Twelfth Discourse
BHAKTI-YOGA
*Who are superior—the worshippers of Isvara, or the worshippers of Akshara?
Arjuna said:
1.
Those devotees who, always devout, thus contemplate Thee, and those also who (contemplate) the Imperishable, the Unmanifest,—which of them are better versed in Yoga?
The Blessed Lord said:
2.
Those who, fixing their thought on Me, contemplate always on Me, with steadfast devotion and being endowed with faith; -they are the most perfect yogis according to Me.
* The worshippers of Akshara
3-4.
Those who ever contemplate the Imperishable, the Indefinable, the Unmanifest, the Omnipresent and the Unthinkable, the Unchangeable, the Immutable, the Eternal,—having restrained all the senses, always equanimoas, intent on the welfare of all beings,—they reach Myself.
5.
Greater is their trouble whose thoughts are set on the Unmanifest; for, the Goal, the Unmanifest, is very hard for the embodied to reach.
* Salvation by worship of Isvara
6-7.
But those who worship Me, renouncing all actions in Me, regarding Me Supreme, meditating on Me with exclusive devotion (yoga); for them whose thought is fixed on Me, I become the deliverer out of the ocean of the mortal samsara, O son of Pritha.
8.
Fix thy mind in Me exclusively apply thy reason to Me. Thou shalt no doubt live in Me alone hereafter.
* Abhyasa-Yoga
9.
If thou art unable to fix thy thought steadily on Me, then by yoga of constant practice do thou seek to reach Me, O Dhananjaya.
* Service of the Lord
10.
(If) thou art not equal to practice either, then be thou intent on (doing) actions for My sake. Even doing actions for My sake, thou shalt attain perfection.
* Abandonment of the fruits of actions
11.
If thou art unable to do even this, then refuged in devotion to Me, do thou abandon the fruits of all actions, self-controlled.
Now He extols the abandoning of the fruits of all actions
12.
Better indeed is knowledge than practice; than knowledge is meditation more esteemed; than meditation the abandonment of the fruits of actions; on abandonment, Peace follows immediately.
*The life of the Akshara-upasakas
13-14.
He who hates no single being, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from attachment and egoism, to whom pain and pleasure are equal, who is enduring, ever content and balanced in mind, self-controlled, and possessed of firm conviction, whose thought and reason are directed to Me, he who is (thus) devoted to Me is dear to Me.
15.
He by whum the world is not afflicted and who is not afflicted by the world, who is free from joy, envy, fear and sorrow, he is dear to Me.
16.
He who is free from wants, who is pure, clever, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing all undertakings, he who is (thus) devoted to Me is dear to Me.
Moreover,
17.
He who neither rejoice, not hates, not grieves, nor desires, renouncing evil, he who is full of devotion is dear to Me.
18-19.
He who is the same to foe and friend, and also in honor and dishonor; who is the same incold and heat, in pleasure and pain; who is free from attachment; 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.
20.
They, verily, who follow this immortal Law described above, endued with faith, looking up to Me as the Supreme, and devoted, they are exceedingly dear to Me.
END OF TWELFTH DISCOURSE
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