SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 17
yo na hrsyati na dvesti
na socati na kanksati
subhasubha-parityagi
bhaktiman yah sa me priyah

yah--one who; na--never; hrsyati--takes pleasure; na--never; dvesti--grieves; na--never; socati--laments; na--never; kanksati--desires; subha--of the auspicious; asubha--and the inauspicious; parityagi--renouncer; bhakti-man--devotee; yah--one who; sah--he is; me--to Me; priyah--dear.

TRANSLATION

One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things--such a devotee is very dear to Me.

JOURNAL:

Filling in the blanks. These last three slokas complete chapter twelve. The rest of this chapter was posted back at the end of April and beginning of May in 2011.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 16
anapeksah sucir daksa
udasino gata-vyathah
sarvarambha-parityagi
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

anapeksah--neutral; sucih--pure; daksah--expert; udasinah--free from care; gata-vyathah--freed from all distress; sarva-arambha--of all endeavors; parityagi--renouncer; yah--anyone who; mat-bhaktah--My devotee; sah--he; me--to Me; priyah--very dear.

TRANSLATION

My devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and not striving for some result, is very dear to Me.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 5
kleso 'dhikataras tesam
avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham
dehavadbhir avapyate

klesah--trouble; adhika-tarah--very much; tesam--of them; avyakta--to the unmanifested; asakta--attached; cetasam--of those whose minds; avyakta--toward the unmanifested; hi--certainly; gatih--progress; duhkham--with trouble; deha-vadbhih--by the embodied; avapyate--is achieved.

TRANSLATION

For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 20
ye tu dharmamrtam idam
yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama
bhaktas te 'tiva me priyah

ye--those who; tu--but; dharma--of religion; amrtam--nectar; idam--this; yatha--as; uktam--said; paryupasate--completely engage; sraddadhanah--with faith; mat-paramah--taking Me, the Supreme Lord, as everything; bhaktah--devotees; te--they; ativa--very, very; me--to Me; priyah--dear.

TRANSLATION

Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.

JOURNAL:

This is the last sloka in this chapter and so, in his purport, Srila Prabhupada sums up the chapter thus; The question of who is better--one who is engaged in the path of impersonal Brahman or one who is engaged in the personal service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead--was raised by Arjuna, and the Lord replied to him so explicitly that there is no doubt that devotional service to the Personality of Godhead is the best of all processes of spiritual realization.

He explains the value of Brahman realization in this way; The impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth, as described in this chapter, is recommended only up to the time one surrenders himself for self-realization. In other words, as long as one does not have the chance to associate with a pure devotee, the impersonal conception may be beneficial. In the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth one works without fruitive result, meditates and cultivates knowledge to understand spirit and matter. This is necessary as long as one is not in the association of a pure devotee.

Here again is another wonderful example of Krishna's love for us.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 18-19
samah satrau ca mitre ca
tatha manapamanayoh
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu
samah sanga-vivarjitah

tulya-ninda-stutir mauni
santusto yena kenacit
aniketah sthira-matir
bhaktiman me priyo narah

samah--equal; satrau--to an enemy; ca--also; mitre--to a friend; ca--also; tatha--so; mana--in honor; apamanayoh--and dishonor; sita--in cold; usna--heat; sukha--happiness; duhkhes. u--and distress; samah--equipoised; sanga-vivarjitah--free from all association; tulya--equal; ninda--in defamation; stutih--and repute; mauni--silent; santustah--satisfied; yena kenacit--with anything; aniketah--having no residence; sthira--fixed; matih--determination; bhakti-man--engaged in devotion; me--to Me; priyah--dear; narah--a man.

TRANSLATION

One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service--such a person is very dear to Me.

JOURNAL:

In his purport Srila Prabhupada mentions; (The devotee does not) care for any residential facility. He may sometimes live underneath a tree, and he may sometimes live in a very palatial building; he is attracted to neither.

Twice, while on the road, I have slept outdoors unprepared. This sloka states that I should be "equal" in both "heat and cold". On those cold nights I tried to practice this, reminding myself of the first lesson; that I am not this body.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 15
yasman nodvijate loko
lokan nodvijate ca yah
harsamarsa-bhayodvegair
mukto yah sa ca me priyah

yasmat--from whom; na--never; udvijate--are agitated; lokah--people; lokat--from people; na--never; udvijate--is disturbed; ca--also; yah--anyone who; harsa--from happiness; amarsa--distress; bhaya--fear; udvegaih--and anxiety; muktah--freed; yah--who; sah--anyone; ca--also; me--to Me; priyah--very dear.

TRANSLATION

He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.

