The Devotional Path—Bhakti Yoga according to THE GITA

N K Srinivasan

The Bhagavad Gita---the song of the Lord ---Krishna’s talks to

Arjuna here ---contains Bhakti Yoga –the path of devotion –in Chapter 12.

In this chapter, the verses 1 to 5 tells us that it is easy to worship a god with
form compared to worshipping a formless , Impersonal God. Lord Krishna
says that it is difficult for lay people with body consciousness , attached to
senses ,to worship a formless god…therefore worshipping a God with form
is not only permitted ,but easy for most of us.

Swami Sivananda wrote: “Bhakti yoga is much easier than Jnana yoga or the
Yoga of knowledge.In Bhakti yoga, the devotee establishes a near and dear
relationship with the Lord.”.

Then Lord Krishna urges Arjuna to worship him, Lord Krishna himself, the
friend and counselor for Arjuna….Now Lord Krishna is not just a friend, but
Guru as well. It follows that we can worship any God or Ishta Devata or
favourite deity , just as Arjuna is asked to worship Krishna.
With this background , let us see the next set of verses: verses 6 to 12.
These verses contain the devotional path in simple terms from the mouth of
Lord Krishna.He expounds several means ,each easier than the previous
one---in a graded manner.

Verses 6 & 7

Those who worship me, resigning all actions to Me, regarding Me as the
Supreme Goal, meditating on Me with single-minded devotion[yoga] --- to
those whose mind is set on Me, verily, I become, before long,O Arjuna, the
saviour out of the Ocean of the mortal cycle of birth and death[Samsara]

The lord emphasizes single-minded devotion, resigning all actions to Him,

with concentration of mind. This is ,indeed, a difficult path.[This is called
‘ananya yoga”..unswerving,steadfast devotion.]

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Verse 8
Fix thy mind on Me only; place thy intellect [buddhi] in Me; then thou shalt
no doubt live in Me hereafter.

Here the Lord promises that the devotee will abide with the Lord for
ever.There is no question of birth again, unless ordained by God for specific
mission on Earth.
One has to keep the mind focused always on the Lord…this is devotion by
practicing the presence of the Lord…”Constant remembrance of the Lord”,
as extolled by Sufis and by Brother Lawrence.

Verse 9
If thou art unable to fix thy mind steadily on me, then by steady practice or
Abhyasa Yoga ,do thous seek to reach Me, O Arjuna.

Devotional path requires steady practices of devotion.This may include a lot

of rituals too. These control and purify your mind ,leading to single-minded
devotion.
This practice includes japa [chanting,telling the beads],pooja
[worship],prayer, sankirtan[singing hymns] and so on.[Narada’s bhakti
sutras elaborate on this.]

Verse 10
If also thou art unable to practice Abhyasa Yoga, be thou intent on doing
actions for My sake. By this you shall attain perfection.

Do actions for the sake of the Lord. You are an instrument in the hands of
God;you are His servant.

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Mother Teresa always felt that she was the instrument of God, servant of
Jesus Christ; she told that she was a small pencil in the hand of
God.Numerous saints have gained utmost devotion by this expediency of
being a humble servant /slave of the Lord.
Swami Sivananda wrote: Serving humanity with ‘Narayana bhava” [feeling
that one is serving the Lord in all] is also doing actions for the service of the
Lord.”

Verse 11

If thou art unable to do even this, then taking refuge in Me, abandon the fruit
of all action, being self-controlled.

The Lord finally tells us the easiest method---do work ,but give up all fruits
or results to the lord…This is karma yoga told again in the context of Bhakti
marga.{renounce the fruits of labor—karma-phala-tyaga,emphasized again
and again by Lord Krishna---an essential teaching in the Gita}
The Lord calls this “madyogam”—union with Me. He exhorts one to follow
this yoga as the easiest path.

Verse 12
Better indeed is knowledge, than Abhysa; meditation with knowledge is
more esteemed than mere knowledge; better than meditation, the
renunciation of the fruit of action; peace immediately follows renunciation.
This verse is like a summary.
The Lord brings out the hierarchy of practices, with decreasing difficulty for
lay people: Knowledge abhyasameditationrenounce the fruit of
action

From Jnana yoga to raja yoga to bhakti to karma -----all with devotion to the
Lord or Your Ishta devata.
Lord Krishna clearly expounds on the path of devotion with different levels
of difficulty for lay people.

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-------Sarvam Krishnarpanam astu--------------