BG 6.47
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Devanagari
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना ।
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मत: ॥ ४७ ॥
Verse text
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ
Synonyms
yoginām
—
of yogīs
;
api
—
also
;
sarveṣām
—
all types of
;
mat-gatena
—
abiding in Me, always thinking of Me
;
antaḥ-ātmanā
—
within himself
;
śraddhā-vān
—
in full faith
;
bhajate
—
renders transcendental loving service
;
yaḥ
—
one who
;
mām
—
to Me (the Supreme Lord)
;
saḥ
—
he
;
me
—
by Me
;
yukta-tamaḥ
—
the greatest yogī
;
mataḥ
—
is considered.
Translation
And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
47. But I consider he who worships Me with faith, with mind attached to Me, to be greater than all types of yogīs.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
47. But I consider he who worships Me with faith, with mind attached to Me, to be greater than all types of yogīs.
Purport
The word bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word “worship” cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution. Failing to do this, he falls down. The Bhāgavatam (11.5.3) confirms this as follows:
ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād ātma-prabhavam īśvaram na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ
“Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the primeval Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position.”
In this verse also the word bhajanti is used. Therefore, bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word “worship” can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity. The word avajānanti, used in this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is also found in the Bhagavad-gītā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ: “Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa.” Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without an attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word bhajanti and the word “worship.”
The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jṣāna-yoga. When jṣāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name: karma-yogī, jṣāna-yogī or dhyāna-yogī, rāja-yogī, haṭha-yogī, etc. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all other yogas. Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as, when we speak of Himālayan, we refer to the world’s highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.
It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotuslike face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels, and whose body is flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir. He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī.
This stage of highest perfection in yoga can be attained only by bhakti-yoga, as is confirmed in all Vedic literature:
yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” ( Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
Bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ-kalpanam, etad eva naiṣkarmyam. “ Bhakti means devotional service to the Lord which is free from desire for material profit, either in this life or in the next. Devoid of such inclinations, one should fully absorb the mind in the Supreme. That is the purpose of naiṣkarmya. ” ( Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.15)
These are some of the means for performance of bhakti, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest perfectional stage of the yoga system.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Sixth Chapter of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Dhyāna-yoga.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Then is there no one better than the yogī?
No, that cannot be said. In this verse the possessive case of yoginām stands for the ablative as in the previous verse as it is more suitable to the context. He who worships Me with faith is greater than all the yogīs, who are greater than the jṣānīs, tapasvīs and karmīs. The devotee is not just superior to one type of yogī, but is superior to all types of perfected yogīs—those in samprajṣata-samādhi and those in asamprajṣata-samādhi.
Or another meaning is: Among all the processes (yoga) such as karma-yoga, jṣāna-yoga, tapa-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga and bhakti-yoga, he who worship Me, he who is My devotee, has the best process (yuktātmā). The karmīs, tapasvīs and jṣānīs are considered yogīs. The aṣṭāṅga-yogī is a better yogī. He who practices bhakti with hearing and chanting however is the best yogī.
As it is said in Bhāgavatam:
muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ
sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣv api mahā-mune
O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare. SB 6.14.5
This verse, a concise statement of bhakti which will be defined in middle six chapters, is the thread-like ornament on the neck of the devotees. The first chapter introduces the dialogue in the Gītā. The second, third and fourth chapters deal with niṣkāma-karma. The fifth deals with jṣāna and sixth with aṣṭāṅga-yoga. But the main topic of the first six chapters is karma-yoga.
The commentary on the sixth chapter for the joy of the devotees has been completed by the mercy of the ācāryas.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Thus in the first six chapters, the Lord has explained the process of niṣkāma karma which contains within it jṣāna, and which culminates in aṣṭāṅga yoga, for the saniṣṭha devotee. [Note: The saniṣṭha devotee is a person who follows prescribed duties without personal attachment, as an offering to the Lord, by which he attains ātmā jṣāna and may practice aṣṭaṅga yoga.] In the middle six chapters, He will explain the process of direct surrender to bhagavān meant for the pariniṣṭhita devotee. In this verse He introduces this idea in abbreviated form (sutra) by announcing the superiority of this devotee to all others.
The genitive case of the words (yogīnām, meaning “of the yogīs” with possessive meaning) in this verse stands for the ablative case (“than the yogīs”), from the context of the previous verse. Thus the meaning would not be “Among all yogīs he who worships Me I consider the best.” This would indicate that the devotee would be included among those who do austerity, vedic study and yoga. Though there is superiority and inferiority in that group, they are all inferior and therefore equal. The devotee is like a golden mountain while the others are just high and low mountains. The meaning is therefore, “He who worships Me I consider to be better than all the yogīs (niṣkāma karma yogīs, jṣāna yogīs and aṣṭaṅga yogīs).”
He who has firm faith in the words of śruti which indicate devotion to Me (śraddhavān), whose mind (antar ātmanā) is completely attached to Me alone (mad gatena), indicating that he cannot tolerate separation from Me for a fraction of second, serves Me (bhajate mām) through the devotional processes such as hearing. He serves Me—that form with the complexion of a blue lotus, with thick arms reaching the knees, with lotus eyes opened by the hands of the sun, with cloth shining like lightning; that form brilliant with forest garland, crown, earrings, bracelets, armlets, necklaces, kaustubha jewel and anklets, which destroys darkness in all directions with his effulgence. He serves Me, the original bhagavān, the lord of all beings, with eternal forms such as Nṛsiṁha and Rāma; the supreme lord full of knowledge and bliss in human form, who drinks milk from the breast of Yaśodā, who is addressed by such names as Kṛṣṇa; that form filled with jewel-like qualities of beauty, sweetness and charm, with such qualities as affection, which take shelter of My form which is omniscience, omnipotence, satya saṅkalpa śakti (His will is always fulfilled) personified. My devotee (pariniṣṭhita), who is dedicated only to Me, is considered to be superior to all of the different types of persons like tapasvīs and others (karmīs, jṣānis, and even the niskāma karma yogis, jṣāna yogīs and aṣṭaṅga yogīs,) by Me, who see all things simultaneously side by side.
