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Chapter 12: Devotional Service
TEXT 1
arjuna uvaca evam satata-yukta ye
bhaktas tvam paryupasate ye capy aksaram avyaktam
tesam ke yoga-vittamah
arjunah uvaca -- Arjuna said; evam -- thus; satata -- always; yuktah -- engaged; ye -- those;
bhaktah -- devotees; tvam -- unto You; paryupasate -- properly worship; ye -- those; ca -- also;
api -- again; aksaram -- beyond the senses; avyaktam -- unmanifested; tesam -- of them;
ke -- who; yoga-vittamah -- the most perfect.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna inquired: Which is considered to be more perfect: those who are properly engaged
in Your devotional service, or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested?
PURPORT
Krsna has now explained about the personal, the impersonal and the universal and has described
all kinds of devotees and yogis. Generally, the transcendentalists can be divided into
two classes. One is the impersonalist, and the other is the personalist. The personalist
devotee engages himself with all energy in the service of the Supreme Lord. The impersonalist
engages himself not directly in the service of Krsna but in meditation on the impersonal
Brahman, the unmanifested.
We find in this chapter that of the different processes for realization of the Absolute
Truth, bhakti-yoga, devotional service, is the highest. If one at all desires to have
the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he must take to devotional
service.
Those who worship the Supreme Lord directly by devotional service are called personalists.
Those who engage themselves in meditation on the impersonal Brahman are called impersonalists.
Arjuna is here questioning which position is better. There are different ways to realize
the Absolute Truth, but Krsna indicates in this chapter that bhakti-yoga, or devotional
service to Him, is highest of all. It is the most direct, and it is the easiest means for
association with the Godhead.
In the Second Chapter the Lord explains that a living entity is not the material body but
is a spiritual spark, a part of the Absolute Truth. In the Seventh Chapter He speaks of
the living entity as part and parcel of the supreme whole and recommends that he transfer
his attention fully to the whole. In the Eighth Chapter it is stated that whoever thinks of
Krsna at the moment of death is at once transferred to the spiritual sky, Krsna's abode. And at
the end of the Sixth Chapter the Lord says that out of all the yogis, he who thinks of
Krsna within himself is considered to be the most perfect. So throughout the Gita personal
devotion to Krsna is recommended as the highest form of spiritual realization. Yet there are
those who are still attracted to Krsna's impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence, which is the all-pervasive
aspect of the Absolute Truth and which is unmanifest and beyond the reach of the senses.
Arjuna would like to know which of these two types of transcendentalists is more perfect
in knowledge. In other words, he is clarifying his own position because he is attached to
the personal form of Krsna. He is not attached to the impersonal Brahman. He wants to know
whether his position is secure. The impersonal manifestation, either in this material world
or in the spiritual world of the Supreme Lord, is a problem for meditation. Actually, one
cannot perfectly conceive of the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Therefore Arjuna
wants to say, "What is the use of such a waste of time?" Arjuna experienced in the Eleventh
Chapter that to be attached to the personal form of Krsna is best because he could thus
understand all other forms at the same time and there was no disturbance to his love for
Krsna. This important question asked of Krsna by Arjuna will clarify the distinction between
the impersonal and personal conceptions of the Absolute Truth.
TEXT 2
sri-bhagavan uvaca mayy avesya mano ye mam
nitya-yukta upasate sraddhaya parayopetas
te me yuktatama matah
sri bhagavan uvaca -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mayi -- unto Me; avesya -- fixing;
manah -- mind; ye -- one who; mam -- unto Me; nitya -- always; yuktah -- engaged; upasate
-- worships; sraddhaya -- with faith; paraya -- transcendental; upetah -- engages; te -- they;
me -- Mine; yuktatamah -- most perfect; matah -- I consider.
TRANSLATION
The Blessed Lord said: He whose mind is fixed on My personal form, always engaged in worshiping
Me with great and transcendental faith, is considered by Me to be most perfect.
PURPORT
In answer to Arjuna's question, Krsna clearly says that he who concentrates upon His personal
form and who worships Him with faith and devotion is to be considered most perfect in yoga.
For one in such Krsna consciousness there are no material activities because everything
is done by Krsna. A pure devotee is constantly engaged-sometimes he chants, sometimes he
hears or reads books about Krsna, or sometimes he cooks prasadam or goes to the marketplace
to purchase something for Krsna, or sometimes he washes the temple or the dishes-whatever
he does, he does not let a single moment pass without devoting his activities to Krsna Such
action is in full samadhi.
