Bg. 12.1 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG 12.1

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Devanagari

अर्जुन उवाच एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते । ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमा: ॥ १ ॥

Verse text

arjuna uvāca evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate ye cāpy akṣaram avyaktaṁ teṣāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ

Synonyms

arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said ; evam — thus ; satata — always ; yuktāḥ — engaged ; ye — those who ; bhaktāḥ — devotees ; tvām — You ; paryupāsate — properly worship ; ye — those who ; ca — also ; api — again ; akṣaram — beyond the senses ; avyaktam — the unmanifested ; teṣām — of them ; ke — who ; yoga-vit-tamāḥ — the most perfect in knowledge of yoga..

Translation

Arjuna inquired: Which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

1. Arjuna said: Who are the best knowers of yoga— those devotees who worship You as just described, with desire to constantly associate with You, or those who worship the unmanifest Brahman?

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

1. Arjuna said: Who are the best knowers of yoga— those devotees who worship You as just described with desire to constantly associate with You, or those who first worship the ātmā?

Purport

Kṛṣṇa has now explained about the personal, the impersonal and the universal and has described all kinds of devotees and yogīs . Generally, the transcendentalists can be divided into two classes. One is the impersonalist, and the other is the personalist. The personalist devotee engages himself with all energy in the service of the Supreme Lord. The impersonalist also engages himself, not directly in the service of Kṛṣṇa but in meditation on the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested. We find in this chapter that of the different processes for realization of the Absolute Truth, bhakti-yoga, devotional service, is the highest. If one at all desires to have the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he must take to devotional service. Those who worship the Supreme Lord directly by devotional service are called personalists. Those who engage themselves in meditation on the impersonal Brahman are called impersonalists. Arjuna is here questioning which position is better. There are different ways to realize the Absolute Truth, but Kṛṣṇa indicates in this chapter that bhakti-yoga, or devotional service to Him, is the highest of all. It is the most direct, and it is the easiest means for association with the Godhead. In the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Lord explained that a living entity is not the material body; he is a spiritual spark. And the Absolute Truth is the spiritual whole. In the Seventh Chapter He spoke of the living entity as being part and parcel of the supreme whole and recommended that he transfer his attention fully to the whole. Then again in the Eighth Chapter it was said that anyone who thinks of Kṛṣṇa at the time of quitting his body is at once transferred to the spiritual sky, to the abode of Kṛṣṇa. And at the end of the Sixth Chapter the Lord clearly said that of all yogīs, one who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa within himself is considered the most perfect. So in practically every chapter the conclusion has been that one should be attached to the personal form of Kṛṣṇa, for that is the highest spiritual realization. Nevertheless, there are those who are not attached to the personal form of Kṛṣṇa. They are so firmly detached that even in the preparation of commentaries to Bhagavad-gītā they want to distract other people from Kṛṣṇa and transfer all devotion to the impersonal brahma-jyotir . They prefer to meditate on the impersonal form of the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of the senses and is not manifest. And so, factually, there are two classes of transcendentalists. Now Arjuna is trying to settle the question of which process is easier and which of the classes is most perfect. In other words, he is clarifying his own position because he is attached to the personal form of Kṛṣṇa. He is not attached to the impersonal Brahman. He wants to know whether his position is secure. The impersonal manifestation, either in this material world or in the spiritual world of the Supreme Lord, is a problem for meditation. Actually, one cannot perfectly conceive of the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Therefore Arjuna wants to say, “What is the use of such a waste of time?” Arjuna experienced in the Eleventh Chapter that to be attached to the personal form of Kṛṣṇa is best because he could thus understand all other forms at the same time and there was no disturbance to his love for Kṛṣṇa. This important question asked of Kṛṣṇa by Arjuna will clarify the distinction between the impersonal and personal conceptions of the Absolute Truth.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In the twelfth chapter, the superiority of all types of devotees to the jṣānīs is described, and among the devotees those who are endowed with wonderful qualities like lack of hatred are praised. Arjuna heard the great superiority of bhakti at the beginning of the topic of bhakti in the following words: yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ But I consider he who worships Me with faith, with mind attached to Me, to be greater than all types of yogīs. BG 6.47 Arjuna, desiring to hear about the superiority of bhakti, even if it is in summary, asks a question. The devotees described as being constantly engaged, worship You as Śyāmasundara, mentioned at the end of the last chapter with - mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramaḥ (BG 11.55). Others worship the Brahman (akṣara) with no qualities (avyakta means nirviśeṣa) described in the śrutis with statements such as etad vai tad akṣaraṁ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanty asthūlam anaṇv ahrasvam: O Gārgī, that akṣara, which is not wide, not small and not short, is called Brahman. (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.8.9) Among these two types of persons who know yoga, who are the best knowers of yoga (yoga-vittamaḥ)? Who know the best process for attaining You? Or, do they not know the process for attaining You? In a comparison involving two items, usually the form yoga-vittara (which of the two types know yoga better) would be used. The word yoga-vittama should be understood to suggest that among the better of the two types of knowers of yoga (yoga-vittarā), who are the best knowers of yoga (yoga-vittamā)?

