Bhakti (भक्ति)

This same ancient yoga hath been to-day declared to thee by Me, for thou art My devotee and My friend; it is the supreme Secret.

However men approach Me, even so do I welcome them, for the path men take from every side is Mine, O Pârtha.

Having known Me, as the Enjoyer of sacrifice and of austerity, the mighty Ruler of all the worlds, and the Lover of all beings, he goeth to Peace.

The self serene, fearless, firm in the vow of the Brahmachari, the mind controlled, thinking on Me, harmonised, let him sit aspiring after Me.

He who seeth Me everywhere, and seeth everything in Me, of him will I never lose hold, and he shall never lose hold of Me.

He who, established in unity, worshippeth Me abiding in all beings, that Yogi liveth in Me, whatever his mode of living.

And among all Yogis, he who, full of faith, with the inner Self abiding in Me, adoreth Me, he is considered by Me to be the most completely harmonised.

Fourfold in division are the righteous ones who worship me, O Arjuna; the suffering, the seeker for knowledge, the self-interested and the wise, O Lord of the Bhâratas.

Of these the wise, constantly harmonised, worshipping the One, is the best; I am supremely dear to the wise, and he is dear to Me.

Noble are all these, but I hold the wise as verily Myself; he, Self united, is fixed on Me, the highest Path.

At the close of many births the man full of wisdom cometh unto Me; "Vâsudeva is all." saith he, the Mahâtmâ, very difficult to find.

They whose wisdom hath been rent away by desires go forth to other Shining Ones, resorting to various external observances, according to their own natures.

Any devotee who seeketh to worship with faith any such aspect, I verily bestow the unswerving faith of that man.

He endowed with that faith, seeketh the worship of such a one, and from him he obtaineth his desires, I verily decreeing the benefits;

Finite indeed the fruit that belongeth to those who are of small intelligence. To the Shining Ones go the worshippers of the Shining Ones, but my devotees come unto Me.

But those men of pure deeds, in whom sin is come to an end, they, freed from the delusive pairs of opposites, worship Me, steadfast in vows.

He who constantly thinketh upon Me, not thinking ever of another, of him I am easily reached, O Pârtha, of this ever-harmonised Yogî.

He, the highest Spirit, O Pârtha, may be reached by unswerving devotion to Him alone, in whom all beings abide, by whom all This is pervaded.

Verily the Mahâtmâs, O Partha, partaking of My divine nature, worship with unwavering mind, having known Me, the imperishable source of beings.

Always magnifying Me, strenuous, firm in vows, prostrating themselves before Me, they worship Me with devotion ever harmonised.

To those men who worship Me alone thinking of no other, to those ever harmonious, I bring full security.

Even the devotees of other Shining Ones, who worship full of faith, they also worship Me, O son of Kuntî, though contrary to the ancient rule.

They who worship the Shining Ones go to the Shining Ones; to the Ancestors go the Ancestor-worshippers; to the Elements go those who sacrifice to Elementals; but My worshippers come unto Me.

He who offereth to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, water, that I accept from the striving self, offered as it is with devotion.

The same am I to all beings; there is none hateful to Me nor dear. They verily who worship Me with devotion, they are in Me, and I also in them.

Even if the most sinful worship Me, with undivided heart, he too must be accounted righteous, for he hath rightly resolved;

Speedily he becometh dutiful and goeth to eternal peace; O Kaunteya, know thou for certain that My devotee perisheth never.

They who take refuge with Me, O Partha, though of the womb of sin, women, Vaishyas, even Shûdras, they also tread the highest path.

How much rather then holy Brâhmanas and devoted royal saints; having obtained this transient joyless world, worship thou Me.

On Me fix thy mind, be devoted to Me; sacrifice to Me; prostrate thyself before Me; harmonised thus in the Self, thou shalt come unto Me, having Me as thy supreme goal.

I am the Generator of all; all evolves from Me; understanding thus, the wise adore Me in rapt emotion.

Mindful of Me, their life hidden in Me, illumining each other, ever conversing about Me, they are content and joyful.

But by devotion to Me alone I may thus be perceived, Arjuna, and known and seen in essence, and entered, O Parantapa.

He who doeth actions for Me, whose supreme good I am, My devotee, freed from attachment without hatred of any being, he cometh unto Me, O Pândava.

Those devotees who ever harmonised worship Thee, and those also who worship the Indestructible, the Unmanifested, whether of these is the more learned in yoga?

They who with mind fixed on Me ever harmonised worship Me, with faith supreme endowed, these, in My opinion, are best in yoga.

Those verily who, renouncing all actions in Me and intent on Me, worship meditating on Me, with whole-hearted yoga,

These I speedily lift up from the ocean of death and existence, O Pârtha, their minds being fixed on Me.

Place thy mind in me, into Me let thy Reason enter; then without doubt thou shalt abide in Me hereafter.

Ever content, harmonious, with the self-controlled, resolute, with mind and Reason dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear to Me.

He who wants nothing, is pure, expert, passionless, untroubled, renouncing every undertaking, he, My devotee, is dear to Me.

They verily who partake of this life-giving wisdom as taught herein, endued with faith, I their supreme Object, devotees, they are surpassingly dear to Me.

Unflinching devotion to Me by yoga, without other objects, resort to sequestered places, absence of enjoyment in the company of men,

Thus the Field, Wisdom and the Object of Wisdom, have been briefly told. My devotee, thus knowing, enters into My Being.

Others also, ignorant of this, having heard of it from others, worship; and these also cross beyond death, adhering to what they had heard.

And he who serveth Me exclusively by the Yoga of devotion, he, crossing beyond the qualities, he is fit to become the Eternal.

He who undeluded knoweth Me thus as the Supreme Spirit, he, all-knowing, worshippeth Me with his whole being, O Bhârata.

Becoming the Eternal, serene in the Self, he neither grieveth nor desireth; the same to all beings, he obtaineth supreme devotion unto Me.

By devotion he knoweth Me in essence, who and what I am; having thus known Me in essence he forthwith entereth into the Supreme.

Merge thy mind in Me, be my devotee, sacrifice to Me, prostrate thyself before Me, thou shalt come even to Me. I pledge thee My troth; thou art dear to Me.

Abandoning all duties come unto Me alone for shelter; sorrow not, I will liberate thee from all sins.

He who shall declare this supreme secret among My devotees, having shown the highest devotion for Me, without doubt he shall come to Me.