Bhagavad Gita - Adhyay 12- The Yoga Of Devotion (Bhakti Yog) - Post 13

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In this chapter, Arjun asked Shri Krishna, whether it's better to have devotional love for Krishna or for the less tangible, unmanifest God. Shri Krishna answered that both routes will lead to understanding but recommends devotional love for Krishna's personification in the Gita for embodied beings.

Further Shri Krishna explains that worshiping Shri Krishna in this concrete form gives worshipers a clear focus. In addition to this, Shri Krishna says that worshiping the vast God as the essence permeating all things will eventually lead devotees to understanding, but this form of worship involves more work. Shri Krishna insists that meditating wholly on Shri Krishna will lead a person to him. If such meditation is not possible, then living a life devoted to Shri Krishna will also bring a person to Shri Krishna in the end.

Shri Krishna explains to Arjun how he can be perfect in yoga. Here, Shri Krishna explains that meditating and concentrating solely on Shri Krishna, one will be loved the most by Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna brings up the importance of single-minded concentration. Shri Krishna gives the message "for the Yogi with a mind, fully absorbed, and one-pointed will live within me, forever". This is the way to free oneself from the cycle of death and re-birth. Further Shri Krishna, explains that if a person cannot do this successfully, then the path of devotion through direct action is another way to achieve success. If this doesn't work, Shri Krishna recommends the person to work on detachment, or indifference to the result of their actions.

In the conclusion of this chapter, Shri Krishna listed out thirty nine qualities of a perfect devotee. They all are meant to inspire us. Even if we cannot gain all these qualities, we should aim for acquiring at least one, because gaining even one quality opens the door to acquiring the rest. In all of these qualities, equanimity, unselfishness, lack of attachment and unwavering faith towards Ishvara are repeatedly emphasized.  

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