The Bhagavad Gita – Path of Devotion & Bhakti Yoga (भक्ति योग)

The Bhagavad Gita – Path of Devotion & Bhakti Yoga (भक्ति योग)
॥ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥ ॥ ॐ श्री परमात्मने नमः ॥ ॥ अथ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥
 
Shree Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita has brought out the nectar of Upanishads and outlined four paths of liberation from re-birth & to achieve highest spiritual goal. The paths are the karma yoga, the jnana yoga, the bhakti yoga and the dhayan or raja yoga. Path of bhakti yoga is explained in chapters 4, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 18. Bhakta is one who fix his mind daily, continuously & unmoved  on the almighty; worship by listening, chanting, meditating & studying about almighty without motives; surrender everything to Him with great devotion & love; make obeisance to Him and entirely depending on Him.
 
Four types of persons become devoted viz. sufferer, the enquirer, the boon-seeker and the knowing one. The knowing ones love the Brahman from their sense of innate unity with that. To them, nothing is dearer than Brahman. It is only after many births of spiritual striving that person is established in this form of love based on knowledge that it is Brahman alone who is seen as this world of multiplicity.

Vedic system maintains that the Almighty/Brahman has manifested himself as several deities, who represent particular powers. The devotion to deities of most persons is mainly motivated by worldly needs like cure of diseases, success, wealth etc. A divine incarnation is the expression of divinity through humanity. Worship of incarnations is worship of Brahman himself. Wise persons know that the powers of the deities are derived from Brahman who fulfils the desires.

Purpose of Worship (Devotion):

1. Those who worship deities (according to the ritualistic codes with offerings and mantras and prayer) for attaining worldly fulfilments or boons or divine favours, He strengthen their faith in their objects of worship and grant the prayer; but they attain to those deities and fruit they get is of short lived.
2. Those who worship the deity with attitude that of Supreme Being (Brahman), for liberation from cycles of births and deaths, come to know that he is the sole existence, as also sole doer and the sole enjoyer. Spiritual elevation can be granted by Him. Incarnation too can grant highest spiritual elevation.
3. Whatever aspect devotees adore Brahman, Brahman strengthen their faith in that aspect and approach them in that form.

 
Forms of Devotion (Bhakti):
The forms of Bhakti are three – Ekatva (based on unity, soul’s oneness with Brahman), Prthaktva (separateness, Brahman is master of all, adoring him as father or husband) and Bahudha (multiplicity, immanent of all being, and service to all beings). Worship of shiva, Vishnu, Devi, incarnations etc. is done with understanding that it the one supreme being who has manifested as all these deities that it is He who is worshipped through them all.

Types of Worship:

1. External worship is symbolic. External worship is important in early stages. Worship is effective not by complexity of rituals and offerings but by devotion and service of mankind.
2. A person who has ascended in spiritual life is called as Arudha. Arudha is engaged in god-centred actions. Bhagawata Purana has classified god-centred actions into nine class’ viz. listening (श्रवणम), hymning/eulogizing (कीर्तनं), meditating/remembering (स्मरणम), service (पादसेवनम), worship (आर्कनम), salutation/greeting (वंदनम), servitude/bondage (दास्यम), comradeship/friendliness (सखयम) and total surrender (आत्मनिवेदनम). 
3. The real worship is living holy life, total surrender, offering of oneself, one’s possessions, and one’s actions and even the sense of agency to Him and unwavering faith and devotion (अनन्य भक्ति) and service to living beings. Such Attitude of devotion (bhakti) is born out of knowledge (Jnana) of one’s relationship with the divine. Jnana supports Bhakti and bhakti deepens Jnana.
4. The highest worship is of those devotees who, never pray to the God for anything, even for liberation. They only love him and serve him and forget everything about themselves. They look God as their own and they have no selfish and extraneous interests in adoring him including salvation. Love is the only motive power.

 
Attributes of devotion:
The three qualities viz. Shraddha, ardent practice and control of senses, are absolutely necessary for spiritual progress.
 

