PATH OF DEVOTION

[gokulkr 1]

PATH OF DEVOTION

Arjuna said: Those ever-steadfast devotees (or Bhaktas) who thus

worship You (as the manifest or personal God), and those who

worship the eternal unmanifest (the formless or impersonal) Brahman

(by developing Jnana), which of these has the best knowledge of

yoga? (12.01)

 

The Supreme Lord said: Those ever steadfast devotees who worship

with supreme faith by fixing their mind on Me as personal God, I

consider them to be the best yogis. (See also 6.47) (12.02)

 

But those who worship the imperishable, the undefinable, the

unmanifest, the omnipresent, the unthinkable, the unchanging, the

immovable, and the eternal Brahman; (12.03)

 

Restraining all the senses, even minded under all circumstances,

engaged in the welfare of all creatures, they also attain Me.

(12.04)

 

Self-realization is more difficult for those who fix their mind on

the formless Brahman, because the comprehension of the unmanifest

Brahman by the average embodied human being is very difficult.

(12.05)

 

But, to those who worship Me as the personal God, renouncing all

actions to Me; setting Me as their supreme goal, and meditating on

Me with single minded devotion; (12.06)

 

I swiftly become their savior, from the world that is the ocean of

death and transmigration, whose thoughts are set on Me, O Arjuna.

(12.07)

 

Therefore, focus your mind on Me alone and let your intellect dwell

upon Me through meditation and contemplation. Thereafter you shall

certainly come to Me. (12.08)

 

If you are unable to meditate (or focus your mind) steadily on Me,

then seek to reach Me, O Arjuna, by practice of (any other)

spiritual discipline (or Sadhana of your choice). (12.09)

 

If you are unable even to do any Sadhana, then be intent on

performing your duty for Me. You shall attain perfection just by

working for Me (as an instrument, just to serve and please Me,

without selfish motives). (See also 9.27, 18.46) (12.10)

 

If you are unable to work for Me then just surrender unto My will

with subdued mind, and renounce (the attachment to, and the anxiety

for) the fruits of all work (by learning to accept all results, as

God-given, with equanimity). (12.11)

 

Knowledge is better than mere ritualistic practice, meditation is

better than mere knowledge, renunciation of the fruit of work is

better than meditation, peace immediately follows the renunciation

of (the attachment to) the fruit of work. (See more on renunciation

in Chapter 18) (12.12)

 

One who does not hate any creature, who is friendly and

compassionate, free from (the notion of) ``I'' and ``my'', even-minded

in pain and pleasure, forgiving; and (12.13)

 

The yogi who is ever content, who has subdued the mind, whose

resolve is firm, whose mind and intellect are engaged in dwelling

upon Me; such a devotee is dear to Me. (12.14)

 

The one by whom others are not agitated, and who is not agitated by

others; who is free from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety; is also dear

to Me. (12.15)

 

One who is free from desires; who is pure, wise, impartial, and

free from anxiety; who has renounced (the doership in) all

undertakings; and who is devoted to Me, is dear to Me. (12.16)

 

One who neither rejoices nor grieves, neither likes nor dislikes,

who has renounced both the good and the evil, and who is full of

devotion, such a person is dear to Me. (12.17)

 

The one who remains the same towards friend or foe, in honor or

disgrace, in heat or cold, in pleasure or pain; who is free from

attachment; and (12.18)

 

The one who is indifferent or silent in censure or praise, content

with anything, unattached to a place (country, or house),

equanimous, and full of devotion; that person is dear to Me.

(12.19)

 

But those devotees who have faith and sincerely try to develop the

above mentioned immortal virtues, and set Me as their supreme goal;

are very dear to Me. (12.20)

[Raghavan 0]

HI..Thanks for posting the translated verses. I am a person who cannot stop talking about Krishna to anyone, and reads Gita everyday. I was wondering how to give the essence in bits to my friends so that everyone enjoy the nectar and at the same time they dont get bored also since they are not much spiritually inclined. YOur postings really help. I do my Sree-Krishna talk by cutting and pasting the verses from your post under each portion of my mail when I write to my friends. I give them in small portion of few slokams and in that way, I make them read Gita and taste the honey.

Good job.

thanks

 

[Guest guest]

Those ever steadfast devotees who worship

with supreme faith by fixing their mind on Me as personal God, I

consider them to be the best yogis

 

These are the words said by God Shri Krishna and I want to think only about him but I am worried will Ganesh and Shiva not get angry on us Please advise me and throw some light to this ignorant person who has committed "N"number of sins.

[Guest guest]

To me SreeKrishna is personal God, but I still attend functions that celebrate Shiva-Durga, Subramanya Swamy, Lord Ganesh. Krishna also says in 9 and 10th chapter that He is everything and all the forms. One need to respect the forms when you go to temples and that is the highest stage of renunciation. Respecting different important forms of Lord does not mean that you are moving away from Krishna. I never moved out of Krishna, and my devotion never changed towards Him by respecting and worshipping His forms. Although the ardent fanatic vaishnavas say that Dont pray to any other forms, I am scared to disrespect since we are still in the material world. Probably once we are renounced our material attachments totally, then it may be ok. But even otherwise its better not to disrespect. Guru Raghavendra swamy who was an ardent devotee of Sree Krishna, every used to perform pooja to Shiva. So dont worry.

 

[Guest guest]

By worshipping Krsna all other demigods will be pleased Trust us! By watering the root of a tree the branches all receive nourishment and are most greatful.

Try it, chant Krsnas Holy Names day and night and see the result, the rain will come, the grains will grow, wealth, wisdom and renunciation and dedication will mature. All obstacles will be removed. And eventually the seed of Love divine will blossom into fruit for all to partake.

 

Just try it- Go on.

[Guest guest]

yes..by chanting Krishnaa's name, it will satisfy all forms of Krishna. But at the same time, this stage comes only when one is totally renounced to not hate or turn his or her face from all other forms. How many people really are in the highest stage of renunciation with no disrespect to any jeevas and to all different forms of Lord.

Certainly one who chants Krishna's name will get purified from his/her actions and the number of births gets reduced and finally when he/she comes to a stage of not disrespecting anyone, will be taken by Sree krishna.

One who disrespects Shiva-Durga will take birth as saivite, how much ever he may chant Krishna's name, because that SreeKrishna will make that soul realize that He is everything and hence one should not disrespect any of His forms too.

[Guest guest]

dear guest,

We must be in the same family with a name like that!

No we don't hate others "In loving one we will love all, in serving one we will serve all, in knowing one we will can know all. This is the definition of Sraddha. By serving the centre the whole circumference will benefit.

[Guest guest]

Thank you for advising me . Staying in this materalistic world even a small wealth or any form of material happiness is enough for this weak mind to get distracted from the thought of Lord krishna, Narayana,.

 

Hope The great Yathiraj will give me the will power to think and only think about the kind god Hari, Narayana amdist all this worldly pleasure.

 

Shree Krishna Govinda Hare Murari

Hey Nath Narayana Vasudeva.

[Guest guest]

aakaashaath patitam toyam yathaa gachchati saagaramh

sarvadevanamaskaaraanh keshavam pratigachchhati

 

Just as every raindrop that falls from the sky flows into the ocean

in the same way every prayer offered to any deity flows to lord Krishna

[Guest guest]

Yes thats why finally we always say

Sarvam Shree Krishnaarpanamasthu to conclude any vritham, slokam or any religious offerings in both good and sad things in India.

Sarvam Shree Krishnaarpanamasthu

Raghavan