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

In the twelfth chapter, the Lord says that among all processes, pure bhakti, having the greatest power, enables one to quickly attain the Lord. In the second and consequent chapters, one particular path was described, in which after one understands about and realizes the jīvātmā, one then meditates on the Lord, the aṁśī. This is illustrated in verses like avināśi tu tad viddhi. (BG 2.17) A second path was shown in the seventh and consequent chapters, in which, after understanding that the jīva is an aṁśa of the Lord, one meditates upon the source of the aṁśa, the aṁśī, the Supreme Lord, by the process of bhakti with hearing and other activities. Verse such as mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha (BG 7.1) illustrate this. In those chapters, bhakti mixed with yoga was described in such verses as prayāṇa-kāle. (BG 8.10) Jṣāna mixed in the process of bhakti was described in such verses as jṣāna-yajṣena cāpy anye. (BG 9.15) At the end of the sixth chapter, before the middle six chapters, with the verse yoginām api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47) the pure bhakti of those exclusively attached to the Lord, who were also the best among all, was described. Arjuna now asks a question. There are those desiring paramātmā who, being constantly absorbed in You by the processes thus described (evam) in verses such as mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha (BG 7.1), worship You, Śyāmasundara Kṛṣṇa, with everything, such as body, senses and mind. There are also those desiring paramātmā who worship the jīva’s svarūpa, the akṣaram, invisible to the material senses and endeavor to realize the jīva akṣara by dhāraṇa, dhyāna and samādhi. Of these two types of people, which persons have the quickest process of reaching the goal (yoga vittamāḥ)? The meaning is this. One choice is to attain the Lord by first realizing ātmā and then meditating on the Lord. Since the jīva is the source of bondage, by realizing ātmā one becomes free of obstacles, and can then attain the Lord. But because of the difficulty in meditating on the jīvātma which is very small and formless, can the goal be accomplished by meditation on the ātma? The other process is exclusive bhakti to the Lord, which quickly destroys all obstacles and yields realization of the Lord. They are completely absorbed in that bhakti. What is the best process of all the processes of these two types of persons (teṣām)? Please tell me.

Surrender Unto Me

From the Purport: "Krsna has now explained about the personal, the impersonal and the universal and has described all kinds of devotees and yogis." This question of Arjuna may also be understood that after the universal form was seen, although it is not exactly an impersonal form but still is not exactly a personal form, Arjuna is also making sure that no one becomes confused and thinks that this universal form is Supreme. Therefore he asks Krsna again, which is considered to be the more perfect. What is his question? Which realization is higher or which is the better process? The question is: "Which is the better process and also which is the better realization?" Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "Krsna has now explained about the personal, the impersonal and the universal and has described all kinds of devotees and yogis. Generally, the transcendentalists can be divided into two classes. One is the impersonalist, and the other is the personalist. The personalist devotee engages himself with all energy in the service of the Supreme Lord. The impersonalist also engages himself, not directly in the service of Krsna but in meditation on the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested. We find in this chapter that of the different processes for realization of the Absolute Truth, bhakti‑yoga, devotional service, is the highest. If one at all desires to have the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he must take to devotional service. Those who worship the Supreme Lord directly by devotional service are called personalists. Those who engage themselves in meditation on the impersonal Brahman are called impersonalists. Arjuna is here questioning which position is better. There are different ways to realize the Absolute Truth, but Krsna indicates in this chapter that bhakti‑yoga, or devotional service to Him, is the highest of all. It is the most direct, and it is the easiest means for association with the Godhead. In the Second Chapter of Bhagavad‑gita, the Supreme Lord explained that a living entity is not the material body; he is a spiritual spark. And the Absolute Truth is the spiritual whole. In the Seventh Chapter He spoke of the living entity as being part and parcel of the supreme whole and recommended that he transfer his attention fully to the whole. Then again in the Eighth Chapter it was said that anyone who thinks of Krsna at the time of quitting his body is at once transferred to the spiritual sky, to the abode of Krsna. And at the end of the Sixth Chapter the Lord clearly said that of all yogis, one who always thinks of Krsna within himself is considered the most perfect. So in practically every chapter the conclusion has that one should be attached to the personal form of Krsna, for that is the highest spiritual realization. Nevertheless, there are those who are not attached to the personal form of Krsna. They are so firmly detached that even in the preparation of commentaries to Bhagavad‑gita they want to distract other people from Krsna and transfer all devotion to the impersonal brahmajyoti. They prefer to meditate on the impersonal form of the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of the senses and is not manifest." When the universal form came out, it actually disturbed Arjuna's love for Krsna. But if one actually knows Krsna, then he has love for Krsna and Paramatma simultaneously. The two: being merged in the Brahman and serving Krsna with great 'priti' or affection, they are contradictory.