TEXTS 3-4
ye tv aksaram anirdesyam avyaktam paryupasate
sarvatra-gam acintyam ca kuta-stham acalam dhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-gramam sarvatra sama-buddhayah
te prapnuvanti mam eva sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
ye -- those; tu -- but; aksaram -- which is beyond the perception of the senses; anirdesyam
-- indefinite; avyaktam -- unmanifested; paryupasate -- completely engages; sarvatra-gam -- all-pervading;
acintyam -- inconceivable; ca -- also; kutastham -- in the center; acalam -- immovable; dhruvam
-- fixed; sanniyamya -- controlling; indriya-gramam -- all the senses; sarvatra -- everywhere;
sama-buddayah -- equally disposed; te -- they; prapnuvanti -- achieve; mam -- unto Me; eva
-- certainly; sarva-bhuta-hite -- all living entities' welfare; ratah -- engaged.
TRANSLATION
But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the
senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, fixed, and immovable -- the impersonal conception
of the Absolute Truth-by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone,
such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me.
PURPORT
Those who do not directly worship the Supreme Godhead, Krsna, but who attempt to achieve
the same goal by an indirect process, also ultimately achieve the supreme goal, Sri Krsna,
as is stated, "After many births the man of wisdom seeks refuge in Me, knowing Vasudeva
is all." When a person comes to full knowledge after many births, he surrenders unto Lord
Krsna. If one approaches the Godhead by the method mentioned in this verse, he has to
control the senses, render service to everyone and engage in the welfare of all beings. It
is inferred that one has to approach Lord Krsna, otherwise there is no perfect realization.
Often there is much penance involved before one fully surrenders unto Him.
In order to perceive the Supersoul within the individual soul, one has to cease the
sensual activities of seeing, hearing, tasting, working, etc. Then one comes to understand
that the Supreme Soul is present everywhere. Realizing this, one envies no living entity-he
sees no difference between man and animal because he sees soul only, not the outer covering.
But for the common man, this method of impersonal realization is very difficult.
TEXT 5
kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham dehavadbhir avapyate
klesah -- trouble; adhikatarah -- more troublesome; tesam -- of them; avyakta -- unmanifested;
asakta -- being attached; cetasam -- of those whose minds; avyakta -- unmanifested; hi -- certainly;
gatih duhkham -- progress is troublesome; dehavadbhih -- of the embodiments; avapyate
-- achieve.
TRANSLATION
For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme,
advancement is very troublesome. To make progrese in that discipline is always difficult for
those who are embodied.
PURPORT
The group of transcendentalists who follow the path of the inconceivable, unmanifested,
impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord are called jnana-yogis, and persons who are in
full Krsna consciousness, engaged in devotional service to the Lord, are called bhakti-yogis.
Now, here the difference between jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga is definitely expressed. The
process of jnana-yoga, although ultimately bringing one to the same goal, is very troublesome,
whereas the path of bhakti-yoga, the process of being in direct service to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is easier and is natural for the embodied soul. The individual soul
is embodied since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to simply theoretically
understand that he is not the body. Therefore, the bhakti-yogi accepts the Deity of Krsna
as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus
be applied. Of course, worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form within
the temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship may be
saguna and nirguna-of the Supreme possessing or not possessing attributes. Worship of the
Deity in the temple is saguna worship, for the Lord is represented by material qualities.
But the form of the Lord, though represented by material qualities such as stone, wood,
or oil paint, is not actually material. That is the absolute nature of the Supreme Lord.
A crude example may be given here. We may find some mailboxes on the street, and if
we post our letters in those boxes, they will naturally go to their destination without
difficulty. But any old box, or an imitation, which we may find somewhere, which is not
authorized by the post office, will not do the work. Similarly, God has an authorized
representation in the Deity form, which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha is
an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. God will accept service through that form. The Lord
is omnipotent and all-powerful; therefore, by His incarnation as arca-vigraha, He can
accept the services of the devotee, just to make it convenient for the man in conditioned
life.
