of all beings — verily theyalso come unto Me.

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ।
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२-५॥

kleśo’dhikatarasteṣām avyaktāsaktacetasām
avyaktā hi gatirduḥkhaṃ dehavadbhiravāpyate 12-5

Greater is their trouble whose minds are set on the Unmanifest ; for the goal, the Unmanifest, is very hard for the embodied to reach.

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

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparāḥ
ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate 12-6

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

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

teṣāmahaṃ samuddhartā mṛtyusaṃsārasāgarāt
bhavāmi nacirātpārtha mayyāveśitacetasām 12-7

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

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

mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya
nivasiṣyasi mayyeva ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ 12-8

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

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

atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram
abhyāsayogena tato māmicchāptuṃ dhanañjaya 12-9

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

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

abhyāse’pyasamartho’si matkarmaparamo bhava
madarthamapi karmāṇi kurvansiddhimavāpsyasi 12-10

If you are unable even to practise ABHYASA-YOGA, be you intent on performing actions for My sake; even by doing actions for My sake, you shall attain perfection.

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

athaitadapyaśakto’si kartuṃ madyogamāśritaḥ
sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān 12-11

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

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते ।
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२-१२॥

śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsāj jñānāddhyānaṃ viśiṣyate
dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgas tyāgācchāntiranantaram 12-12

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.

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

adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī 12-13

He who hates no creature, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from attachment and egoism, balanced in pleasure and pain, and forgiving . . .

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

santuṣṭaḥ satataṃ yogī yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ
mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ 12-14

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.

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

yasmānnodvijate loko lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ
harṣāmarṣabhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ 12-15

He by whom the world is not agitated (affected) , and who cannot be agitated by the world, who is freed from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety — he is dear to me.

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

anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa udāsīno gatavyathaḥ
sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ 12-16

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.

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

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati
śubhāśubhaparityāgī bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ 12-17

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

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

samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpamānayoḥ
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu samaḥ saṅgavivarjitaḥ 12-18

He who is the same to foe and friend, and also in honour and dishonour, who is the same in cold and heat and in pleasure and pain, who is free from attachment . . .

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

tulyanindāstutirmaunī santuṣṭo yena kenacit
aniketaḥ sthiramatir bhaktimānme priyo naraḥ 12-19

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.

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

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
भक्तियोगो नाम द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२॥

ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate
śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste’tīva me priyāḥ 12-20

oṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde
bhaktiyogo nāma dvādaśo’dhyāyaḥ 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.

Description

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12 Summary

Bhakti-yoga – The Yoga of Devotion

The shortest chapter of the Gita but in some ways one of the most important ones because it clearly explains the meaning of a term that is often misunderstood – Bhakti. The Lord succinctly points out the attributes that denote a true Bhakta who is dear to Him, thereby providing us with a list of qualities we must strive to cultivate in ourselves. Below are the main themes of Chapter 12:

Verses 1 – 2
Arjuna’s question and Kṛṣṇa’s answer

Verses 3 – 12
The five stages of bhakti (prasādabuddhi, īśvarārpaṇabuddhi, iṣṭadevatā-upāsanā, virāḍ-upāsanā and akṣara-upāsanā jñā-nayoga)

Verses 13 – 19
Traits of parābhakta (parābaktalakṣaṇa)

Verses 20
Glory of the teaching

Verses 35 – 47
Arjuna’s delusion which stems from his ignorance about the true nature of oneself (moha)

Gita Chapter 12 – Commentary by Swami Paramarthananda

Background

The eleventh chapter has paved the way for virāḍ-bhakti. So, in the twelfth chapter, the Lord deals with all aspects of bhakti leading to liberation.

The chapter begins with Arjuna’s question seeking to know whether virāḍ-bhakta (saguṇabhakta) or akṣara-bhakta (nirguṇa-bhakta) is superior (1).

Lord Krishna first answers that saguṇabhakta is superior. (In fact, we cannot compare them. Everyone has to go through both and one can reach the Lord through nirguṇabhakti alone, which the Lord himself points out in the 4th verse. Still the Lord praises saguṇabhakta because of the context.) (2)

From the 3rd verse to the 12th verse, Krishna gives out the entire range of bhakti which leads to liberation. In the first 3 verses (3 to 5) Krishna talks about nirguṇabhakti which is jñānayoga and which is the direct means for liberation. But, the Lord points out that this would be difficult for unprepared people (5).

From the 6th verse to the 8th verse, the Lord speaks about the next lower stage in the form of virāḍ-upāsanā. He promises that such upāsaka would be rescued from saṃsāra by the Lord. (This does not mean that a virāḍ-upāsaka can get liberation, skipping jñānayoga. The idea is that he becomes fit for jñānayoga and attains liberation through knowledge.)

In the 9th verse, the Lord comes one more step down. If one is incapable of doing virāḍ-upāsana, let him practice meditation on any form of the Lord (iṣṭadevatā-upāsanā). Thus, upāsanā (on virāḍ or iṣṭadevatā) becomes the preparatory step for jñānayoga.

In the next verse (10th), the Lord comes down further. If a person is too extrovert to take up upāsanā, he is asked here to perform his duty (nitya and naimittika) as an offering to the Lord (Īśvarārpaṇam) without expecting any reward.

When a person is full of desires, he is impelled to do desire-born actions (kāmya) expecting results. For such a person Krishna prescribes the last step. When he receives the result of kāmya-karmas, let him take it as a prasāda (graceful gift) of the Lord and avoid reaction. Krishna indicates this through the word ‘sarvakarmaphalatyāgam’ (11).

The above two steps come under karmayoga. (A karmayogī becomes fit for upāsanā after some time. Upāsanā makes him qualified for jñānayoga. Jñāna helps him discover his own true ever-free nature.)

Krishna concludes this topic by praising the last step of karma-yoga (12).

From the 13th verse up to the 19th verse, Krishna gives a clear picture of the characteristics of one who has gone through all these steps and discovered fulfillment. [As a karmayogī and upāsaka he was a devotee of saguṇa-īśvara, seeing the Lord as distinct from him. This is only lower bhakti, because he does not know the true nature of the Lord still (Refer VII-17). His bhakti is saguṇabhakti or bhedabhakti or aparā-bhakti. Once he pursues jñānayoga and discovers his identity with the Lord, his bhakti becomes nirguṇabhakti or abhedabhakti or parā-bhakti, which is an end in itself.] In these verses Krishna describes the traits of a parabhakta who is a sthitaprajña (Refer II-55 to 72). (This serves twofold purpose. Firstly, it is an inspiration for a seeker to pursue his sādhanam. Secondly, the natural traits of a parabhakta serve as values for a sādhaka to be deliberately practised.)

This portion can be broadly divided into two. One referring to those virtues which a parabhakta spontaneously enjoys, and the second, referring to those negative traits which he is totally free from.

Krishna concludes the teaching by saying — “Those who follow this teaching with faith, keeping Me as the goal, are very dear to Me.” (20)

Gita 12th Chapter – Main Points

Arjuna’s question and Krishna’s answer: 1, 2
The five stages of bhakti (prasādabuddhi, īśvarārpaṇabuddhi, iṣṭadevatā-upāsanā, virāḍ-upāsanā and akṣara-upāsanā jñā-nayoga): 3 to 12
Traits of parābhakta (parābaktalakṣaṇa): 13 to 19
Glory of the teaching: 20

Since this chapter talks about all stages of bhakti, this is called ‘Bhakti yoga’

Other Bhagavad Gita Shlokams

Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 12 All Verses with Meaning and Audio – Bhagavad Gita – Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12 All Verses Easy Chanting with Audio and Meaning, Lyrics