Summary:

Lesson 108 gives overview what CH12 (Bhakti-Yoga) is about. Arjuna asks who is the best kind of devotee (closest to liberation). Krishna doesn't answer directly because question is faulty.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Structure, Verse 1, Verse 2

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Structure of Gita Chapters to Give Context to Chapter 12:

• CHAPTER 2-6: Individual (jiva).
• CHAPTER 7-12: Ishvara and jagat (universe/world).
  • CH 7-9: How universe comes about.
  • CH 10: Recognizing presence of Īśvara in INDIVIDUAL forms.
  • CH 11: Recognizing that the essence of ALL forms is Ishvara.
  • CH 12: Using all the prior knowledge, how do I relate to Oneness (Ishvara)? 
  • Just like CH6 is about practicing the theory of CH2-5, in same way CH12 is practicing the theory of CH7-11.
• Arjuna condition so far from chapters 1-11: He is filled with reverence for Ishvara. How did he get to this condition?
  • Got educated about Ishvara laws and orders (mentioned in CH7-9).
  • Took a tour of Bhagavan’s glories (CH10).  EG: Sun, Himalaya, Brahma Vidya, Letter ‘अ’, ganga.
  • Came to appreciate Lord's cosmic vision (CH11) by means of divya-caksu.

CHAPTER 12 STRUCTURE:

• Bhakti-Yoga means:
  • Aligning (associating) your thoughts / choices / actions to presence of Ishvara’s orders (like dharma, karma). OR unceasing understanding of Ishvara‘s presence in and through every aspect of your life.
  • Bhakti Yoga is not one specific sadhana. It’s a name given to range of spiritual sadhanas, which culminate to moksha.
• Specifically bhakti-yoga refers to combination of 3 sadhanas: Karma-Yoga, Upasana-Yoga, Jnana-Yoga.
  • In Vedas/Upanishads, word “bhakti-yoga” is not used at all. It’s a word that came later in Bhagavad Gita.
• Krishna further refines 3 sadhanas into 5 levels for more specificity.
  1. Karma Yoga: Level 1/2.
  2. Upāsana Yoga: Level 1/2.
  3. Jñāna-Yoga.

KARMA-YOGA: THE PATH OF ACTION

Karma-Yoga begins with Level 1:

Sakama-bhakti, designed for personalities who consider kama and artha (money and entertainment) as the primary purposes of life. While Dharma (ethics is somewhat secondary). 

Krishna, in His wisdom, advises that these types shouldn't suppress the fulfillment of desires. Instead, they should continue pursuing worldly goals, as long as two conditions are met to qualify as a Karma-Yogi.

First, the fulfillment of desires should be based on ethics. EG: Desire to make money cheating, doesn't qualify. 

Second, when receiving the results of one's actions, one should consider them as gifts from the Lord (Ishvara prasada) before enjoying them. For example, if one buys or rents a house, they should look upon it as a temple of God, imagining living in that temple,

Level 1 trains the mind to acknowledge the presence of Bhagavan in everything. Over time, it cultivates vairagyam (dispassion for things) and viveka (discernment that all things are fleeting). The maturity gained from Level 1, paves the way for Level 2…

In Level 2, known as nishkama-bhakti, the definition of “success” is upgraded from “How much am I getting for myself” to “How much am I giving?” This isn't about selfless giving where a person neglects themselves. Instead, it's about developing alertness to others' needs, consideration for the environment, and sensitivity to the existence of other beings. 

Once a person has gone through Karma-Yoga Levels 1 and 2, they're ready to graduate to Upāsana…

UPĀSANA-YOGA: THE PATH OF MEDITATION

Upāsana-yoga involves mentally dwelling upon the object of meditation. This includes all yoga practices like rāja, kriya, kundalini, and ashtanga. It's important to note that upāsana comes after karma-yoga because Karma Yoga Levels 1 and 2 keep the mind focused on the world.

Upasana-Yoga in this context is basically Chapter 6 of Bhagavad Gita. Closed-eye meditation, in which you relate to Ishvara.

Meditation in this context has two levels…

Level 1 is eka-rūpa-īśvara-dhyānam, also known as Abhyāsa-yoga. This involves meditating on a personal symbol or mental image of some God symbol that touches you emotionally. The purpose is to help the mind focus and concentrate for a period of time.