So, for a devotee, there is no difficulty in approaching the Supreme immediately and
directly, but for those who are following the impersonal way to spiritual realization,
the path is difficult. They have to understand the unmanifested representation of the Supreme
through such Vedic literatures as the Upanisads, and they have to learn the language, understand
the nonperceptual feelings, and they have to realize all these processes. This is not
very easy for a common man. A person in Krsna consciousness, engaged in devotional service,
simply by the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, simply by offering regulative obeisances
unto the Deity, simply by hearing the glories of the Lord, and simply by eating the remnants
of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily.
There is no doubt that the impersonalists are unnecessarily taking a troublesome path
with the risk of not realizing the Absolute Truth at the ultimate end. But the personalist,
without any risk, trouble, or difficulty, approaches the Supreme Personality directly.
A similar passage appears in Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is stated there that if one has to ultimately
surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead (This surrendering process is called
bhakti.), but instead takes the trouble to understand what is Brahman and what is not
Brahman and spends his whole life in that way, the result is simply troublesome. Therefore
it is advised here that one should not take up this troublesome path of self-realization
because there is uncertainty in the ultimate result.
A living entity is eternally an individual soul, and if he wants to merge into the spiritual
whole, he may accomplish the realization of the eternal and knowledgeable aspects of his
original nature, but the blissful portion is not realized. By the grace of some devotee,
such a transcendentalist, highly learned in the process of jnana-yoga, may come to the
point of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. At that time, long practice in impersonalism
also becomes a source of trouble, because he cannot give up the idea. Therefore an embodied
soul is always in difficulty with the unmanifest, both at the time of practice and at the time
of realization. Every living soul is partially independant, and one should know for certain
that this unmanifested realization is against the nature of his spiritual blissful self.
One should not take up this process. For every individual living entity the process of Krsna
consciousness, which entails full engagement in devotional service, is the best way. If
one wants to ignore this devotional service, there is the danger of turning to atheism.
Thus this process of centering attention on the unmanifested, the inconceivable, which
is beyond the approach of the senses, as already expressed in this verse, should never be encouraged
at any time, especially in this age. It is not advised by Lord Krsna.
TEXTS 6-7
ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate
tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha mayy avesita-cetasam
ye -- one who; tu -- but; sarvani -- everything; karmani -- activities; mayi -- unto Me; sannyasya
-- giving up; mat-parah -- being attached to Me; ananyena -- without division; eva -- certainly;
yogena -- by practice of such bhakti-yoga; mam -- unto Me; dhyayantah -- meditating;
upasate -- worship; tesam -- of them; aham -- I; samuddharta -- deliverer; mrtyu -- that;
samsara -- material existence; sagarat -- from the ocean; bhavami -- become; na cirat -- not
a long time; partha -- O son of Prtha; mayi -- unto Me; avesita -- fixed; cetasam -- of
those whose minds are like that.
TRANSLATION
For one who worships Me, giving up all his activities unto Me and being devoted to Me
without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, who has fixed
his mind upon Me, O son of Prtha, for him I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of
birth and death.
PURPORT
It is explicitly stated here that the devotees are very fortunate to be delivered very soon
from material existence by the Lord. In pure devotional service one comes to the realization
that God is great and that the individual soul is subordinate to Him. His duty is to
render service to the Lord-if not, then he will render service to maya.
As stated before, the Supreme Lord can only be appreciated by devotional service. Therefore,
one should be fully devoted. One should fix his mind fully on Krsna in order to achieve
Him. One should work only for Krsna. It does not matter in what kind of work one engages,
but that work should be done only for Krsna. That is the standard of devotional service.
The devotee does not desire any achievement other than pleasing the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. His life's mission is to please Krsna, and he can sacrifice everything for
Krsna's satisfaction, just as Arjuna did in the Battle of Kuruksetra. The process is very
simple: one can devote himself in his occupation and engage at the same time in chanting Hare
Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Such transcendental chanting attracts the devotee to the Personality of Godhead.
The Supreme Lord herein promises that He will without delay deliver a pure devotee thus
engaged from the ocean of material existence. Those who are advanced in yoga practice can
willfully transfer the soul to whatever planet they like by the yoga process, and others
take the opportunity in various ways, but as far as the devotee is concerned, it is
clearly stated here that the Lord Himself takes him. He does not need to wait to become
very experienced in order to transfer himself to the spiritual sky.
