Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga, Qualities of a True Devotee

Chapter 12 is the shortest chapter of the Gita, only twenty shlokas, yet many homes read it every day. In it God explains that devotion can begin wherever a person stands, and ends by listing the qualities of His dear devotee, which is a portrait of any good human being.

Verse 1: Arjuna's question

Arjuna asks: "Of those devotees who, ever steadfast, worship you in your form, and those who worship the imperishable, unmanifest Brahman, which know yoga better?"

Verses 2 to 7: devotion to God with form is easier

Krishna says: "Those who fix their minds on me and worship me, ever steadfast and endowed with supreme faith, I consider the most perfect in yoga. Those who worship the imperishable, indefinable, unmanifest, all-pervading, unthinkable, unchanging, immovable and eternal, controlling all their senses, even-minded everywhere and devoted to the good of all beings, also reach me. But the difficulty is greater for those whose minds are set on the unmanifest, for the path of the unmanifest is hard for embodied beings."

"Those who offer all their actions to me, regard me as the supreme goal and worship me with single-minded devotion, meditating on me, I swiftly lift out of the ocean of death and rebirth, for their minds are fixed on me."

Verses 8 to 12: the ladder of practice

Mayy eva mana adhatsva mayi buddhim niveshaya
nivasishyasi mayy eva ata urdhvam na samshayah (12.8)

Meaning: Fix your mind on me alone, rest your understanding in me; then you will dwell in me alone, without doubt.

God knows not everyone can do this, so He gives a ladder:

• First step: if you cannot fix your mind on me steadily, seek to reach me through the yoga of practice (bring the mind back to me again and again).
• Second step: if you cannot practise, devote yourself to working for me; even by working for my sake you will reach perfection.
• Third step: if even this is beyond you, take refuge in me, control your mind and give up the fruits of all your actions.

Knowledge is better than practice, meditation better than knowledge, and giving up the fruits of action better than meditation, for peace follows renunciation at once (12.12).

Verses 13 to 20: the qualities of a dear devotee

Adveshta sarva bhutanam maitrah karuna eva cha
nirmamo nirahankarah sama duhkha sukhah kshami (12.13)
santushtah satatam yogi yatatma dridha nishchayah
mayy arpita mano buddhir yo mad bhaktah sa me priyah (12.14)

Meaning: One who hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, free of possessiveness and ego, even in pain and pleasure and forgiving; ever content, steady in yoga, self-controlled, firm in resolve, with mind and intellect offered to me: that devotee of mine is dear to me.

• One by whom the world is not troubled and who is not troubled by the world, free from elation, envy, fear and anxiety, is dear to me (12.15).
• One who expects nothing, is pure, capable, impartial and free from worry, and has given up selfish undertakings, is dear to me (12.16).
• One who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor craves, and has let go of good and bad fortune, full of devotion, is dear to me (12.17).
• One who is the same to friend and foe, in honour and dishonour, in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and free of attachment (12.18);
• who takes praise and blame alike, speaks little, is content with whatever comes, is not attached to a home, and is steady of mind, full of devotion, is dear to me (12.19).

Those who follow this immortal dharma as I have described it, with faith, holding me as the supreme goal, are exceedingly dear to me (12.20).

What this chapter teaches

• Devotion needs no special qualification; begin where you are.
• If the mind will not settle, practise; if you cannot practise, work for God; if not even that, let go of worry over results.
• A true devotee is known by their nature: no hatred, friendliness to all, compassion, forgiveness and contentment.
• One who troubles no one and is troubled by no one is dear to God.