CHAPTER
12:
THE YOGA OF DEVOTION
On fixing oneself on
the ultimate of perfection
(1)
Arjuna
said: 'Thus, of those who as Your devotees are always
engaged in proper worship and of those who go beyond the
senses for the unmanifested - who of them are the best in
the knowledge of yoga? '
(2)
The
Supreme Lord said: 'Those who fix their mind on Me and
who always are engaged in worship, endowed by Me with
faith in the transcendental, are considered to be of the
strongest bond. (3-4)
But
those who, of the indefinite and unmanifest that is
beyond the senses, are completely of worship and fixed on
the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging and
immovable, controlling all the senses and equipoised
towards all whenever; they for certain engaged for the
welfare of all attain Me. (5)
The
trouble for those who are attached to the unmanifested is
very great; for those minds set to the unseen surely is
the progress of the embodied achieved with
difficulty. (6-7)
But
to those whose activities are all directed to Me and who
give up in the attachment to Me, undivided and sure by
the practice of yoga of meditating and worshipping Me; of
those whose minds are fixed on Me I become the swift
deliverer of death in material existence, o son of
Prithâ.
(8)
Be
sure to fix your mind on Me and to apply your
intelligence for Me and you will live in Me for certain
and never suffer any doubt
thereafter. (9)
If
you you are not able to fix your mind on Me, then be
steadfast holding on to the rules of yoga and develop a
desire to get to Me, o conqueror of
wealth. (10)
If
you are even unable to practice that, then become
dedicated in working for My sake as even by doing work
you will achieve perfection. (11)
And
if you are even unable to do this in the yoga unto Me,
then take your refuge in the renunciation of the results
of all action and then remain with
yourself. (12)
Better
than practice is knowledge and better than knowledge is
meditation considered to be. Renouncing the fruits of
labor is better than meditation as of such renunciation
peace will ensue.
(13-14)
With
no dislike towards anyone and surely friendly and kind,
nonpossessive, and not identified, equal in distress and
happiness, forgiving, peaceful and always devoted,
selfcontrolled and with determination in mind and
intelligence always fixed on Me - such a devotee of Mine
is very dear to Me. (15)
Anyone
of whom the people are never disturbed and who is also
not disturbed by the people; he who is free from ups and
downs, fears and anxieties is very dear to Me.
(16)
Anyone
prepared for alternatives [neutral], who is pure,
capable, unworried, untroubled and does not consider
mundane endeavoring, such a devotee of Mine is very dear
to Me. (17)
One
who never rejoices nor hates, never grieves nor craves
and remains detached for better or for worse - one who is
such a devotee is dear to
Me. (18-19)
Equal
to foe and friend, in honor and dishonor, in heat and
cold and in happiness and distress and the same in
absence of company; not different in infamy and repute,
quiet and satisfied with anything, free from his home and
fixed in his determination as a devotee a man is very
dear to Me. (20)
Those
who but cherish the nectar of this nature and as said
fully engage themselves with faith in the sublime of Me -
those devotees are most dear to Me.
Spoken
by Anand Aadhar Prabhu
to the text offered below