Once the mind is naturally focused, it's ready for Level 2: aneka-rūpa-īśvara-dhyānam or viśva-rūpa-īśvara-dhyānam. At this level, the definition of meditation changes from closed-eye meditation to an attitude or perspective change towards the world. 

JÑĀNA-YOGA: THE PATH OF KNOWLEDGE

After progressing through the four levels of Karma-Yoga and Upāsana-Yoga, the mind is certainly qualified for Jñāna-Yoga. This is the inquiry into Brahman, consisting of three stages.

The first stage is Śravaṇam, which involves the systematic study of Upanishadic scriptures dealing with Brahman. The culmination of this study is the removal of a beginningless notion that “I am an insignificant mortal individual”. From the standpoint of Brahman, there's no difference between īśvara and jīva; both are limitless. However, from the standpoint of īśvara — jīva is limited while īśvara is limitless. The jīva has to respect this apparent fact while living.

The second stage, Mananam, focuses on correcting intellectual obstacles in the form of doubts about the knowledge learned in śravaṇam. This stage allows the seeker to deeply contemplate and resolve any lingering questions or misconceptions.

The final stage, Nididhyāsanam, involves managing emotional obstacles and psychological traumas from childhood, which may deny the enjoyment or full benefit of self-knowledge. The most universal gauge of progress in this stage is general cheerfulness each day, manifesting as an inner smile.

It's crucial to understand that all three sādhanas (kriya yoga + upasana-yoga + jnana-yoga) put together constitute bhakti yoga. Hence, it's incorrect to ask whether one is into bhakti or jñānam, because jñānam is indeed a form of bhakti.

Every human being has to go through all five steps, and this journey is not limited to just one lifetime. This is because there's not one person born with an immediate and consistent desire to know God. To be born is to come with worldly desires; otherwise, one would not have been born at all.

This explains why the majority of the Vedas consists of rituals for sakāma-karma, providing guidance on how to design a successful life. These rituals serve as stepping stones for jiva in the early stages of their spiritual journey.

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Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Verse 1:  Arjuna's Inquiry

arjuna uvāca
evam satata-yuktāḥ ye bhaktāḥ tvām paryupāsate ।
ye ca api akṣaram avyaktam teṣām ke yoga-vittamāḥ ॥ 12-1॥
Arjuna asked – Who are the best Yōgis among them? – the eversteadfast devotees who meditate upon You as described before and (or) those who (meditate upon) the imperishable, unmanifest (Brahman) ?

Arjuna's question delves into the heart of spiritual practice: “evam satata-yuktāḥ ye bhaktāḥ tvām paryupāsate ye ca api akṣaram avyaktam teṣām ke yoga-vittamāḥ” – Who are the best yogis? Those who worship You with form, or those who meditate (contemplate through self-inquiry) on the formless, imperishable Brahman?

This query stems from two primary approaches to spiritual practice:

1. Saguna-meditation (karma-yoga, upasana):
   • Focuses on Ishvara with attributes (saguna Brahman)
   • The practitioner sees the entire universe as a manifestation of Bhagavan‘s glory
   • Includes scientific inquiry (recognizing intelligent and material causes in nature), contemplation of devotional stories, and performing worldly duties as acts of worship
   • Examples: Meditating on Krishna's form, seeing divinity in nature, performing rituals
2. Nirguna-meditation (jnana-yoga):
   • Pursues self-knowledge by contemplating the attributeless Reality (nirguna Brahman)
   • Recognizes the formless, attributeless Brahman as the very subject, the ‘I'
   • Often associated with sannyasa (life immersed in knowledge, whether liberated or not)
   • Example: Contemplating “What does your tongue taste like?” – It's tasteless, thus able to taste all flavors. Similarly, the Self is attributeless, thus able to perceive all attributes.

Arjuna uses specific terms:

• “satatayuktāḥ” for saguna-bhaktas: Those who regularly meditate with steadfastness
• “akṣaram avyaktam” for nirguna Brahman: The imperishable, unmanifest Reality

His question reflects the diversity of spiritual paths in Vedantic tradition, each claiming supremacy. Arjuna seeks to understand which approach is more effective (less likely to fail) and efficient (with fewer steps) in attaining moksha.

