Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12 Verse 20 — Bhakti Yoga
Sanskrit
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते | श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ||१२-२०||
Transliteration
ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate . śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste.atīva me priyāḥ ||12-20||
Hindi Meaning
।।12.20।। जो भक्त श्रद्धावान् तथा मुझे ही परम लक्ष्य समझने वाले हैं और इस यथोक्त धर्ममय अमृत का अर्थात् धर्ममय जीवन का पालन करते हैं, वे मुझे अतिशय प्रिय हैं।।
English Meaning
Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.
Commentary
In this chapter, from verse 2 through the end – from mayy āveśya mano ye mām (“fixing the mind on Me”) through ye tu dharmāmṛtam idam (“this religion of eternal engagement”) – the Supreme Lord has explained the processes of transcendental service for approaching Him. Such processes are very dear to the Lord, and He accepts a person engaged in them. The question of who is better – one who is engaged in the path of impersonal Brahman or one who is engaged in the personal service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead – was raised by Arjuna, and the Lord replied to him so explicitly that there is no doubt that devotional service to the Personality of Godhead is the best of all processes of spiritual realization. In other words, in this chapter it is decided that through good association one develops attachment for pure devotional service and thereby accepts a bona fide spiritual master and from him begins to hear and chant and observe the regulative principles of devotional service with faith, attachment and devotion and thus becomes engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord. This path is recommended in this chapter; therefore there is no doubt that devotional service is the only absolute path for self-realization, for the attainment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth, as described in this chapter, is recommended only up to the time one surrenders himself for self-realization. In other words, as long as one does not have the chance to associate with a pure devotee, the impersonal conception may be beneficial. In the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth one works without fruitive result, meditates and cultivates knowledge to understand spirit and matter. This is necessary as long as one is not in the association of a pure devotee. Fortunately, if one develops directly a desire to engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in pure devotional service, he does not need to undergo step-by-step improvements in spiritual realization. Devotional service, as described in the middle six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā , is more congenial. One need not bother about materials to keep body and soul together, because by the grace of the Lord everything is carried out automatically. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta s to the Twelfth Chapter of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Devotional Service.
Hinglish Commentary
Is chapter mein, jo verse 2 se lekar end tak hai – "mayy āveśya mano ye mām" se lekar "ye tu dharmāmṛtam idam" tak – Bhagwan ne transcendental service ke tareeqon ko samjhaya hai jo unki taraf jaane ke liye hain. Ye processes Bhagwan ko bahut pasand hain, aur jo inmein engaged hote hain, unhe vo accept karte hain. Arjuna ne ye sawal uthaya tha ki kaun behtar hai – jo impersonal Brahman ki raah par hai ya jo Supreme Personality of Godhead ki personal service mein hai. Bhagwan ne itne clear jawab diye ki koi shak nahi ki devotional service, yaani bhakti, sabse best tareeqa hai spiritual realization ka. Iska matlab ye hai ki is chapter mein ye tay kiya gaya hai ki achhe sambandh se insaan pure devotional service ke liye attachment develop karta hai, aur is tarah wo ek bona fide spiritual master ko accept karta hai. Phir wo unse sunta hai, gaata hai aur devotional service ke regulative principles ko faith aur devotion ke saath follow karta hai, aur isi tarah se Lord ki transcendental service mein engaged ho jata hai. Ye raah is chapter mein recommend ki gayi hai; isliye koi shak nahi ki devotional service hi self-realization ka ek matra sahi path hai, jo Supreme Personality of Godhead ko prapt karne ke liye hai. Jo impersonal Absolute Truth ka concept is chapter mein diya gaya hai, wo tab tak recommend kiya gaya hai jab tak insaan apne aap ko self-realization ke liye surrender nahi karta. Matlab, jab tak kisi pure devotee ke saath sambandh nahi banta, tab tak impersonal concept beneficial ho sakta hai. Is impersonal conception mein insaan bina kisi fruitive result ke kaam karta hai, meditation karta hai aur spirit aur matter ko samjhne ke liye knowledge cultivate karta hai. Ye tab tak zaroori hai jab tak wo pure devotee ke association mein nahi hota. Lekin agar kisi ko seedha Kṛṣṇa consciousness mein engage hone ki ichha hoti hai, to usse step-by-step improvement ki zaroorat nahi hoti. Devotional service, jo Bhagavad-gītā ke beech ke chhe chapters mein explain kiya gaya hai, wo zyada conducive hai. Insaan ko body aur soul ko saath rakhne ke liye materials ki chinta nahi karni padti, kyunki Bhagwan ki kripa se sab kuch automatically hota hai. Aur isi tarah se Bhaktivedanta ka commentary Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā ke Twelfth Chapter ke baare mein khatam hota hai, jo Devotional Service ke maamle mein hai.
Chinmaya Commentary
यथोक्त अमृत धर्म उपर्युक्त पंक्तियों में सनातन धर्म का सार दिया गया है। वस्तुत हिन्दू धर्म के अनुयायियों के जीवन का लक्ष्य आत्मसाक्षात्कार करके उसे जीवन को अपने व्यक्तित्व के सभी स्तरों शारीरिक मानसिक और बौद्धिक पर जीने का है। उसके लिये केवल इतना पर्याप्त नहीं है कि वह इस ज्ञान को बौद्धिक स्तर पर समझता है अथवा नियमित रूप से शास्त्रग्रन्थ का पाठ करता है या उन्हें अच्छी प्रकार दूसरों को समझा भी सकता है। उसे चाहिए कि वह शास्त्रीय ज्ञान को आत्मसात् करके स्वयं पूर्ण पुरुष बन जाये। इसलिए भगवान् कहते हैं कि उसे श्रद्धावान् होना चाहिए यहाँ श्रद्धा शब्द का अर्थ है स्वयं के अनुभव के द्वारा शास्त्र प्रतिपादित आत्मज्ञान्ा को आत्मसात् करने की क्षमता।ऐसे भक्त मुझे अतिशय प्रिय हैं इस श्लोक के साथ भक्त के लक्षणों का वर्णन करने वाले इस प्रकरण का षष्ठ भाग तथा यह अध्याय भी समाप्त होता है। यद्यपि इसमें और कोई नया लक्षण नहीं बताया गया है तथपि इसमें भगवान् का समस्त साधकों को दिया हुआ पुनराश्वासन है कि उक्त गुणों से सम्पन्न साधकों को भगवान् की परा भक्ति प्राप्त होगी। तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषस्तु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रेश्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे भक्तियोगोनाम द्वादशोऽध्याय।।इस प्रकार श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवाद के रूप में ब्रह्मविद्या और योगशास्त्रस्वरूप श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतोपनिषद् का भक्तियोग नामक बारहवां अध्याय समाप्त होता है।