In the Varaha Purana this verse appears:
nayami paramam sthanam arciradi-gatim vina garuda-skandham aropya yatheccham anivaritah
The purport of this verse is that a devotee does not need to practice astanga-yoga in
order to transfer his soul to the spiritual planets. The responsibility is taken by the
Supreme Lord Himself. He clearly states here that He Himself becomes the deliverer. A child
is completely cared for by his parents, and thus his position is secure. Similarly, a
devotee does not need to endeavor to transfer himself by yoga practice to other planets.
Rather, the Supreme Lord, by His great mercy, comes at once, riding on His bird carrier
Garuda, and at once delivers the devotee from this material existence. Although a man who
has fallen in the ocean may struggle very hard and may be very expert in swimming, he
cannot save himself. But if someone comes and picks him up from the water, then he is
easily rescued. Similarly, the Lord picks up the devotee from this material existence.
One simply has to practice the easy process of Krsna consciousness and fully engage himself
in devotional service. Any intelligent man should always prefer the process of devotional
service to all other paths. In the Narayaniya this is confirmed as follows:
ya vai sadhana-sampatti-purusartha-catustaye taya vina tad-apnoti naro narayanasrayah
The purport of this verse is that one should not engage in the different processes of fruitive
activity or cultivate knowledge by the mental speculative process. One who is devoted to
the Supreme Personality can attain all the benefits derived from other yogic processes,
speculation, rituals, sacrifices, charities, etc. That is the specific benediction of devotional
service.
Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-a devotee of the Lord can approach the supreme
destination easily and happily, but this destination cannot be approached by any other process
of religion.
The conclusion of Bhagavad-gita is stated in the Eighteenth Chapter:
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah.
One should give up all other processes of self-realization and simply execute devotional
service in Krsna consciousness. That will enable one to reach the highest perfection
of life. There is no need for one to consider the sinful actions of his past life because
the Supreme Lord fully takes charge of him. Therefore one should not futilely try to deliver
himself in spiritual realization. Let everyone take shelter of the supreme omnipotent Godhead
Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life.
TEXT 8
mayy eva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva ata urdhvam na samsayah
mayi -- unto Me; eva -- certainly; manah -- mind; adhatsva -- fix; mayi -- upon Me; buddhim
-- intelligence; nivesaya -- apply; nivasisyasi -- you lead; mayi -- unto Me; eva -- certainly;
atah -- therefore; urdhvam -- up; na -- never; samsayah -- doubt.
TRANSLATION
Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence
in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.
PURPORT
One who is engaged in Lord Krsna's devotional service lives in a direct relationship with
the Supreme Lord, so there is no doubt that his position is transcendental from the very
beginning. A devotee does not live on the material plane-he lives in Krsna. The holy
name of the Lord and the Lord are nondifferent; therefore when a devotee chants Hare Krsna,
Krsna and His internal potency are dancing on the tongue of the devotee. When he offers
Krsna food, Krsna directly accepts these eatables, and the devotee becomes Krsna-ized by eating
the remnants. One who does not engage in such service cannot understand how this is so,
although this is a process recommended in the Gita and in other Vedic literatures.
TEXT 9
atha cittam samadhatum na saknosi mayi sthiram
abhyasa-yogena tato mam icchaptum dhananjaya
atha -- if, therefore; cittam -- mind; samadhatam -- fixing; na -- not; saknosi -- able; mayi
-- upon Me; sthiram -- fixed; abhyasa -- practice; yogena -- by devotional service; tatah -- therefore;
mam -- Me; iccha -- desire; aptum -- to get; dhananjaya -- O Arjuna.
TRANSLATION
My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation,
then follow the regulated principles of bhakti-yoga In this way you will develop a desire to attain
to Me.
PURPORT
In this verse, two different processes of bhakti-yoga are indicated. The first applies
to one who has actually developed an attachment for Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
by transcendental love. And the other is for one who has not developed an attachment for
the Supreme Person by transcendental love. For this second class there are different
prescribed rules and regulations, which one can follow to be ultimately elevated to the
stage of attachment to Krsna.
Bhakti-yoga is the purification of the senses. At the present moment in material existence
the senses are always impure, being engaged in sense gratification. But, by the practice
of bhakti-yoga these senses can become purified, and in the purified state they come directly
in contact with the Supreme Lord. In this material existence, I may be engaged in some
service to some master, but I don't really lovingly serve my master. I simply serve to
get some money. And the master also is not in love; he takes service from me and pays
me. So there is no question of love. But for spiritual life, one must be elevated to the
pure stage of love. That stage of love can be achieved by practice of devotional service,
performed with the present senses.