1. Shraddha (Faith):
   1. It is not superstitious acceptance but positive attitude and active acceptance being developed based on indirect information received from gurus, scriptures. 
   2. Shraddha is born from one’s potential (स्वभाव) which comes from past life and attainments. Shraddha is determined by the dominance of one or the other of the three attributes of nature – sattva, rajas and tamas. His preference in respect of objects of worship, food, activities etc. will depend upon his Shraddha. Whatever is done without vanity, but is motivated by the good of others and has the grace of God in mind, is sattvika. Whatever is sought or done with desire, vanity, and for self-glorification, are rajas. And whatever is done indifferently, with evil motives, thoughtlessly, and in a grumbling spirit is tamas. Such conduct is futile in respect of person’s higher evolution.
   3. Shraddha and reason are two unique powers that come up at the human level evolution. These powers work in proper circumstances alone-reason when cultivated under proper training and faith when supported by a pure nature without much influence of passion and inertia.
2. Ardent practice: On the path of devotion, aspirants have different stages of development as under:
   1. Who have inborn hankering for God and whose mind tends towards him.
   2. If one is incapable of it, systematic practices to draw the mind to God are advocated. These can be done by listening, kirtana and smarana. In smarana can be included such practices as Japa and attempt on meditation. Through these the mind can be constantly fixed on the divine. 
   3. For those who cannot do the above because of temperamental reasons, and because of the extreme difficulty felt by many to concentrate in meditation, is given the discipline of God’s work. It has got the virtue of complete objectivity, and objective concentration is much easier than subjective concentration.
3. Control of senses.

 
Types of devotees:

1. The tamasic devotees are interested in killing one’s enemy, wreaking vengeance etc.
2. The rajasic devotees seek worldly prosperity, success etc. and are prompted by desires and ambitions, by greed of wealth and power. The attributes of the Divine that cater to such prayers and which attract such rajasic minds is called here Yaksas and Raksasas.
3. Those who are sattvika, desire salvation and cultivate renunciation, divine love without motive, actions dedicated to God etc. and they will be drawn to Divine manifestations that bestow these excellences. These deities or ideals that attract the sattva-bound souls can be called the Davas.
4. Nirguna devotees, who have transcended the three gunas, abjure even mukti or moksha and seek the pure love of Brahman, merely to serve him without expectation anything in return.

 
Progress of Devotion:

1. Purity of mind & strong aspirations,
2. Naiskarmya (Actionlessness),
3. One should adopt introvert and ascetic living in solitude absorbed in meditation. Tranquil in spirit, free from grief and passion and regarding all beings as alike (called as Sthita-Prajna) are the attributes.
4. Attainment of transcendent devotion (Param Bhakti).
5. Nirguna Bhakti – spontaneous love for Brahman stimulates not by any body-based passions but by direct attraction of the Brahman as of iron by the magnet. Whole hearted self-surrender (body, mind and soul) and love ensures attainment of Brahman.

Om tat sat are the holy syllables & represent Brahman, and indicate the sacrificial mentality. Om is sound Brahman (शब्द) and the seed of all mantras, Tat means that indicating Brahman. Sat means truth or reality, is equally representing Brahman. Utterance of these syllables, promotes his spiritual evolution.
 
The detailed explanations, chapter wise and verse-wise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (the relevant Sanskrit verses of Bhagavad Gita are mentioned at the bottom) are as under: 

​Purpose of Worship (Devotion):

1. Four types of devotees worship Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna), the seeker of worldly possessions, distressed or afflicted by problems, the seeker of knowledge, and the man of wisdom (person who has attained worklessness) (7.16). Of these, the best is the person of wisdom, who has established identity with Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) and possessed of exclusive devotion. For, I am extremely dear to the wise man who knows Me in reality, and he is extremely dear to Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (7.17).
2. Those who are devoted to the rituals with interested motive, as recommended by the Vedas as the means of attaining heavenly bliss, and seeking worldly enjoyments, they repeatedly come and go (i.e., ascend to heaven by virtue of their merits and return to earth when their fruit has been enjoyed) (9.21).
3. Whatever celestial form (deity) a devotee (craving for some worldly object) chooses to worship with reverence, I stabilize the faith of that particular deity/form (7.21). Endowed with such faith, he worships that particular deity and obtains through that deity without doubt his desired enjoyments as verily ordained by Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (7.22). The fruit gained by these people of small understanding, however, is perishable. The worshippers of gods attain the gods; whereas My devotees, howsoever they worship Me, eventually come to Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) and Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) alone (7.23).
4. The devotees, who loving no one else constantly think of Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna), and worship Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) in a disinterested spirit, to those ever united in thought with Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna), I bring full security and personally attend to their needs (9.22).