JOURNAL:

As I chant my japa, as the rounds increase, I begin to have that sense of not wanting to stop. To keep on going and going, flowing in the river of the Holy Names, until I reach the lotus feet of Sri Damodara.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 13-14
advesta sarva-bhutanam
maitrah karuna eva ca
nirmamo nirahankarah
sama-duhkha-sukhah ksami

santustah satatam yogi
yatatma drdha-niscayah
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

advesta--nonenvious; sarva-bhutanam--toward all living entities; maitrah--friendly; karunah--kindly; eva--certainly; ca--also; nirmamah--with no sense of proprietorship; nirahankarah--without false ego; sama--equal; duhkha--in distress; sukhah--and happiness; ksam i--forgiving; santustah--satisfied; satatam--always; yogi--one engaged in devotion; yata-atma--self-controlled; drdha-niscayah--with determination; mayi--upon Me; arpita--engaged; manah--mind; buddhih--and intelligence; yah--one who; mat-bhaktah--My devotee; sah--he; me--to Me; priyah--dear.

TRANSLATION

One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me--such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.

JOURNAL:

Here we find a discription of the pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada, in his purport, tells us of ways to acheive this state. One way is how we see our life and the circumstances surrounding us. He writes; Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him. He thinks, "Thanks to my past misdeeds I should suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. I am just getting a little, by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he is always calm, quiet and patient, despite many distressful conditions.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 12
sreyo hijnanam abhyasaj
jnanad dhyanam visisyate
dhyanat karma-phala-tyagas
tyagac chantir anantaram

sreyah--better; hi--certainly; jnanam--knowledge; abhyasat--than practice; jnanat--than knowledge; dhyanam--meditation; visisyate--is considered better; dhyanat--than meditation; karma-phala-tyagah--renunciation of the results of fruitive action; tyagat--by such renunciation; santih--peace; anantaram--thereafter.

TRANSLATION

If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada opens a brilliant purport with these words; As mentioned in the previous verses, there are two kinds of devotional service: the way of regulative principles and the way of full attachment in love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For those who are actually not able to follow the principles of Krsna consciousness it is better to cultivate knowledge, because by knowledge one can be able to understand his real position. Gradually knowledge will develop to the point of meditation. By meditation one can be able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by a gradual process.

The mercy to the living entity shown here in these slokas (6-12) assures us that anyone can gain the perfection of a relationship with the Lord if he simply makes a sincere and humble attempt.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 10-11
abhyase 'py asamartho 'si
mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmani
kurvan siddhim avapsyasi

athaitad apy asakto 'si
kartum mad-yogam asritah
sarva-karma-phala-tyagam
tatah kuru yatatmavan

abhyase--in practice; api--even if; asamarthah--unable; asi--you are; mat-karma--My work; paramah--dedicated to; bhava--become; mat-artham--for My sake; api--even; karmani--work; kurvan--performing; siddhim--perfection; avapsyasi--you will achieve.
atha--even though; etat--this; api--also; asaktah--unable; asi--you are; kartum--to perform; mat--unto Me; yogam--in devotional service; asritah--taking refuge; sarva-karma--of all activities; phala--of the results; tyagam--renunciation; tatah--then; kuru--do; yata-atma-van--self-situated.

TRANSLATION

If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfect stage. If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness of Me, then try to act giving up all results of your work and try to be self-situated.

JOURNAL:

How deep God's mercy runs! Just try, from the point that you are at, to love Him, and He, in turn, will bring you to Himself.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 9
atha cittam samadhatum
na saknosi mayi sthiram
abhyasa-yogena tato
mam icchaptum dhananjaya

atha--if, therefore; cittam--mind; samadhatum--to fix; na--not; saknosi--you are able; mayi--upon Me; sthiram--steadily; abhyasa-yogena--by the practice of devotional service; tatah--then; mam--Me; iccha--desire; aptum--to get; dhanam-jaya--O winner of wealth, Arjuna.

TRANSLATION

My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.

JOURNAL:

Outside of the four regulative principles (no meat eating, no gambling, no illicit sex, no intoxication) Srila Prabhupada recommends the following in his purport; ...one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Krsna, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasadam, and so on. If, like me, you do not live near an ISKCON temple then you might want to think of carrying a small picture of Krishna with you. This is what I have been doing while on the road these last few months.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 8
mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah

mayi--upon Me; eva--certainly; manah--mind; adhatsva--fix; mayi--upon Me; buddhim--intelligence; nivesaya--apply; nivasisyasi--you will live; mayi--in Me; eva--certainly; atah urdhvam--thereafter; na--never; samsayah--doubt.

