अर्जुन उवाचएवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते।येचाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः
arjuna uvācha evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate ye chāpy akṣharam avyaktaṁ teṣhāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ
Arjuna asked, "My Lord, which are the better devotees who worship You: those who try to know You as a Personal God, or those who worship You as Impersonal and Indestructible?"
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
श्री भगवानुवाचमय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते।श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha mayy āveśhya mano ye māṁ nitya-yuktā upāsate śhraddhayā parayopetās te me yuktatamā matāḥ
Lord Shri Krishna replied: Those who keep their minds fixed on Me, who worship Me always with unwavering faith and concentration, are the very best.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते।सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम्
ye tv akṣharam anirdeśhyam avyaktaṁ paryupāsate sarvatra-gam achintyañcha kūṭa-stham achalandhruvam sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
Those who worship Me as the Indestructible, the Undefinable, the Omnipresent, the Unthinkable, the Primal, the Immutable, and the Eternal;
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः।ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः
sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
Subduing their senses, viewing all conditions of life with an equal eye, and working for the welfare of all beings, they assuredly come to Me.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते
kleśho ’dhikataras teṣhām avyaktāsakta-chetasām avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate
But they who fix their attention on the Absolute and Impersonal encounter greater hardships, for it is difficult for those who have a body to realize Me as without one.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः।अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
Verily, those who surrender their actions to Me, who contemplate Me, worship Me, and meditate on Me alone, with no thought other than Me.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्।भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम्
teṣhām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛityu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt bhavāmi na chirāt pārtha mayy āveśhita-chetasām
O Arjuna! I rescue them from the ocean of life and death, for their minds are fixed upon Me.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय।निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः
mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya nivasiṣhyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na sanśhayaḥ
Then let your mind cling only to Me, let your intellect abide in Me; and without doubt, you will live hereafter in Me alone.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्।अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय
atha chittaṁ samādhātuṁ na śhaknoṣhi mayi sthiram abhyāsa-yogena tato mām ichchhāptuṁ dhanañjaya
But if you cannot fix your mind firmly on Me, then, my beloved friend, try to do so through constant practice.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव।मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि
abhyāse ’py asamartho ’si mat-karma-paramo bhava mad-artham api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
And if you are not strong enough to practice concentration, then devote yourself to My service, do all your acts for My sake, and you will still attain the goal.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः।सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्
athaitad apy aśhakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśhritaḥ sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
And if thou art too weak to do even this, then seek refuge in union with Me, and with perfect self-control renounce the fruits of thy actions.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते।ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्
śhreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāj jñānād dhyānaṁ viśhiṣhyate dhyānāt karma-phala-tyāgas tyāgāch chhāntir anantaram
Knowledge is superior to blind action, meditation is superior to knowledge, renunciation of the fruit of action is superior to meditation, and peace follows from renunciation.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च।निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी
adveṣhṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva cha nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣhamī
He who is incapable of hatred towards any being, who is kind and compassionate, free from selfishness, without pride, equable in pleasure and pain, and forgiving—
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः।मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः
santuṣhṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Always content, self-centered, self-controlled, resolute, with mind and reason dedicated to Me, such a devotee of Mine is beloved to Me.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः।हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः
yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yaḥ harṣhāmarṣha-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa cha me priyaḥ
He who does not harm the world, and whom the world cannot harm, who is not carried away by any impulse of joy, anger, or fear; such a one is My beloved.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः
anapekṣhaḥ śhuchir dakṣha udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who expects nothing, is pure, watchful, indifferent, unruffled, and renounces all initiative—such a one is My beloved.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति।शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्ितमान्यः स मे प्रियः
yo na hṛiṣhyati na dveṣhṭi na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati śhubhāśhubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who is beyond joy and hate, who neither laments nor desires, to whom good and evil fortunes are the same, such a one is beloved to Me.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः।शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः
samaḥ śhatrau cha mitre cha tathā mānāpamānayoḥ śhītoṣhṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣhu samaḥ saṅga-vivarjitaḥ
He to whom friend and foe are alike, who welcomes equally honor and dishonor, heat and cold, pleasure and pain, and who is enamored of nothing—
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येनकेनचित्।अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्ितमान्मे प्रियो नरः
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī santuṣhṭo yena kenachit aniketaḥ sthira-matir bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
Who is indifferent to praise and censure, enjoys silence, is content with every fate, has no fixed abode, is steadfast in mind, and filled with devotion—such a one is My beloved.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते।श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः
ye tu dharmyāmṛitam idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate śhraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
Verily, those who love the spiritual wisdom as I have taught, whose faith never wavers, and who focus their entire being on Me, they are indeed My most beloved.
Translated by Shri Purohit Swami