The twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, called 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌃 or the 𑌯𑍋𑌗 of Devotion, unfolds on the battlefield of 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰, in the thick of the 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌭𑌾𑌰𑌤 war. Here, 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌜𑍁𑌨, the skilled archer and hero of the 𑌪𑌾𑌂𑌡𑌵𑌾𑌃, faces his deepest doubts and fears. Across from him stand the 𑌕𑍌𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌃, his own relatives and former friends.
In the previous chapter, 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣 revealed his cosmic form to 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌜𑍁𑌨, showing the vast, all-encompassing reality behind the universe. That vision was overwhelming-both awe-inspiring and terrifying. 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌜𑍁𑌨 saw the endless power and majesty of the divine, but he was left with a pressing question: how should a person actually relate to such an infinite being?
Looking ahead, the next chapter will explore the difference between knowledge and ignorance, diving deeper into the qualities that lead a person toward liberation. But here, in 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌃, the focus is on the heart-on the power of devotion to bring peace, courage, and a sense of connection with the divine, even in the midst of chaos.
𑌓𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍇 𑌨𑌮𑌃
𑌅𑌥 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌶𑍋𑌽𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌃 ।
𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌃
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Om. Salutations to the Supreme Self. Now begins the twelfth chapter, called the Path of Devotion.
𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌜𑍁𑌨 𑌉𑌵𑌾𑌚
𑌏𑌵𑌂 𑌸𑌤𑌤𑌯𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌯𑍇 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌯𑍇 𑌚𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌮𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑍇 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌾𑌃 ॥ 1 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Arjuna asked: Of those devotees who are always steadfast and worship you in the way you have described, and those who meditate on the imperishable, unmanifest reality, which group is more accomplished in yoga?
𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌵𑌾𑌚
𑌮𑌯𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌯 𑌮𑌨𑍋 𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌯𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌉𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌯𑌾 𑌪𑌰𑌯𑍋𑌪𑍇𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌮𑍇 𑌯𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌤𑌮𑌾 𑌮𑌤𑌾𑌃 ॥ 2 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The Blessed Lord said: Those who dedicate their minds to Me, always steadfast and worship Me with the highest faith, I consider them to be the most accomplished in yoga.
𑌯𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌮𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌦𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌮𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌮𑌚𑌿𑌂𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌚 𑌕𑍂𑌟𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌮𑌚𑌲𑌂 𑌧𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌮𑍍 ॥ 3 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
But those who meditate with devotion on the imperishable, the indefinable, the unmanifest, which is present everywhere, beyond thought, unchanging, unmoving, and everlasting-
𑌸𑌂𑌨𑌿𑌯𑌮𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌸𑌮𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌯𑌃 ।
𑌤𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌵𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌹𑌿𑌤𑍇 𑌰𑌤𑌾𑌃 ॥ 4 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Those who have mastered their senses, maintain a steady and balanced mind in all circumstances, and are dedicated to the well-being of every living being, they too ultimately reach Me alone.
𑌕𑍍𑌲𑍇𑌶𑍋𑌽𑌧𑌿𑌕𑌤𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌮𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌸𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌚𑍇𑌤𑌸𑌾𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌅𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌹𑌿 𑌗𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌂 𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌵𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌿𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ॥ 5 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
For those whose minds are fixed on the unmanifest, the path is much harder. The unmanifest goal is very difficult for people living in physical bodies to reach.
𑌯𑍇 𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌮𑌯𑌿 𑌸𑌂𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌃 ।
𑌅𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍇𑌨 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌂𑌤 𑌉𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌤𑍇 ॥ 6 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
However, those who dedicate all their actions to Me, accept Me as their highest purpose, and worship Me by meditating on Me with undivided focus and devotion-
𑌤𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌮𑌹𑌂 𑌸𑌮𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌸𑌂𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌗𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍 ।
𑌭𑌵𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨 𑌚𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥 𑌮𑌯𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌵𑍇𑌶𑌿𑌤𑌚𑍇𑌤𑌸𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
O Arjuna, for those whose minds are fully absorbed in Me, I quickly become their rescuer from the ocean of mortal existence and suffering.
𑌮𑌯𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵 𑌮𑌨 𑌆𑌧𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌵 𑌮𑌯𑌿 𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌵𑍇𑌶𑌯 ।
𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌸𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌸𑌿 𑌮𑌯𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵 𑌅𑌤 𑌊𑌰𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌨 𑌸𑌂𑌶𑌯𑌃 ॥ ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Focus your mind entirely on Me and let your understanding rest in Me. If you do this, you will certainly live in Me from this moment onward, without any doubt.
𑌅𑌥 𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌨 𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌨𑍋𑌷𑌿 𑌮𑌯𑌿 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌰𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌅𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌸𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍇𑌨 𑌤𑌤𑍋 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌧𑌨𑌂𑌜𑌯 ॥ ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
If you are unable to keep your mind steadily focused on Me, Arjuna, then seek to reach Me through the discipline of repeated practice.
