Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12: भक्तियोग (Bhakti Yoga)

What is taught in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12?

Chapter 12 (Bhakti Yoga) contains 20 verses in the canonical Mahabharata recension (1 curated in this study edition). The Yoga of Devotion. The contrast between worship of the personal God and contemplation of the formless Absolute, and the luminous portrait of the devotee who is deeply dear to the Lord.

Authority Standard: Gita Press Gorakhpur (Code 502 / Sadhaka Sanjivani)

Chapter Summary & Key Spiritual Teachings

The Yoga of Devotion. The contrast between worship of the personal God and contemplation of the formless Absolute, and the luminous portrait of the devotee who is deeply dear to the Lord.

Core Teachings:

Contemplating the unmanifest formless is difficult for embodied beings; loving devotion is the smoother, sweeter path (Verse 5)

He who has no malice toward any living being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from egoism and possessiveness (Verse 13)

He who neither rejoices nor hates, who neither grieves nor craves, who is full of devotion, is dear to Me (Verse 17)

1 Curated Verses with Gita Press Anvaya & Translation

Shloka 12.13 Gita Press Code 502

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca |
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī ||

पदच्छेद एवं अन्वय (Word-by-word Anvaya):

अद्वेष्टा = द्वेषरहित; सर्वभूतानाम् = सब प्राणियों में; मैत्रः = मित्रभाव रखने वाला; करुणः = दयालु; एव च = तथा; निर्ममः = ममतारहित; निरहङ्कारः = अहङ्काररहित; समदुःखसुखः = सुख-दुःख में सम; क्षमी = क्षमाशील।

गीताप्रेस हिन्दी भावार्थ:

जो पुरुष सब प्राणियों में द्वेषभाव से रहित, सबका मित्र और दयालु है, ममतारहित, अहङ्काररहित, सुख-दुःख की प्राप्ति में सम और क्षमाशील है... वह भक्त मुझे प्रिय है। (गीताप्रेस कोड 502)

English Translation: "He who has no hatred toward any creature, who is friendly and compassionate toward all, free from possessiveness and egoism, equanimous in pleasure and pain, and forgiving—he is dear to Me."