This love of God is now in a dormant state in everyone's heart. And, there, love of God
is manifested in different ways, but it is contaminated by the material association.
Now the material association has to be purified, and that dormant, natural love for Krsna has
to be revived. That is the whole process.
To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert
spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take
bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Krsna, then collect flowers to
offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasadam, and so on. There
are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear
Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone to
rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual
kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the
direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God.
TEXT 10
abhyase 'py asamartho 'si mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmani kurvan siddhim avapsyasi
abhyase -- in the practice of; api -- even; asamarthah -- unable; asi -- you are; mat-karma
-- My work; paramah -- supreme; bhava -- you become; mat-artham -- for My sake; api -- even
though; karmani -- what; kurvan -- performing; siddhim -- perfection; avapsyasi -- achieve.
TRANSLATION
If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me,
because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage.
PURPORT
One who is not able even to practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, under the guidance
of a spiritual master, can still be drawn to this perfectional stage by working for
the Supreme Lord. How to do this work has already been explained in the fifty-fifth
verse of the Eleventh Chapter. One should be sympathetic to the propagation of Krsna
consciousness. There are many devotees who are engaged in the propagation of Krsna consciousness,
and they require help. So, even if one cannot directly practice the regulated principles
of bhakti-yoga, he can try to help such work. Every endeavor requires land, capital, organization,
and labor. Just as, in business, one requires a place to stay, some capital to use, some
labor, and some organization to expand, so the same is required in the service of Krsna.
The only difference is that in materialism one works for sense gratification. The same
work, however, can be performed for the satisfaction of Krsna, and that is spiritual activity.
If one has sufficient money, he can help in building an office or temple for propagating
Krsna consciousness. Or he can help with publications. There are various fields of activity, and
one should be interested in such activities. If one cannot sacrifice the result of such
activities, the same person can still sacrifice some percentage to propagate Krsna consciousness.
This voluntary service to the cause of Krsna consciousness will help one to rise to a higher
state of love for God, whereupon one becomes perfect.
TEXT 11
athaitad apy asakto 'si kartum mad-yogam asritah
sarva-karma-phala-tyagam tatah kuru yatatmavan
atha -- even though; etat -- this; api -- also; asaktah -- unable; asi -- you are; kartum
-- to perform; mat -- unto Me; yogam -- devotional service; asritah -- refuge; sarva-karma -- all
activities; phala -- result; tyagam -- for renunciation; tatah -- therefore; kuru -- do;
yata-atmavan -- self-situated.
TRANSLATION
If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness, then try to act giving up all
results of your work and try to be self-situated.
PURPORT
It may be that one is unable to even sympathize with the activities of Krsna consciousness
because of social, familial or religious considerations or because of some other impediments. If one
attaches himself directly to the activities of Krsna consciousness, there may be objection
from family members, or so many other difficulties. For one who has such a problem, it is advised
that he sacrifice the accumulated result of his activities to some good cause. Such procedures
are described in the Vedic rules. There are many descriptions of sacrifices and special
functions of the pumundi or special work in which the result of one's previous action
may be applied. Thus one may gradually become elevated to the state of knowledge. It is
also found that when one who is not even interested in the activities of Krsna consciousness gives
charity to some hospital or some other social institution, he gives up the hard-earned results
of his activities. That is also recommended here because by the practice of giving up
the fruits of one's activities one is sure to purify his mind gradually, and in that
purified stage of mind one becomes able to understand Krsna consciousness. Of course
Krsna consciousness is not dependant on any other experience because Krsna consciousness
itself can purify one's mind, but if there are impediments to Krsna consciousness, one
may try to give up the result of his action. In that respect, social service, community
service, national service, sacrifice for one's country, etc., may be accepted so that some
day one may come to the stage of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gita
we find it is stated: yatah pravrttir bhutanam: If one decides to sacrifice for the supreme
cause, even if he does not know that the supreme cause is Krsna, he will come gradually to
understand that Krsna is the supreme cause by the sacrificial method.
