Chapter 12 is called Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion. It has 20 verses, which makes it one of the shortest chapters of the Gita, and it can be read in a few minutes. It follows the vision of chapter 11 with a plain and practical question.
Arjuna asks it in verse 1. Of those who worship Krishna with steady devotion, and those who contemplate the imperishable and formless, which are better established in yoga? Everything else in the chapter is Krishna’s reply.
How the chapter moves
- Verse 1: Arjuna’s question, between devotion to a personal Lord and meditation on the formless.
- Verses 2 to 7: The answer. Those who fix their minds on Krishna with faith are most firmly established, in his view. Those who worship the formless also reach him, but the effort is greater, because the formless goal is hard for beings who live in a body. For those who place their actions in him, he promises to lift them before long from the ocean of rebirth.
- Verses 8 to 12: A ladder for different capacities. Rest the mind in the divine. If you cannot, practise steadily. If you cannot, do your actions for the divine. If you cannot, give up the fruit of action. Verse 12 adds that knowledge is better than practice, meditation than knowledge, and renunciation of the fruit than meditation, since peace follows at once.
- Verses 13 to 19: A portrait of the devotee who is dear to Krishna. The portrait is drawn in qualities: without ill will, friendly, compassionate, free of the sense of mine, even in pain and pleasure, forgiving, content, firm, not disturbing and not disturbed, equal to friend and enemy and to praise and blame.
- Verse 20: A closing line: those who follow this nectar of dharma with faith, holding the divine as their highest aim, are exceedingly dear.
Three ideas to hold on to
The Gita does not rank people. The chapter says the personal path is the most firmly established, but it also says that those who worship the formless reach the same goal. The difference is in how hard the road is for most people, not in where it ends.
The ladder is for real people. Verses 8 to 11 do not demand one standard. They give a first step and then three easier ones, each meant for a person at a different stage. If you cannot manage the highest, take the next one.
Devotion is shown in character. The longest part of the chapter, verses 13 to 19, says nothing about ritual. It describes a way of being with other people and with one’s own mind. The devotee dear to the divine is gentle, steady and free of resentment.
A note on the word bhakta
Bhakta means a devotee, from the root bhaj, to share in or to serve. In this chapter it does not stand for a particular sect. It is used for anyone with the qualities that verses 13 to 19 describe, and the Gita’s own list is about conduct more than belief.
The text, transliteration and meaning
All 20 verses follow. The speaker is shown on each card, and a verse list below lets you jump to any verse.
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥ १२.१ ॥
Evam satatayukta ye bhaktas tvam paryupasate
Ye chapy aksharam avyaktam tesham ke yogavittamah
MeaningArjuna says: Of those devotees who are always steady and worship you in this way, and those who worship the imperishable, the unmanifest, which of them knows yoga better?
NoteArjuna asks a plain question that follows from chapter 11: who is better established, the one who worships a personal form of the divine, or the one who contemplates the formless? Chapter 12 is Krishna's answer.
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते
श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ १२.२ ॥
Mayy aveshya mano ye mam nityayukta upasate
Shraddhaya parayopetas te me yuktatama matah
MeaningThe Blessed Lord says: Those who fix their minds on me and worship me, always steady and endowed with the highest faith, I consider the most firmly established in yoga.
NoteKrishna does not rank the two paths harshly. He names the first group as most firmly established, and in the next verses says that the second group also reaches him, but with more difficulty.
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम् ॥ १२.३ ॥
Ye tv aksharam anirdeshyam avyaktam paryupasate
Sarvatragam achintyam cha kutastham achalam dhruvam
MeaningBut those who worship the imperishable, which cannot be pointed out, the unmanifest, all-present, beyond thought, unchanging, unmoving and fixed,
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ १२.४ ॥
Sanniyamyendriyagramam sarvatra samabuddhayah
Te prapnuvanti mam eva sarvabhutahite ratah
Meaningholding all the senses in check, even-minded towards everything and delighting in the good of all beings, also come to me alone.
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२.५ ॥
Klesho 'dhikataras tesham avyaktasaktachetasam
Avyakta hi gatir duhkham dehavadbhir avapyate
MeaningThe effort is greater for those whose minds are set on the unmanifest, because the unmanifest goal is hard for embodied beings to reach.
NoteThe word kleshah means trouble or strain. The verse says it is harder for embodied beings to hold on to the formless, because we live through a body and senses. It does not call the path wrong.
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२.६ ॥
Ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya matparah
Ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate
MeaningBut those who place all their actions in me, hold me as their highest aim, and worship me, meditating on me with single-minded yoga,
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ १२.७ ॥
Tesham aham samuddharta mrityusamsarasagarat
Bhavami nachirat partha mayy aveshitachetasam
MeaningI lift them, before long, out of the ocean of death and rebirth, Partha, those whose minds have entered into me.
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ १२.८ ॥
Mayy eva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim niveshaya
Nivasishyasi mayy eva ata urdhvam na samshayah
MeaningSet your mind on me alone. Let your understanding rest in me. After this you will live in me, and there is no doubt of it.
NoteAfter the long comparison, Krishna gives the simplest advice: rest the mind and understanding in the divine. Verses 9 to 11 then offer fallbacks if this is too hard.
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनंजय ॥ १२.९ ॥
Atha chittam samadhatum na shaknoshi mayi sthiram
Abhyasayogena tato mam ichchhaptum dhananjaya
MeaningBut if you cannot hold your mind steady on me, then try to reach me through the practice of repeated effort, Arjuna.