𑌅𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌸𑍇𑌽𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌸𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌥𑍋𑌽𑌸𑌿 𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌪𑌰𑌮𑍋 𑌭𑌵 ।
𑌮𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌮𑌪𑌿 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌮𑌵𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌸𑌿 ॥ 10 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
If you are unable to maintain steady spiritual practice, then dedicate yourself to actions done for Me. By performing work with Me as your purpose, you will also achieve spiritual perfection.
𑌅𑌥𑍈𑌤𑌦𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌸𑌿 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌮𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌮𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌃 ।
𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌫𑌲𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑌃 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍁 𑌯𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 ॥ 11 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
If you are unable to do even this, then, taking shelter in devotion to Me, simply give up attachment to the results of all your actions, acting with self-discipline.
𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑍋 𑌹𑌿 𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑌮𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌸𑌾𑌜𑍍𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌫𑌲𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌰𑌨𑌂𑌤𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ 12 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Knowledge is certainly better than mere practice, and meditation is better than knowledge. Renouncing the results of actions is even higher than meditation, and from such renunciation, peace follows right away.
𑌅𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌾 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑍈𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌃 𑌕𑌰𑍁𑌣 𑌏𑌵 𑌚 ।
𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍋 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌹𑌂𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌃 𑌸𑌮𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌃 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌮𑍀 ॥ 13 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
One who holds no hatred for any living being, who is kind and friendly, who is free from possessiveness and ego, who remains balanced in both happiness and sorrow, and who is forgiving-such a person is described here.
𑌸𑌂𑌤𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌃 𑌸𑌤𑌤𑌂 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍀 𑌯𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌦𑍃𑌢𑌨𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌯𑌃 ।
𑌮𑌯𑍍𑌯𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌮𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌃 𑌸 𑌮𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌃 ॥ 14 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
That devotee who is always content, disciplined, self-controlled, unwavering in resolve, and who has dedicated both mind and intellect to Me-such a person is truly dear to Me.
𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌤𑍇 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍋 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌤𑍇 𑌚 𑌯𑌃 ।
𑌹𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌭𑌯𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌗𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍋 𑌯𑌃 𑌸 𑌚 𑌮𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌃 ॥ 15 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
That person is dear to Me who does not disturb the world and is not disturbed by it, and who is free from joy, impatience, fear, and anxiety.
𑌅𑌨𑌪𑍇𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌃 𑌶𑍁𑌚𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷 𑌉𑌦𑌾𑌸𑍀𑌨𑍋 𑌗𑌤𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌥𑌃 ।
𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌂𑌭𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑍀 𑌯𑍋 𑌮𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌃 𑌸 𑌮𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌃 ॥ 16 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
That devotee of Mine is dear to Me who has no personal desires, is pure in mind and body, acts skillfully, remains impartial and unaffected, is free from inner pain, and has renounced all self-motivated actions.
𑌯𑍋 𑌨 𑌹𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌨 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌿 𑌨 𑌶𑍋𑌚𑌤𑌿 𑌨 𑌕𑌾𑌂𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑌿 ।
𑌶𑍁𑌭𑌾𑌶𑍁𑌭𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑍀 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌸 𑌮𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌃 ॥ 1 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
One who neither delights in pleasure nor hates anything, who does not grieve over losses nor crave for gains, who has given up attachment to both good and bad outcomes, and who is deeply devoted to Me-such a person is dear to Me.
𑌸𑌮𑌃 𑌶𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍌 𑌚 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌚 𑌤𑌥𑌾 𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌪𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌯𑍋𑌃 ।
𑌶𑍀𑌤𑍋𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌸𑌮𑌃 𑌸𑌂𑌗𑌵𑌿𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌃 ॥ 1 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
One who remains even-minded toward both friend and enemy, who is steady in situations of honor and dishonor, who is unaffected by cold, heat, pleasure, or pain, and who is free from attachment-such a person is truly balanced.
𑌤𑍁𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌿𑌂𑌦𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍌𑌨𑍀 𑌸𑌂𑌤𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍋 𑌯𑍇𑌨 𑌕𑍇𑌨𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍 ।
𑌅𑌨𑌿𑌕𑍇𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌰𑌮𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌮𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍋 𑌨𑌰𑌃 ॥ 1 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
One who treats both criticism and praise the same, who remains silent, is satisfied with whatever comes, has no attachment to any home, is steady in mind, and is full of devotion-such a person is dear to Me.
𑌯𑍇 𑌤𑍁 𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌯𑌥𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌦𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌾 𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌾 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌤𑍀𑌵 𑌮𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌃 ॥ 20 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
But those devotees who, with unwavering faith, follow this path of righteous living as described above, considering Me as their ultimate goal, are truly and especially dear to Me.
𑌓𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌿 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌮𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌦𑍍𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍂𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍁 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇
𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌜𑍁𑌨𑌸𑌂𑌵𑌾𑌦𑍇 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍋 𑌨𑌾𑌮 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌶𑍋𑌽𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌃 ॥12 ॥
Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Thus ends the twelfth chapter, called the Path of Devotion, from the revered Bhagavad Gita, which is a dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, and is found within the Upanishads as the teaching of Brahman and the science of yoga.
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