The verse is also explained as follows.
“But no particular yogī is superior to the others.”
This verse is recited to defeat the idea that. From comparing the successive yogas, karma yogīs are plentiful. Among all of them, he who has attained the level of meditation is considered proper (yuktaḥ). He who attains samādhi is better (yuktataraḥ). But one who has devotion, expressed in hearing, chanting and other processes, is the best (yuktatamaḥ).
The word bhakti indicates service. The smṛti says:
bhaja ity eṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ
tasmāt sevā budhaiḥ proktā bhakti-śabdena bhūyasī
Since the root bhaj indicates service, the intelligent say that the word bhakti indicates service. Garuḍa Purāṇa
The śruti also explains about this bhakti:
śraddhā-bhakti-dhyāna-yogād avehi
One brings the Lord close by faith, bhakti and meditation. Kaivalya Upaniṣad 2
yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
One should have as much devotion in guru as one does in the Lord. The recited subjects of the Vedas are revealed to that great person. Śvetāṣvatara Upaniṣad 6.23
bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad-ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ-kalpanam etad eva naiṣkarmyam
Bhakti is worship of the Lord, concentrating the mind on Him, by renouncing all material desires for enjoyment (upādhi) in this world and the next. It alone does not accrue karmas. Gopāla Tāpaṇi Upaniṣad 1.14
ātmānam eva lokam upāsīta
One should worship this Supreme Lord (ātmā) alone as the object. Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.15
ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyo maitreyi
This Lord, ātmā, should be seen, heard about, contemplated and should become the object of intense meditation, O Maitreyi. Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.5, 4.5.6
It should be understood that this bhakti arises from the Lord’s svarūpa śakti.
vijṣāna-ghanānanda-ghanā sac-cid-ānandaika-rase bhakti-yoge tiṣṭhati
That form filled with spiritual knowledge and bliss is present in bhakti yoga which is also filled with eternity, knowledge and bliss. Gopāla Tāpaṇi Upaniṣad 2.79
Thus service of hearing and chanting within bhakti will reveal the face and beautiful locks of hair as well as other features of the lord of all beings, who is the very form of knowledge and bliss. However, the knowledge and bliss aspects within bhakti’s forms of hearing, chanting and other processes will be realized gradually, just as the sweetness of sugar candy can be experienced by continually eating it, as it destroys jaundice.
The first chapter summarized the story surrounding the Gītā. In the second, third and fourth chapters, Mukunda spoke of karma yoga without desire for results. In the fifth chapter He explained how karma yoga contains within it jṣāna. In the sixth chapter Mukunda spoke of the illuminating nature of aṣṭāṅga yoga.
Chapter 7
Surrender Unto Me
The yogi is better than the karmi, tapasvi, jnani, but the one who is always thinking of Krsna, the bhakti‑yogi, he is in a class by himself. Because he is 'bhajate yo mam' ‑ he is worshiping Krsna with devotion.
This type of yogi is in a class by himself.
This verse completes the 'yoga‑ladder'. Because it is studied up to this point that liberation comes when one, in either niskama karma or astanga‑yoga, focus his consciousness on the Supersoul.
After knowledge that one is spirit, not the body, one focus his consciousness on the Supersoul and becomes liberated. And then one is a yogi, the topmost yogi. And the one who worships Krsna is the best of all. Bhakti‑yoga is the pinnacle of the 'yoga‑ladder'.
The next six chapters will describe the process of worshiping Krsna and concentrating on Him within.
Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport to this Text 47: "The word bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word ``worship'' cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution. Failing to do this, he falls down. The Bhagavatam (11.5.3) confirms this as follows:
ya esam purusam saksad
atma‑prabhavam isvaram
na bhajanty avajananti
sthanad bhrastah patanty adhah
``Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the primeval Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position.''
In this verse also the word bhajanti is used. Therefore, bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word ``worship'' can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity. The word avajananti, used in this verse of Srimad‑ Bhagavatam, is also found in the Bhagavad‑gita. Avajananti mam mudhah: ``Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna.'' Such fools ta upon themselves to write commentaries on the Bhagavad‑gita without an attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word bhajanti an word ``worship.''
The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti‑yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti‑yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti‑ yoga. From the beginning of karma‑yoga to the end of bhakti‑yoga is a long way to self‑realization. Karma‑yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma‑yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jnana‑yoga. When jnana‑yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called astanga‑yoga. And when one surpasses the astanga‑yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, it is called bhakti yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti‑yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti‑yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas. The yogi who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name: karma‑yogi, jnana‑yogi or dhyana‑yogi, raja‑yogi, hatha‑yogi, etc. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti‑yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpasse other yogas. Therefore, to become Krsna conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as, when we speak of Himalayan, we refer to the world's highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.
It is by great fortune that one comes to Krsna consciousness on the path of bhakti‑yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogi concentrates his attention on Krsna, who is called Syamasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotuslike face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels and whose body is flower‑garlanded. llluminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahmajyoti. He incarnates in different forms such as Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of mother Yasoda, and He is known as Krsna, Govinda and Vasudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogi."
This is for the one who has develloped transcendental love for Krsna. He is the highest yogi and the others are on the path towards that.
THUS ENDS THE STUDY OF CHAPTER SIX