BHAGAVAD-GITA 12:20

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 12:20

 

ye tu dharmamrtam idam

yathoktam paryupasate

sraddadhana mat-parama

bhaktas te 'tiva me priyah

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

ye--those who; tu--but; dharma--of religion; amrtam--nectar;

idam--this; yatha--as; uktam--said; paryupasate--completely engage;

sraddadhanah--with faith; mat-paramah--taking Me, the Supreme Lord, as

everything; bhaktah--devotees; te--they; ativa--very, very; me--to Me;

priyah--dear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

PURPORT

 

In this chapter, from verse 2 through the end--from mayy avesya mano

ye mam

("fixing the mind on Me") through ye tu dharmamrtam 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 Krsna

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-gita, 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 Purports to the Twelfth Chapter of the

Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Devotional Service.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.