 

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12, Verse 2: Krishna's Response

Krishna speaks of the 2 types of bhaktas…

śrībhagavān uvāca
mayi āveśya manaḥ ye mām nitya-yuktāḥ upāsate ।
śraddhayā parayā upetāḥ te me yuktatamāḥ matāḥ ॥ 12-2॥
Lord Krishna said — fixing the mind upon Me with great faith, those ever-steadfast (devotees) who meditate upon Me are considered to be the best yōgis by Me.

Krishna, recognizing the incompleteness in Arjuna's understanding, responds: “mayi āveśya manaḥ ye mām nitya-yuktāḥ upāsate śraddhayā parayā upetāḥ te me yuktatamāḥ matāḥ” – Those who fix their minds on Me with great faith and constant devotion are considered the best yogis by Me.

Key points in Krishna's answer:

1. Both saguna and nirguna approaches are valid; limiting Reality to either form is incomplete.
2. The superior devotee sees no contradiction between the two, understanding that Ishvara is both with and without form/qualities.
3. Saguna-bhakti is often a necessary precursor to nirguna-bhakti, refining the mind for subtler contemplation.
4. The best devotee is one whose mind is frequently absorbed in Ishvara, regardless of form.

Krishna emphasizes the importance of:

1. Nitya-yuktah: Steadfast commitment

This concept is beautifully illustrated by the story of the Gopis of Vrindavan:

In the lush forests of Vrindavan, young Krishna spent his childhood, enchanting everyone with his divine play. The Gopis, the cowherd women, were particularly devoted to him. They sang for him, danced for him, and lived every moment thinking of him. Their love for Krishna was so intense that it consumed their entire being.

When Krishna eventually left Vrindavan, the Gopis were heartbroken. Years later, Krishna's friend Uddhava visited Vrindavan. Seeing the Gopis still pining for Krishna, he said, “Why don't you forget Him and worship someone else? He heartlessly left you all.”

The Gopis replied, “We would if we could. But unfortunately, we have only one mind, and that has been stolen by Krishna. With what shall we worship anyone else?”

This story exemplifies the unwavering, single-pointed devotion that Krishna speaks of – a devotion so complete that it consumes one's entire being.

2. Parayā śraddhayā: Full faith in scriptures, guru, and Ishvara

To understand the difference between partial and full faith, consider these examples:

Partial faith is like:

• • • Believing the Lord is omniscient, yet feeling the need to explain our sorrows to Him.
    • Accepting that the Lord is omnipotent, yet worrying if He can help us achieve our goals.
    • Acknowledging the Lord as omnipresent, but failing to see Him within ourselves.
    • Jesus referred to this as “O ye men of little faith!”

Full faith is illustrated by this story:

A man had worshipped Lord Ganesha for years. One day, facing a severe problem, he prayed fervently to Ganesha, but his issue remained unresolved. In frustration, he placed the Ganesha idol on the top shelf of his altar, replacing it with a Shiva idol.

As he sat brooding, he noticed the incense smoke entering Ganesha‘s trunk. Annoyed, he stuffed cotton into the trunk to block it. Suddenly, Lord Ganesha appeared before him, saying, “For the first time, you have shown true faith. You believed that the idol wasn't just a piece of stone, but a living, breathing deity.”

This story demonstrates that real faith sees the divine as alive and present, not just as a symbol or a ritual object.

This faith is crucial because the results of saguna-dhyanam (self-growth, mental expansion, purity, sensitivity, sharpness) are subtle and develop over time. Just as a farmer must have faith that his seeds will grow into a bountiful harvest, even though he cannot see the growth happening beneath the soil, a devotee must have faith in the unseen spiritual growth occurring within.

In essence, Krishna suggests that saguna-bhaktas are superior in practice (not because it's absolutely true, but because it eventually LEADS to final non-dual understanding), while acknowledging that nirguna-bhaktas also attain Him.

Saguna-bhakti gradually evolves towards nirguna-bhakti. It's like learning to swim – one starts in the shallow end with floats (saguna-bhakti) before venturing into the deep waters (nirguna-bhakti). 

 

Keywords: aneka-rupa, eka-rupa, isvara, isvara, jivanmukta, jnana, jnana-yoga, jnani, nididhyasana, nishkama, niskama, raja, sadhana, shravana, sravana, upasana, vipashyana, vipassana, vipasyana, vishvarupa, visva-rupa, visvarupa

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Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching given to Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya), Paramarthananda & Chinmaya Mission.

Recorded 12 Jan, 2021