The Yoga of Devotion

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

Arjuna asked: Between those devotees who worship You as the personal form, always connected, and those who worship the imperishable, unmanifest Brahman — which are better versed in yoga?

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

The Supreme Lord said: Those who fix their minds on Me and always worship Me with supreme faith — I consider them to be the most perfect in yoga.

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते। सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम्॥

But those who worship the imperishable, indefinable, unmanifest, all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, immovable, and eternal...

सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः। ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः॥

...controlling all their senses, equal-minded everywhere, engaged in the welfare of all beings — they also attain Me.

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते॥

Greater is the difficulty for those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest, for the path of the unmanifest is hard for embodied beings to attain.

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

But those who worship Me, dedicating all actions to Me, regarding Me as the Supreme, meditating on Me with exclusive devotion...

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्। भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम्॥

...for those whose minds are absorbed in Me, I become their swift deliverer from the ocean of mortal existence, O Arjuna.

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

Fix your mind on Me alone, let your intellect dwell in Me. Thereafter you shall live in Me alone. Of this there is no doubt.

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

If you cannot fix your mind steadily on Me, then seek to reach Me through the yoga of practice (repetition), O Arjuna.

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव। मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि॥

If you are unable even to practice, be intent on acting for My sake. Even by performing actions for My sake, you shall attain perfection.

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्॥

If you are unable to do even this, then taking refuge in My yoga, renounce the fruits of all actions with self-control.

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते। ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्॥

Knowledge is better than practice; meditation is better than knowledge; better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action — from such renunciation, peace immediately follows.

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

One who has no hatred toward any being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, balanced in pleasure and pain, forgiving...

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

...always content, self-controlled, of firm determination, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me — such a devotee is dear to Me.

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

One by whom the world is not agitated and who cannot be agitated by the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety — such a person is dear to Me.