NoteVerses 9 to 11 are a stepped ladder. If the mind cannot rest steadily, practise. If practice is too much, do actions for the divine. If that is too much, give up the fruit of action. Each step is offered to a person at a different stage.
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १२.१० ॥
Abhyase 'py asamartho 'si matkarmaparamo bhava
Madartham api karmani kurvan siddhim avapsyasi
MeaningIf you cannot manage even practice, make doing my work your chief aim. Even by acting for my sake you will reach perfection.
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ १२.११ ॥
Athaitad apy ashakto 'si kartum madyogam ashritah
Sarvakarmaphalatyagam tatah kuru yatatmavan
MeaningAnd if you are unable even to do this, then, relying on my yoga, give up the fruit of all action, keeping yourself restrained.
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२.१२ ॥
Shreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj jnanad dhyanam vishishyate
Dhyanat karmaphalatyagas tyagach chhantir anantaram
MeaningKnowledge is better than practice, meditation is better than knowledge, and giving up the fruit of action is better than meditation, for peace follows straight from renunciation.
NoteThis verse is sometimes read as a ranking, and sometimes as a list of stages in which each one leads to the next. The text itself says only that each is better than the one before it.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च
निर्ममो निरहंकारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२.१३ ॥
Adveshta sarvabhutanam maitrah karuna eva cha
Nirmamo nirahankarah samaduhkhasukhah kshami
MeaningOne who bears no ill will towards any being, who is friendly and compassionate, free of the sense of mine and of ego, the same in pain and pleasure, and forgiving,
NoteFrom verse 13 to verse 19 the Gita gives a portrait of the person who is dear to the divine. It is a list of qualities, not of rituals, and it is among the most quoted passages of the Gita on character.
संतुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१४ ॥
Santushtah satatam yogi yatatma dridhanishchayah
Mayy arpitamanobuddhir yo madbhaktah sa me priyah
Meaningalways content, a yogi, self-controlled and firm in resolve, with mind and understanding offered to me: that devotee of mine is dear to me.
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१५ ॥
Yasman nodvijate loko lokan nodvijate cha yah
Harshamarshabhayodvegair mukto yah sa cha me priyah
MeaningThe one by whom the world is not disturbed and who is not disturbed by the world, who is free of delight, impatience, fear and agitation, is dear to me.
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१६ ॥
Anapekshah shuchir daksha udasino gatavyathah
Sarvarambhaparityagi yo madbhaktah sa me priyah
MeaningWanting nothing, pure, skilful, unconcerned, free of distress, giving up every new undertaking of selfish purpose: that devotee of mine is dear to me.
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति
शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२.१७ ॥
Yo na hrishyati na dveshti na shochati na kankshati
Shubhashubhaparityagi bhaktiman yah sa me priyah
MeaningOne who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor longs, and lets go of both good and bad outcomes, and is full of devotion, is dear to me.
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानावमानयोः
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥ १२.१८ ॥
Samah shatrau cha mitre cha tatha manavamanayoh
Shitoshnasukhaduhkheshu samah sangavivarjitah
MeaningEqual towards enemy and friend, and in honour and dishonour, equal in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, free from attachment,
NoteThe qualities of the earlier verses are repeated here as pairs: friend and enemy, honour and dishonour, cold and heat, pleasure and pain. All are met with evenness.
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी संतुष्टो येन केन चित्
अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ १२.१९ ॥
Tulyanindastutir mauni santushto yena kena chit
Aniketah sthiramatir bhaktiman me priyo narah
Meaningtreating blame and praise alike, quiet, content with whatever comes, without a fixed home, steady in mind and full of devotion: such a person is dear to me.
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते
श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥ १२.२० ॥
Ye tu dharmyamritam idam yathoktam paryupasate
Shraddadhana matparama bhaktas te 'tiva me priyah
MeaningBut those who follow this nectar of dharma as it has been told, with faith, holding me as their highest aim, are devotees who are exceedingly dear to me.
NoteThe chapter closes by calling the whole teaching dharmyamrita, the nectar of dharma, and says that those who follow it with faith are most dear.
Chapter summary
Chapter 12 turns the vision of chapter 11 into a way of living. Arjuna asks which path is better, and Krishna says that the path of devotion to a personal Lord is the more firmly established, while not closing the door on the formless path. He explains the difference as a matter of difficulty and not of worth.
The chapter then recognises that not everyone can do the highest thing. It gives four steps, from resting the mind in the divine, through practice, through working for the divine, to giving up the fruit of action, and says each person should take the step they can.
The last part is a portrait. The devotee is a person without ill will, with a settled mind, a steady temper and no need for praise. In that description the Gita puts the test of devotion in how a person treats the world.
Where the two source texts differ
We compared the critical edition text held at GRETIL with the Sanskrit Wikisource text, verse by verse. All 20 verses are present in both. Differences only in spacing, in the way a nasal sound is written, and in how words are joined are not listed. One verse differs in the words:
- Verse 18: the critical edition reads mānāvamānayoḥ and the printed text reads mānāpamānayoḥ. Both words, avamāna and apamāna, mean dishonour, and the phrase means “in honour and dishonour” either way.
So 1 of the 20 verses differs in the words between the two texts, and the meaning is the same.
Source of the text on this page. The Sanskrit is the critical edition text of the Bhagavad Gita held at GRETIL, based on the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute edition of the Mahabharata, where this chapter is chapter 34 of the Bhishma Parva. It is in Roman script, and we converted it to Devanagari ourselves. We checked every verse against Sanskrit Wikisource. The transliteration is a simple guide to sound and the meanings are our own wording. See the Bhagavad Gita hub for the full note on sources.