Bhagavad Gita
In Chapter 12, which is called Bhakti Yoga, we can try to understand it through eight points. I’ve divided it into eight parts just to make it easier to understand.
The first point is that in attaining God, both form-based and formless worship are equally important. But for a person who is identified with the body, form-based worship is better. That’s the first point. The second point is—what does love for God actually mean? What is devotion?
The third point is—what are the three ways mentioned in this chapter to remain established in devotion? The first way is to fix your mind, intellect, and attention completely on God, to make them one-pointed. But if that one-pointedness doesn’t happen, then by taking the support of some method or technique—which is called abhyas yoga in the Gita—you try to focus your mind and intellect on God. That’s the first method.
The second method is to become an instrument and do all actions for God, or to offer all your actions to God. And the third method is to give up the fruits of actions. These three methods are mentioned in Chapter 12.
After explaining these three methods, Krishna also tells Arjuna some very important things. Then the seventh point is the qualities of a devotee, and the eighth point is—what does it mean when Krishna says that a devotee is dear to Him? While describing the qualities of a devotee, Krishna says five times that “my devotee is dear to me.” So what does being “dear” actually mean?
So these are the eight points of this chapter. Now we will go through them one by one and try to understand what Krishna is saying.
To understand the first point, we need to briefly look at Chapter 11 as well. At the end of Chapter 11, in verses 53 and 54, Krishna says something very important. He says, “O Arjuna, only those who are established in single-pointed devotion can truly see me, know me, and attain me.” And He also says that it is not possible to see, know, or attain Him through knowledge, rituals, austerity, or charity.
Now when we hear this, a question naturally arises—not just in Arjuna’s mind, but in our minds too. What about those who are not devoted in this way, but are on the path of knowledge? Those who meditate on the formless, who become thought-free and attain liberation—are they not yogis?
Because Krishna is saying that only a devotee can truly know and attain Him. So the question comes—can only devotees attain God? What about the path of knowledge? And then another question arises—if both are yogis, then who is greater? The devotee who worships form, or the one who meditates on the formless?
In the very first verse of Chapter 12, Arjuna asks this question. And in response, Krishna gives a very important principle of understanding people.
Krishna indicates that when two things are equally important, then the choice should depend on the nature, personality, and inclination of the person in front of you. This is a very important point. If two paths are equally valid, then which one is better depends on the individual.
So Krishna says, “Arjuna, the same ultimate state is attained through both form-based and formless worship. There is no difference in the result. The difference is only in the path. But for a person who is identified with the body, the path of form-based worship is better.”
Why? Because a person identified with the body can fill their mind with divine thoughts, but cannot empty it. Form-based worship is about filling the mind. And emptying the mind is very difficult for such a person.
On the other hand, the one who follows the formless path can empty the mind, but cannot fill it—because that path is about emptiness.
So there are two types of practices: one is the path of fullness, and the other is the path of emptiness.
Krishna says that the formless path is very difficult for a person who is identified with the body. Such people should follow the path of devotion.
He says something very beautiful—just as a person enters the world through love, in the same way, they can enter God through love. The only difference is direction. Earlier, their face was toward the world and their back toward God. Now, their face should turn toward God and their back toward the world. That turning of direction is devotion.
So devotion simply means turning your love toward God.
Now the second point—what is devotion?
God is not a person sitting somewhere that we can love in the usual way. So what does it mean to love God?
The real meaning of love is acceptance and surrender.
Even in our everyday life, if we look at our family, what does it mean to love someone? It means accepting them as they are, and not insisting on our ego. Real love is not about sweet words or gifts—that is just an outer display. Real love is acceptance and surrender.
So if this is true at the worldly level, then at the spiritual level, loving God means accepting the entire existence as it is and living in surrender.
When a person comes into this state, their perspective expands. Their narrow view disappears, and the whole existence becomes like their own home. They begin to feel that everything is God, and everything is being done by God. Their ego drops, and this is devotion.
Krishna says that such a person is quickly lifted out of the ocean of life. But this does not mean that someone will come and physically lift you. It means that a law of existence begins to work.
Just like water naturally flows downward, but when heated, it rises upward. In the same way, there is a law of grace. When a person lives in acceptance and surrender, they rise above the burden of ego.
Now the third point—how to remain established in devotion?
Krishna says there are three ways, because people have different personalities.
The first way is to fix your mind and intellect completely on God. Some people can do this easily, maybe because of impressions from past lives.
But most people cannot do this. So Krishna gives another way—abhyas yoga, which means using some method or technique.
For example, when a person worships an idol, wakes it up, bathes it, feeds it, and puts it to sleep—it may look like a ritual, but actually it is a technique to bring the mind away from worldly distractions and focus it on God.
Similarly, using an idol or any object in worship is like a jumping board. Its purpose is to help you jump within yourself. If you remain stuck only on the outer object, then you miss the real purpose.
There are other techniques too—like listening to scriptures, reflecting on them, meditating, or following practices like those mentioned by Patanjali.
But one must be careful not to get stuck in the technique itself. The technique is only a means, not the goal.
Now Krishna gives another method. If even this is difficult, then do all your actions as an instrument and offer them to God. Live with the feeling that “I am not doing anything, everything is being done by God through me.”
And if even this is difficult, then at least give up the attachment to the results of actions. Because the result is never in your control anyway.
Then Krishna adds something very important. He says that better than practice is understanding, better than understanding is meditation, and better than meditation is giving up the fruits of action. Because renouncing the results brings peace immediately.
Then he describes the qualities of a devotee—someone who has no hatred, who is compassionate, free from ego, steady in all situations, and equal in praise and criticism.
He says that such a devotee is dear to Him.
Now a question arises—does God favor some people over others? No. The meaning is that such a person becomes receptive to God.
God is present everywhere, just like sunlight. But if you close your eyes, you remain in darkness. Similarly, if your inner nature is not receptive, you cannot experience God.
So when Krishna says “my devotee is dear to me,” He is actually saying—become receptive.
That’s the whole message.