Chapter 12, Verse 5 (Bhagavad Gita 12.5)
Chapter 12: Bhakti Yog – The Yoga of Devotion
Sanskrit Shloka
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते
Transliteration
kleśho ’dhikataras teṣhām avyaktāsakta-chetasām avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate
Word Meanings
kleśhaḥ—tribulations; adhika-taraḥ—full of; teṣhām—of those; avyakta—to the unmanifest; āsakta—attached; chetasām—whose minds; avyaktā—the unmanifest; hi—indeed; gatiḥ—path; duḥkham—exceeding difficulty; deha-vadbhiḥ—for the embodied; avāpyate—is reached
Translation
For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, the struggle is greater, for the path toward the unmanifested is difficult for those who possess a physical body, O Arjuna.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the inherent difficulty of pursuing the impersonal aspect of the Divine. Since the embodied soul is perpetually accustomed to sensory perception and form, attempting to meditate upon the formless Brahman causes immense strain and existential longing. Shri Krishna, in His infinite mercy, encourages the path of devotion to His personal form, which is far more accessible and natural for the human heart. By focusing on the loving, manifest form of the Supreme Lord, a seeker finds a bridge between the finite world and the Infinite. Thus, Shri Krishna gently guides the devotee away from dry intellectual speculation toward the sweetness of Bhakti, which leads directly to Him.