Bhakti Yoga

Arjuna said: Thus constantly disciplined (satatayuktāḥ), those devotees (bhaktāḥ) who worship You, And those who worship the imperishable (akṣara) and unmanifest (avyakta), of them, who are the best knowers of discipline (yogavittamāḥ)?

The Blessed Lord (Śrī Bhagavān) said: Having fixed their minds on Me, those who constantly disciplined (nityayuktāḥ) worship Me, Endowed with supreme faith (śraddhā), they are considered by Me to be the most disciplined (yuktatamāḥ).

But those who worship the imperishable (akṣara), the undefinable, the unmanifest (avyakta), The all-pervading and unthinkable, the unchanging, immovable, and eternal,

Having completely restrained the multitude of senses, with equal understanding (samabuddhayaḥ) everywhere, They attain Me alone, delighting in the welfare of all beings.

The affliction (kleśa) is greater for them, whose minds are attached to the unmanifest (avyakta); For the unmanifest goal is attained with difficulty, by embodied beings (dehavadbhiḥ).

But those who, having renounced all actions (karmāṇi) in Me, holding Me as supreme, With unswerving discipline (yoga) alone, meditating on Me, worship Me;

For them, I become the deliverer from the ocean of the cycle of death and rebirth (mṛtyusaṃsārasāgarāt), Without delay, O son of Pritha (Pārtha), for those whose minds are fixed on Me.

Fix your mind on Me alone, cause your understanding (buddhi) to enter into Me; You will dwell in Me alone, hereafter, without a doubt.

But if to fix your mind steadily on Me you are not able, Then by the discipline of practice (abhyāsayoga), desire to attain Me, O Winner of wealth (Dhanañjaya).

If you are incapable even of practice (abhyāsa), be intent on My work (matkarmaparamaḥ); Even performing actions (karmāṇi) for My sake, you will attain perfection (siddhi).

But if you are unable to do even this, having taken refuge in My discipline (yoga), Then, having abandoned the fruit of all action (sarvakarmaphalatyāga), act with a controlled self (yatātmavān).

For knowledge (jñāna) is better than practice (abhyāsa); meditation (dhyāna) is superior to knowledge; From meditation, the abandonment of the fruit of action (karmaphalatyāga); from abandonment, peace (śānti) immediately follows.

Not hating any beings, friendly and compassionate as well, Free from the sense of "mine" (nirmama) and free from ego (nirahaṅkāra), equal in sorrow and happiness, forgiving.

The ever-contented yogi, whose self is controlled, of firm resolve (dṛḍhaniścayaḥ), Whose mind and understanding (buddhi) are dedicated to Me, he who is My devotee (bhakta), he is dear to Me.

He from whom the world does not shrink away, and who does not shrink away from the world, Freed from the agitation of joy, anger, and fear, he too is dear to Me.

Independent, pure, capable, indifferent, with his distress gone, Abandoning all undertakings, he who is My devotee (bhakta), he is dear to Me.

He who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, Abandoning the good and the evil, he who is full of devotion (bhaktimān), he is dear to Me.

Equal toward enemy and friend, and similarly in honor and dishonor, In cold and heat, happiness and sorrow, equal, freed from attachment (saṅgavivarjitaḥ).

To whom blame and praise are equal, who is silent, satisfied with anything whatever, Without a fixed home (aniketaḥ), of steady mind, the man full of devotion (bhaktimān) is dear to Me.

But those who worship this immortal duty (dharmyāmṛta), exactly as declared, Full of faith (śraddadhānāḥ), holding Me as supreme, those devotees (bhaktāḥ) are exceedingly dear to Me.