TRANSLATION

Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; The holy name of the Lord and the Lord are nondifferent; therefore when a devotee chants Hare Krsna, Krsna and His internal potency are dancing on the tongue of the devotee. When I chant the Holy Names this is exactly the feeling I get after about the fourth round.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 6-7
ye tu sarvani karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena
mam dhyayanta upasate

tesam aham samuddharta
mrtyu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha
mayy avesita-cetasam

ye--those who; tu--but; sarvani--all; karmani--activities; mayi--unto Me; sannyasya--giving up; mat-parah--being attached to Me; ananyena--without division; eva--certainly; yogena--by practice of such bhakti-yoga; mam--upon Me; dhyayantah--meditating; upasate--worship; tesam--of them; aham--I; samuddharta--the deliverer; mrtyu--of death; samsara--in material existence; sagarat--from the ocean; bhavami--I become; na--not; cirat--after a long time; partha--O son of Prtha; mayi--upon Me; avesita--fixed; cetasam--of those whose minds.

TRANSLATION

But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Prtha--for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.

JOURNAL:

Why am I so afraid to give my all to the Lord? These days I have nothing to lose by doing so and yet I hesitate. Soon I will lose access to this computer, along with most of what I used to call my life, and be back on the road again. I could just as easily go to the nearest temple and see if they would take me as a full time devotee, but I don't. Doing so would cut all ties with my wife and son and I guess I'm just not ready to do that. Fifty one years old and still not ready.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 3-4
ye tv aksaram anirdesyam
avyaktam paryupasate
sarvatra-gam acintyam ca
kuta-stham acalam dhruvam

sanniyamyendriya-gramam
sarvatra sama-buddhayah
te prapnuvanti mam eva
sarva-bhuta-hite ratah

ye--those who; tu--but; aksaram--that which is beyond the perception of the senses; anirdesyam--indefinite; avyaktam--unmanifested; paryupasate--completely engage in worshiping; sarvatra-gam--all-pervading; acintyam--inconceivable; ca--also; kuta-stham--unchanging; acalam--immovable; dhruvam--fixed; sanniyamya--controlling; indriya-gramam--all the senses; sarvatra--everywhere; sama-buddhayah--equally disposed; te--they; prapnuvanti--achieve; mam--Me; eva--certainly; sarva-bhuta-hite--for the welfare of all living entities; ratah--engaged.

TRANSLATION

But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed and immovable--the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth--by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me.

JOURNAL:

Here is the classic method of meditation. Sitting in the lotus position, controlling the breathing process, and shutting down the senses. Earlier in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6: Dhyāna-yoga) we have read about this method in detail, which Arjuna eventually rejects as being too difficult to practice with his busy life style.

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; In order to perceive the Supersoul within the individual soul, one has to cease the sensual activities of seeing, hearing, tasting, working, etc. Then one comes to understand that the Supreme Soul is present everywhere. Realizing this, one envies no living entity--he sees no difference between man and animal because he sees soul only, not the outer covering. But for the common man, this method of impersonal realization is very difficult.

All glories to the easy method of realization; chanting the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 2
sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy avesya mano ye mam
nitya-yukta upasate
sraddhaya parayopetas
te me yuktatama matah

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mayi--upon Me; avesya--fixing; manah--the mind; ye--those who; mam--Me; nitya--always; yuktah--engaged; upasate--worship; sraddhaya--with faith; paraya--transcendental; upetah--endowed; te--they; me--by Me; yukta-tamah--most perfect in yoga; matah--are considered.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who fix their minds on My personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect.

PURPORT

In answer to Arjuna's question, Krsna clearly says that he who concentrates upon His personal form and who worships Him with faith and devotion is to be considered most perfect in yoga. For one in such Krsna consciousness there are no material activities, because everything is done for Krsna. A pure devotee is constantly engaged. Sometimes he chants, sometimes he hears or reads books about Krsna, or sometimes he cooks prasadam or goes to the marketplace to purchase something for Krsna, or sometimes he washes the temple or the dishes--whatever he does, he does not let a single moment pass without devoting his activities to Krsna. Such action is in full samadhi.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 12 Text 1
arjuna uvaca
evam satata-yukta ye
bhaktas tvam paryupasate
ye capy aksaram avyaktam
tesam ke yoga-vittamah

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; evam--thus; satata--always; yuktah--engaged; ye--those who; bhaktah--devotees; tvam--You; paryupasate--properly worship; ye--those who; ca--also; api--again; aksaram--beyond the senses; avyaktam--the unmanifested; tesam--of them; ke--who; yoga-vit-tamah--the most perfect in knowledge of yoga.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna inquired: Which are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested?

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada gives us this definition in his purport: Those who worship the Supreme Lord directly by devotional service are called personalists. Those who engage themselves in meditation on the impersonal Brahman are called impersonalists. Arjuna is here questioning which position is better. There are different ways to realize the Absolute Truth, but Krsna indicates in this chapter that bhakti-yoga, or devotional service to Him, is the highest of all.

A friend once told me that, for him, GOD stood for "Great OutDoors". After years of this he is just now beginning to see God in a personal form. It took him a long time to come to this point in his search for truth. For us it doesn't have to be this way. Devotional service is the fast track to the Lord.