TEXT 12
sreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj jnanad dhyanam visisyate
dhyanat karma-phala-tyagas tyagac chantir anantaram
sreyah -- better; hi -- certainly; jnanam -- knowledge; abhyasat -- by practice; jnanat
-- better than knowledge; dhyanam -- meditation; visisyate -- especially considered; dhyanat
-- from meditation; karma-phala-tyagah -- renunciation of the results of fruitive action; tyagat
-- by such renunciation; santih -- peace; anantaram -- thereafter.
TRANSLATION
If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge.
Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation
of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.
PURPORT
As mentioned in the previous verses, there are two kinds of devotional service: the way
of regulated principles, and the way of full attachment in love to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. For those who are actually not able to follow the principles of Krsna consciousness,
it is better to cultivate knowledge because by knowledge one can be able to understand
his real position. Gradually knowledge will develop to the point of meditation. By meditation
one can be able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by a gradual process.
There are processes which make one understand that one himself is the Supreme, and that
sort of meditation is preferred if one is unable to engage in devotional service. If
one is not able to meditate in such a way, then there are prescribed duties, as enjoined
in the Vedic literature, for the brahmanas, vaisyas, and sudras, which we shall find in
a later chapter of Bhagavad-gita. But in all cases, one should give up the result or fruits
of labor; this means to employ the result of karma for some good cause. In summary,
to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the highest goal, there are two processes:
one process is by gradual development, and the other process is direct. Devotional service
in Krsna consciousness is the direct method, and the other method involves renouncing the
fruits of one's activities. Then one can come to the stage of knowledge, then to the stage
of meditation, then to the stage of understanding the Supersoul, and then to the stage of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. One may either take the step by step process or the direct
path. The direct process is not possible for everyone; therefore the indirect process is
also good. It is, however, to be understood that the indirect process is not recommended
for Arjuna because he is already at the stage of loving devotional service to the Supreme
Lord. It is for others who are not at this state; for them the gradual process of renunciation,
knowledge, meditation and realization of the Supersoul and Brahman should be followed.
But as far as Bhagavad-gita is concerned, it is the direct method that is stressed.
Everyone is advised to take to the direct method and surrender unto the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Krsna.
TEXTS 13-14
advesta sarva-bhutanam maitrah karuna eva ca
nirmamo nirahankarah sama-duhkha-sukhah ksami
santustah satatam yogi yatatma drdha-niscayah
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah
advesta -- not envious; sarva-bhutanam -- for all living entities; maitrah -- friendly;
karunah -- kindly; eva -- certainly; ca -- also; nirmamah -- with no sense of proprietorship;
nirahankarah -- without false ego; sama -- equally; duhkhah -- distress; sukhah -- happiness;
ksami -- forgiving; santustah -- satisfied; satatam -- satisfied; yogi -- engaged in devotion;
yata-atma -- endeavoring; drdhaniscayah -- with determination; mayi -- upon Me; arpita -- engaged;
manah -- mind; buddhih -- intelligent; yah -- one who; mat-bhaktah -- My devotee; sah
me priyah -- he is dear to Me.
TRANSLATION
One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think
himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress,
who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind
and intelligence are in agreement with Me-he is very dear to Me.
PURPORT
Coming again to the point of pure devotional service, the Lord is describing the transcendental
qualifications of a pure devotee in these two verses. A pure devotee is never disturbed
in any circumstances. Nor is he envious of anyone. Nor does a devotee become his enemy's
enemy; he thinks that one is acting as his enemy due to his own past misdeeds. Thus it
is better to suffer than to protest. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated: tat te 'nukampam
su-samiksyamano. Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he
thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him. He thinks: "Thanks to my past misdeeds I should
suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of the Supreme
Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. I am just getting a little, by the
mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he is always calm, quiet and patient,
despite many distressful conditions. A devotee is also always kind to everyone, even to his
enemy. Nirmama means that a devotee does not attach much importance to the peace and trouble
pertaining to the body because he knows perfectly well that he is not the material body. He
does not identify with the body; therefore he is freed from the conception of false ego
and is equiposed both in happiness and distress. He is tolerant, and he is satisfied with whatever
comes by the grace of the Supreme Lord. He does not endeavor much to achieve something
with great difficulty; therefore he is always joyful. He is a completely perfect mystic
because he is fixed in the instructions received from the spiritual master, and because his
senses are controlled, he is determined. He is not swayed by false argument because no
one can lead him from the fixed determination of devotional service. He is fully conscious
that Krsna is the eternal Lord, so no one can disturb him. All his qualifications enable
him to depend entirely on the Supreme Lord. Such a standard of devotional service is undoubtably
very rare, but a devotee becomes situated in that stage by following the regulative
principles of devotional service. Furthermore, the Lord says that such a devotee is very
dear to Him, for the Lord is always pleased with all his activities in full Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 15
yasman nodvijate loko lokan nodvijate ca yah
harsamarsa-bhayodvegair mukto yah sa ca me priyah
yasmat -- from whom; na -- never; udvijate -- agitates; lokah -- persons; lokat -- persons;
na -- never; advijate -- disturbed; ca -- also; yah -- anyone; harsa -- happiness; amarsa
-- distress; bhaya -- fearfulness; udvegaih -- with anxiety; muktah -- freed; yah -- who;
sah -- anyone; ca -- also; me -- My; priyah -- very dear.
