The twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Bhakti Yoga. In this chapter, Krishna emphasizes the superiority of Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) over all other types of spiritual disciplines and reveals various aspects of devotion. He further explains that the devotees who perform pure devotional service to Him, with their consciousness, merged in Him and all their actions dedicated to Him, are quickly liberated from the cycle of life and death. He also describes the various qualities of the devotees who are very dear to Him.
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते |
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ||१२-१||
arjuna uvāca .
evaṃ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate .
ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ ||12-1||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Arjuna said: Among those devotees who are always devoted to you, and those who worship the imperishable and unmanifest, who among them knows yoga best?
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते |
श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ||१२-२||
śrībhagavānuvāca .
mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nityayuktā upāsate .
śraddhayā parayopetāḥ te me yuktatamā matāḥ ||12-2||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Krishna said: Those who fix their minds on me, who worship me with constant devotion and with supreme faith, I consider them to be the most accomplished in yoga.
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते |
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ||१२-३||
ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyamavyaktaṃ paryupāsate .
sarvatragamacintyañca kūṭasthamacalandhruvam ||12-3||
Simple English
Primary Translation
But those who worship the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, the all-pervading, the unthinkable, the unchanging, the immovable, the eternal,
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते |
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ||१२-१२||
śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsājjñānāddhyānaṃ viśiṣyate .
dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgastyāgācchāntiranantaram ||12-12||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Knowledge is better than practice. Meditation is better than knowledge. Giving up the fruit of action is better than meditation. From renunciation, peace follows immediately.
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca .
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||12-13||
Simple English
Primary Translation
He who does not hate any creature, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who has no sense of mine and no ego, who is the same in pain and pleasure, who is patient,
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः |
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१४||
santuṣṭaḥ satataṃ yogī yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ .
mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||12-14||
Simple English
Primary Translation
who is always content, who is a yogi, who is self-controlled, who has firm resolve, and who has offered his mind and intellect to me, that devotee of mine is dear to me.
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः |
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१६||
anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa udāsīno gatavyathaḥ .
sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||12-16||
Simple English
Primary Translation
He who has no wants, who is pure, who is capable, who is unconcerned, who is free from distress, who has given up all undertakings, that devotee of mine is dear to me.
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति |
शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१७||
yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati .
śubhāśubhaparityāgī bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||12-17||
Simple English
Primary Translation
He who does not rejoice, does not resent, does not grieve, does not desire, who has given up both the pleasant and the unpleasant, who is full of devotion, is dear to me.
who treats blame and praise alike, who is silent, content with whatever comes, who has no fixed home, who is steady-minded and full of devotion, that person is dear to me.