Forms of Devotion (Bhakti):

1. Souls who have adopted the divine nature, knowing Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) as the prime source of all beings and the imperishable eternal, worship Me constantly with one pointedness of mind (9.13). Constantly chanting My names and glories and striving for My realization, and bowing again and again to Me, those devotees of firm resolve, ever united with me through meditation, worship Me with single-minded devotion (9.14).
2. Others, who follow the path of Knowledge, worship Me in My absolute, formless aspect as one with themselves.
3. While still others worship Me in My Universal Form in many ways, taking Me to be diverse in manifold celestial forms (9.15).

 
Types of Worship:

1. Devotees, who want boons, or divine favours, worship them according to the ritualistic codes with offerings and mantras and prayer. Supreme Being fulfils the individual wants on such prayers to deities. Spiritual elevation can be granted by Supreme Being. (4.12)
2. If the devotee worships the deity with attitude of Brahman, the worship becomes adoration of Brahman himself. But the worshipper now becomes seeker of Bhakti, Jnana & Mukti. Incarnation too can grant highest spiritual elevation.
3. Whosoever offers Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) with devotion and pure mind a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I, personally accept the offerings (9.26). Shree Krishna says, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer all that to Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (9.27). The mind thus established in the Yoga of renunciation (offering of all actions to Me), one shall be freed from the bondage of action in the form of good and evil results; will be liberated and attain Moksha (9.28).
4. One who fix his mind daily, continuously & unmoved  on Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna); be devoted to Me, worship by listening, chanting, meditating & studying Me without motives; surrender everything to me with great devotion & love; make obeisance to Me and entirely depending on Me, he shall come to Me (9.34).

 
Attributes of devotion:                         

1. He who has mastered his senses, is exclusively devoted to his practice and is full of faith, attains Knowledge; having had the revelation of Truth, he immediately attains supreme peace in the form of God-realization (4.39).
2. He who lacks discrimination, is devoid of faith, and is at the same time possessed by doubt, is lost to the spiritual path. For the doubting soul there is neither this world nor the world beyond, nor even happiness (4.40).
3. All devotees are noble, but such a devotee, who has his mind and intellect merged in Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna), is firmly established in Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) alone as the highest goal (7.18).
4. One who knows in reality this supreme divine glory and my supernatural power, gets established in Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) through unfaltering devotion; of this there is no doubt (10.7).
5. I am the source of all creation and everything in the world moves because of Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna); knowing thus, the wise, full of devotion, constantly worship Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (10.8).
6. Those who meditate Me, (Brahman/Shree Krishna) listen & discuss My glories and surrender to Me, these devotees ever remain contented and take delight in Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (10.9).
7. Such devotees who are ever united through meditation with Me and worshipping Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) with love, I confer that Yoga of wisdom by which they come to Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (10.10).
8. In order to bestow My compassion on them, I, dwelling in their hearts, dispel their darkness born of ignorance by the illuminating lamp of knowledge (10.11).

Types of devotees:

1. It is difficult to cross the three Gunas (modes of Nature), however, who constantly adore Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) alone, are able to cross it (7.14).
2. Persons of sattvik faith (Shraddha) worship deities; those of Rajasika temperament worship demigods, the demons; while others, who are of Tamasika disposition, worship the spirits of the dead and ghosts (17.4).
3. Those who worship deities, go to deities, those who are worship manes (पितर), reach the manes; those who adore the spirits (भूत), reach the spirits and those who worship Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna), come to Me alone. That is why My devotees are no longer subject to re-birth (9.25).
4. Persons, who practise severe penance of an arbitrary type, not sanctioned by the scriptures, and who are full of hypocrisy and egotism and are, obsessed with desire, attachment and pride of power and who torture the elements constituting their body as well as the Supreme Spirit, dwelling in their body are Tamsika (17.5, 17.6).
5. Worship of gods, the Brahmanas, one’s guru, elders and great soul, purity, straightforwardness, continence (self-restraint) and non-violence-these are called penance of the body (17.14).
6. Even if the dreadful sinner worships Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) with exclusive devotion, he should be regarded a saint (9.30). Women, Vaisyas (members of the trading and agriculturist classes), Sudras (those belonging to the labour and artisan classes), as well as those of impious birth (such as the pariah), whoever they may be, taking refuge in Me, they too attain the supreme goal (9.32).
7. OM, TAT and SAT - this has been declared as the triple appellation of Brahman, who is Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. By that were the Brahmamas and the Vedas as well as sacrifices created at the cosmic dawn (17.23). Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity and austerity, as enjoined by sacred precepts, are always commenced by noble persons, used to the recitation of Vedic chants, with the invocation of the divine name OM (17.24).