TRANSLATION
He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not dirturbed by anxiety, who is
steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me.
PURPORT
A few of a devotee's qualifications are further being described. No one is put into difficulty,
anxiety, fearfulness, or dissatisfaction by such a devotee. Since a devotee is kind to
everyone, he does not act in such a way to put others into anxiety. At the same time,
if others try to put a devotee into anxiety, he is not disturbed. It is by the grace of
the Lord that he is so practiced that he is not disturbed by any outward disturbance.
Actually because a devotee is always engrossed in Krsna consciousness and engaged in devotional
service, all such material circumstances cannot woo him. Generally a materialistic person
becomes very happy when there is something for his sense gratification and his body,
but when he sees that others have something for their sense gratification and he hasn't,
he is sorry and envious. When he is expecting some retaliation from an enemy, he is in a
state of fear, and when he cannot successfully execute something he becomes dejected. But
a devotee is always transcendental to all these disturbances; therefore he is very dear
to Krsna.
TEXT 16
anapeksah sucir daksa udasino gata-vyathah
sarvarambha-parityagi yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah
anapeksah -- neutral; sucih -- pure; daksah -- expert; udasinah -- free from care; gata-vyathah
-- freed from all distress; sarva-arambha -- all endeavors; parityagi -- renouncer;
yah -- anyone; mat-bhaktah -- My devotee; sah -- he; me -- Me; priyah -- very dear
TRANSLATION
A devotee who is not dependant on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert,
without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very dear
to Me.
PURPORT
Money may be offered to a devotee, but he should not struggle to acquire it. If automatically,
by the grace of the Supreme, money comes to him, he is not agitated. Naturally a devotee
takes bath at least twice in a day and rises early in the morning for devotional service.
Thus he is naturally clean both inwardly and outwardly. A devotee is always expert because
he fully knows the sense of all activities of life, and he is convinced of the authoritative
scriptures. A devotee never takes the part of a particular party; therefore he is carefree.
He is never pained because he is free from all designations; he knows that his body is
a designation, so if there are some bodily pains, he is free. The pure devotee does not
endeavor for anything which is against the principles of devotional service. For example,
constructing a big building requires great energy, and a devotee does not take to such
business if it does not benefit him by advancing his devotional service. He may construct a
temple for the Lord, and for that he may take all kinds of anxiety, but he does not construct
a big house for his personal relations.
TEXT 17
yo na hrsyati na dvesti na socati na kanksati
subhasubha-parityagi bhaktiman yah sa me priyah
yah -- one who: na -- never; hrsyati -- takes pleasure; na -- never; dvesti -- grieves;
na -- never; socati -- laments; na -- never; kanksati -- desires; subha -- auspicious;
asubha -- inauspicious; parityagi -- renouncer; bhaktiman -- devotee; yah -- one who; sah
-- he is; me -- My; priyah -- dear.
TRANSLATION
One who neither grasps pleasure or grief, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces
both auspicious and inauspicious things, is very dear to Me.
PURPORT
A pure devotee is neither happy nor distressed over material gain and loss, nor is he very
much anxious to get a son or disciple, nor is he distressed by not getting them. If he
loses anything which is very dear to him, he does not lament. Similarly, if he does
not get what he desires, he is not distressed. He is transcendental in the face of all kinds
of auspicious, inauspicious and sinful activities. He is prepared to accept all kinds of risks
for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Nothing is an impediment in the discharge
of his devotional service. Such a devotee is very dear to Krsna.
