The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
Arğuna said:
O Ganardana! seeing this mild, human form of yours, I am now in my right mind, and have come to my normal state.
The Deity said:
Even the gods are always desiring to see this form of mine, which it is difficult to get a sight of, and which you have seen. I cannot be seen, as you have seen me, by (means of) the Vedas, not by penance, not by gift, nor yet by sacrifice. But, O Arğuna! by devotion to me exclusively, I can in this form be truly known, seen, and assimilated¹ with, O terror of your foes! He who performs acts for (propitiating) me, to whom I am the highest (object), who is my devotee, who is free from attachment, and who has no enmity towards any being, he, O son of Pâṇḍu! comes to me.
CHAPTER XII.
Arğuna said :
Of the worshippers, who thus, constantly devoted, meditate on you, and those who (meditate) on the unperceived and indestructible, which do best know devotion ?
The Deity said:
Those who being constantly devoted, and possessed of the highest faith, worship me with a mind fixed on me, are deemed by me to be the most devoted. But those, who, restraining the (whole) group of the senses, and with a mind at all times equable, meditate on the indescribable, indestructible, unperceived (principle) which is all-pervading, unthinkable, indifferent *, immovable, and constant, they, intent on the good of all beings, necessarily attain to me. For those whose minds are attached to the unperceived, the trouble is much greater. Because the unperceived goal * is obtained by embodied (beings) with difficulty. As to those, however, O son of Pṛitha! who, dedicating all their actions to me, and (holding) me as their highest (goal), worship me, meditating on me with a devotion towards none besides me, and whose minds are fixed on me, I, without delay, come forward as their deliverer from the ocean of this world of death. Place your mind on me only; fix your understanding on me. In me you will dwell * hereafter, (there is) no doubt. But if you are unable to fix your mind steadily on me, then, O Dhanañgaya! endeavour * to obtain me by the abstraction of mind (resulting) from continuous meditation *. If you are unequal even to continuous meditation, then let acts for (propitiating) me be your highest (aim). Even performing actions for (propitiating) me, you will attain perfection. If you are unable to do even this, then resort to devotion * to me, and, with selfrestraint, abandon all fruit of action. For knowledge is better than continuous meditation; concentration”? esteemed higher than knowledge; and the abandonment of fruit of action than concentration ; from (that) abandonment, tranquillity soon (results). That devotee of mine, who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, who is free from egoism, and from (the idea that this or that is) mine, to whom happiness and misery are alike, who is forgiving, contented, constantly devoted, self-restrained, and firm in his determinations, and whose mind and understanding are devoted to me, he is dear to me. He through whom the world is not agitated ', and who is not agitated by the world, who is free from joy and anger and fear and agitation, he too is dear tome. That devotee of mine, who is unconcerned?, pure, assiduous ?, impartial, free from distress #, who abandons all actions (for fruit >), he is dear to me. He who is full of devotion to me, who feels no joy and no aversion, who does not grieve and does not desire, who abandons (both what is) agreeable and (what is) disagreeable, he is dear to me. He who is alike to friend and foe, as also in honour and dishonour, who is alike in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, who is free from attachments, to whom praise and blame are alike, who is taciturn °, and contented with anything whatever (that comes), who is homeless’, and of a steady mind, and full of devotion, that man is dear to me. But those devotees who, imbued with faith, and (regarding) me as their highest (goal), resort to this holy (means for attaining) immortality, as stated, they are extremely dear to me.
1 Literally, ‘entered into;’ it means final emancipation. See p. 128.
Arjuna said:
O Janardana! Seeing this gentle, human form of yours, my mind is restored and I have returned to my normal state.
The Deity said:
Even the gods are always longing to see this form of mine — difficult to glimpse, and yet you have seen it. I cannot be seen as you have seen me through the Vedas, through penance, through giving, or through sacrifice. But, O Arjuna! through wholehearted devotion to me alone, I can in this form be truly known, truly seen, and truly assimilated¹ with — O terror of your foes! He who acts for my sake, who holds me as his highest aim, who is my devotee, who is free from attachment, and who bears no enmity toward any being — he, O son of Pâṇḍu! comes to me.
CHAPTER XII.
Arjuna said:
Of the worshippers who, devoted in this constant way, meditate on you, and those who meditate on the unperceived and indestructible — which of them knows devotion best?
The Deity said:
Those who worship me with their minds fixed on me, constantly devoted and with the highest faith, are the ones I regard as most devoted. But there are others who restrain the entire group of the senses, keep the mind always equable, and meditate on that which is indescribable, indestructible, and unperceived — all-pervading, unthinkable, indifferent, immovable, and constant. They, intent on the good of all beings, necessarily attain to me as well. Yet for those whose minds are attached to the unperceived, the trouble is much greater, because the unperceived goal is obtained by embodied beings only with difficulty.
As for those, however, O son of Pṛitha! who dedicate all their actions to me, hold me as their highest goal, worship me with devotion towards none besides me, and keep their minds fixed on me — I come forward without delay as their deliverer from the ocean of this world of death. Place your mind on me only; fix your understanding on me. You will dwell in me hereafter — of that there is no doubt. But if you are unable to fix your mind steadily on me, then, O Dhanañjaya, endeavour to obtain me by the abstraction of mind resulting from continuous meditation. If you are unequal even to continuous meditation, then let acts for propitiating me be your highest aim. Even performing actions for propitiating me, you will attain perfection. If you are unable to do even this, then resort to devotion to me and, with self-restraint, abandon all fruit of action. For knowledge is better than continuous meditation; concentration is esteemed higher than knowledge; and the abandonment of fruit of action higher than concentration. From that abandonment, tranquillity soon results.
That devotee of mine who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from egoism and from the idea that this or that is mine, to whom happiness and misery are alike, who is forgiving, contented, constantly devoted, self-restrained, and firm in his determinations, and whose mind and understanding are devoted to me — he is dear to me. He through whom the world is not agitated, and who is not agitated by the world, who is free from joy and anger and fear and agitation — he too is dear to me. That devotee of mine who is unconcerned, pure, assiduous, impartial, free from distress, who abandons all actions for fruit — he is dear to me. He who is full of devotion to me, who feels no joy and no aversion, who does not grieve and does not desire, who abandons both what is agreeable and what is disagreeable — he is dear to me. He who is alike to friend and foe, as also in honour and dishonour, alike in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, free from attachments, to whom praise and blame are alike, who is taciturn and contented with whatever comes, who is homeless and of a steady mind and full of devotion — that man is dear to me. But those devotees who, imbued with faith and regarding me as their highest goal, resort to this holy means for attaining immortality as stated — they are extremely dear to me.
1 Literally, 'entered into;' it means final emancipation. See p. 128.