Progress of Devotion:

1. Veiled by My Yogamaya, My divine potency, I am not manifest to all. Hence these ignorant folk fail to recognize Me, the birthless and imperishable Supreme Deity i.e., consider Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) as subject to birth and death (7.25). Through delusion in the form of pairs of opposites (such as pleasure and pain etc.,) born of desire and aversion, all living creatures in this world are falling a prey to infatuation (7.27).
2. Those men of virtuous deeds, whose sins have come to an end, being freed from delusion in the form of pairs of opposites born of attraction and repulsion, worship Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) with a firm resolve in every way. They who, having taken refuge in Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna), strive for liberation from old age and death, know Brahman (the Absolute), the whole Adhyatma (the totality of Jivas or embodied souls), and the entire field of Karma (action) as well as My integral being, comprising Adhibhuta (pertaining to elements, Matter), Adhidaiva (pertaining to the deities) and Adhiyajna (pertaining to sacrifices). And they who, possessed of a steadfast mind, know thus even at the hour of death, they too know Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) alone (7.28, 7.29, 7.30).
3. If you cannot steadily fix the mind on Me, Arjuna, then seek to attain Me through the Yoga of practice (listening, chanting, meditating, japa, study of scriptures etc.) (12.9).
4. If you are not able to the pursuit of such practice, be intent to work for Me; you shall attain perfection (in the form of My realization) even by performing actions for My sake (12.10).
5. If, taking recourse to the Yoga of My realization, you are unable even to do this, then, subduing your mind and intellect etc., relinquish the fruit of all actions (12.11).
6. Knowledge is better than practice without discernment (knowing the essence), meditation on God is superior to knowledge, and renunciation of the fruit of actions is even superior to meditation; for, peace immediately follows renunciation (12.12).

Reference:

1. The Bhagavad Gita, Gita press, Gorakhpur
2. Bhagavad Gita, by Swami Sivananda, a divine life society publication
3. Srimad-Bhagavad Gita, by Swami Tapasyananda, Sri Ramakrishna math, Mylapore, Madras – 600004.   
4. https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_giitaa/bhagvadnew.html?lang=sa

 
Purpose of Worship (Devotion):
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन । आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ ७-१६॥ तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते । प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः ॥ ७-१७॥ ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति । एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥ ९-२१॥ यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति । तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् ॥ ७-२१॥ स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते । लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् ॥ ७-२२॥ अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् । देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि ॥ ७-२३॥ अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते । तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥ ९-२२॥
Forms of Devotion (Bhakti):
महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः । भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥ ९-१३॥ सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः । नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥ ९-१४॥ ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते । एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ॥ ९-१५॥
 
 
Types of Worship:
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः । क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥ ४-१२॥ पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥ ९-२६॥ यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् । यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥ ९-२७॥ शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः । संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥ ९-२८॥ मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु । मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥ ९-३४॥)
Attributes of devotion:                         
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः । ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ४-३९॥ अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति । नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥ ४-४०॥ उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् । आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् ॥ ७-१८॥ एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ १०-७॥ अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते । इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः ॥ १०-८॥ मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् । कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ॥ १०-९॥ तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् । ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥ १०-१०॥ तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः । नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ॥ १०-११॥
 
Types of devotees:
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया । मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ ७-१४॥ यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥ १७-४॥ यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः । भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥ ९-२५॥ अशास्त्रविहितं घोरं तप्यन्ते ये तपो जनाः । दम्भाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताः कामरागबलान्विताः ॥ १७-५॥ कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः । मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥ १७-६॥ देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम् । ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १७-१४॥ अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् । साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥ ९-३०॥ मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः । स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥ ९-३२॥ ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा ॥ १७-२३॥ तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य यज्ञदानतपःक्रियाः । प्रवर्तन्ते विधानोक्ताः सततं ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७-२४॥
Progress of Devotion:
नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः । मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम् ॥ ७-२५॥ इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत । सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥ ७-२७॥ येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः ॥ ७-२८॥ जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये । ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् ॥ ७-२९॥ साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः । प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः ॥ ७-३०॥ अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् । अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ॥ १२-९॥ अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव । मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १२-१०॥ अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः । सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ १२-११॥ श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते । ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥ १२-१२॥)