TEXTS 18-19
samah satrau ca mitre ca tatha manapamanayoh
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu samah sanga-vivarjitah
tulya-ninda-stutir mauni santusto yena kenacit
aniketah sthira-matir bhaktiman me priyo narah
samah -- equal; satrau -- to the enemy; ca -- also; mitre -- to friends; ca -- also;
tatha -- so; mana -- honor; apamanayoh -- dishonor; sita -- cold; usna -- heat; sukha -- happiness;
duhkhesu -- distress; samah -- equiposed; sanga-vivarjitah -- free from all association;
tulya -- equal; ninda -- defamation; stutih -- repute; mauni -- silent; santustah -- satisfied;
yena -- somehow; kena -- or other; cit -- if; aniketah -- having no residence; sthira -- fixed;
matih -- determination; bhaktiman -- engaged in devotion; me -- My; priyah -- dear; narah
-- a man.
TRANSLATION
One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equiposed in honor and dishonor, heat and
cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always
silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge
and engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me.
PURPORT
A devotee is always free from all bad association. Sometimes one is praised and sometimes one
is defamed; that is the nature of human society. But a devotee is always transcendental to
artificial fame and infamy, distress or happiness. He is very patient. He does not speak of anything
but the topics about Krsna; therefore he is called silent. Silent does not mean that one
should not speak; silent means that one should not speak nonsense. One should speak only
of essentials, and the most essential speech for the devotee is to speak of the Supreme
Lord. He is happy in all conditions; sometimes he may get very palatable foodstuffs, sometimes
not, but he is satisfied. Nor does he care for any residential facility. He may sometimes
live underneath a tree, and he may sometimes live in a very palatial building; he is attracted
to neither. He is called fixed because he is fixed in his determination and knowledge.
We may find some repetition in the descriptions of the qualifications of a devotee, but this
is just to give an illustration of the fact that a devotee must acquire all these qualifications.
Without good qualifications, one cannot be a pure devotee. One who is not a devotee has
no good qualification. One who wants to be recognized as a devotee should develop the
good qualifications. Of course he does not extraneously endeavor to acquire these qualifications,
but engagement in Krsna consciousness and devotional service automatically helps him
develop them.
TEXT 20
ye tu dharmamrtam idam yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama bhaktas te 'tiva me priyah
ye -- one who; tu -- but; dharmya -- generosity; amrtam -- understanding; idam -- this; yatha
-- as; uktam -- said; paryupasate -- completely engages; sraddadhanah -- with faith; mat-paramah
-- taking the Supreme Lord as everything; bhaktah -- devotees; te -- such persons; ativa
-- very, very; me -- Me; priyah -- dear.
TRANSLATION
He who follows this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engages himself
with faith, making Me the supreme goal, is very, very dear to Me.
PURPORT
In this chapter the religion of eternal engagement, the explanation of the process of transcendental
service for approaching the Supreme Lord, is given. This process is very dear to the
Lord, and He accepts a person who is engaged in such a process. The question who is better-one
who is engaged in the path of impersonal Brahman or one who is engaged in the personal service
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead-was raised by Arjuna, and the Lord replied to
him so explicitly that there is no doubt that devotional service to the Personality of Godhead
is the best of all processes of spiritual realization. In other words, in this chapter
it is decided that through good association, one develops attachment for pure devotional
service and thereby accepts a bona fide spiritual master and from him begins to hear and chant
and observe the regulative principles of devotional service with faith, attachment and devotion
and thus becomes engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord. This path is recommended
in this chapter; therefore there is no doubt that devotional service is the only absolute
path for self-realization, for the attainment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth, as described in this chapter, is recommended
only up to the time one surrenders himself for self-realization. In other words, as long
as one does not have the chance to associate with a pure devotee, the impersonal conception
may be beneficial. In the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth one works without fruitive
result, meditates and cultivates knowledge to understand spirit and matter. This is necessary
as long as one is not in the association of a pure devotee. Fortunately, if one develops
directly a desire to engage in Krsna consciousness in pure devotional service, he does not need
to undergo step by step improvements in spiritual realization. Devotional service, as described
in the middle six chapters of Bhagavad-gita, is more congenial. One need not bother about
materials to keep body and soul together because by the grace of the Lord everything is carried
out automatically.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Twelfth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita
in the matter of Devotional Service.