Chapter 12, Verse 1 (Bhagavad Gita 12.1)
Chapter 12: Bhakti Yog – The Yoga of Devotion
Sanskrit Shloka
अर्जुन उवाचएवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते।येचाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः
Transliteration
arjuna uvācha evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate ye chāpy akṣharam avyaktaṁ teṣhāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ
Word Meanings
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; evam—thus; satata—steadfastly; yuktāḥ—devoted; ye—those; bhaktāḥ—devotees; tvām—you; paryupāsate—worship; ye—those; cha—and; api—also; akṣharam—the imperishable; avyaktam—the formless Brahman; teṣhām—of them; ke—who; yoga-vit-tamāḥ—more perfect in Yog
Translation
Arjuna said, 'Those devotees who thus, ever steadfast, worship You, and those who worship the Imperishable and the Unmanifested—which of these are the better knowers of Yoga?'
Meaning & Commentary
In this pivotal opening to the twelfth chapter, Arjuna seeks clarity from the Supreme Lord Krishna regarding the most effective path toward divine union. He presents two distinct spiritual approaches: the path of loving devotion to the personal form of Bhagwan Shri Krishna, and the path of abstract meditation on the formless Brahman. This inquiry reflects the universal human quest to understand whether the heart's surrender or the intellect's detachment is superior in the eyes of the Divine. Through this question, Shri Krishna invites all seekers to contemplate the nature of His transcendental personality versus His impersonal aspect. Ultimately, this dialogue sets the stage for Shri Krishna to reveal the sublime power of Bhakti Yoga as the most direct and accessible route to liberation for the soul.