The Concept of Bhakti Yoga
The Concept of Bhakti Yoga
Lyrics with Meaning
View lyrics page →Bhagavad Gita 12.1 — Arjuna's Question
Original
अर्जुन उवाच ये त्वेक्तां पर्युपासते ये चाप्यक्षरमव्ययम् । ते मे युक्ततमा योगिनः कतमे इति मे मतम् ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration
arjuna uvāca ye tvektāṁ paryupāsate ye cāpyakṣaramavyayam | te me yuktatamā yoginaḥ katame iti me matam || 1 ||
Meaning / Translation
Arjuna said: Those devotees who worship You with steadfast devotion, and those who worship the imperishable, unmanifest Brahman — which of these are the best knowers of yoga? This is my question.
Bhagavad Gita 12.2 — Krishna's Answer: Superiority of Personal Devotion
Original
श्रीभगवानुवाच मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते । श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
śrībhagavānuvāca mayyāveśya mano ye māṁ nityayuktā upāsate | śraddhayā parayopetāste me yuktatamā matāḥ || 2 ||
Meaning / Translation
The Blessed Lord said: Those who fix their minds on Me, ever steadfast, and worship Me with supreme faith — they are considered by Me to be the best yogis.
Bhagavad Gita 12.6-7 — The Devotee's Surrender and Divine Rescue
Original
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः । अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ ६ ॥ तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् । भवामि न चिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya matparāḥ | ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate || 6 || teṣāmahaṁ samuddhartā mṛtyusaṁsārasāgarāt | bhavāmi na cirāt pārtha mayyāveśitacetasām || 7 ||
Meaning / Translation
But those who renounce all actions in Me, intent on Me, worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on Me — for them I become the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death, O Arjuna, their minds fixed on Me.
Bhagavad Gita 12.13-14 — Qualities of the Dear Devotee
Original
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च । निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १३ ॥ सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः । मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १४ ॥
Transliteration
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca | nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī || 13 || santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ | mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ || 14 ||
Meaning / Translation
One who hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, equal in pleasure and pain, forgiving, ever content, steady in yoga, self-controlled, firm in resolve, with mind and intellect surrendered to Me — such a devotee is dear to Me.
Bhagavad Gita 12.19-20 — Equanimity and Supreme Love
Original
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः । शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ॥ १९ ॥ तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् । अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ २० ॥
Transliteration
samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpamānayoḥ | śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu samaḥ saṅgavivarjitaḥ || 19 || tulyanindāstutirmaunī santuṣṭo yena kenacit | aniketaḥ sthiramatirbhaktimānme priyo naraḥ || 20 ||
Meaning / Translation
Equal to foe and friend, honor and dishonor, cold and heat, pleasure and pain, free from attachment; silent in praise and blame, content with anything, homeless, steady-minded, full of devotion — such a person is dear to Me.
Narada Bhakti Sutra 1.1 — Definition of Bhakti
Original
अथातो भक्तिं व्याख्यास्यामः । सा परानुरक्तिरिष्वरे ।
Transliteration
athāto bhaktiṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ | sā parānuraktiriśvare |
Meaning / Translation
Now, therefore, we shall explain bhakti. It is supreme, unselfish love directed toward the Supreme Lord (Ishvara).
Narada Bhakti Sutra 1.2 — Nature of Bhakti
Original
अमृतस्वरूपा च ।
Transliteration
amṛtasvarūpā ca |
Meaning / Translation
Its very nature is immortality (amrita) — it bestows eternal life and liberation.