Bhakti Yoga in Bhagavad Gita: Understanding the Path of Devotion

 

Bhakti Yoga in Bhagvad Gita: Understanding the Path of Devotion

Bhakti Yoga is one of the most popular paths of yoga mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita. It is the path of devotion and surrenders to a higher power. The Bhagavad Gita offers valuable insights into this path of yoga and provides guidance for those seeking spiritual liberation through devotion.

Bhakti Yoga is a path of love and devotion toward the divine. It emphasizes the importance of developing a deep and personal relationship with God. According to the Bhagavad Gita, the ultimate goal of Bhakti Yoga is to attain the state of pure devotion, where the devotee becomes wholly absorbed in the divine and experiences union with it.

Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita is dedicated to Bhakti Yoga. It provides a comprehensive guide to the path of devotion and highlights the qualities that a devotee should cultivate to attain the state of pure devotion. Here are some of the relevant shlokas from this chapter:

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Slokas in Sanskrit:

Bg. 12.2

भगवद्गीता: अध्याय 12, श्लोक 2

श्रीभगवानुवाच
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ।
श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मता: ॥ २ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
mayy āveśya mano ye māṁ
nitya-yuktā upāsate
śraddhayā parayopetās
te me yukta-tamā matāḥ

Bg. 12.13

भगवद्गीता: अध्याय 12, श्लोक 13

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्र: करुण एव च ।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कार: समदु:खसुख: क्षमी ॥ १३ ॥

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ
maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī

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Slokas in English:

Sri Bhagavan 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.

(Bhagavad Gita 12.2)

He hates no creature, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from attachment and egoism, balanced in pleasure and pain, and forgiving.

(Bhagavad Gita 12.13)

These shlokas emphasize the importance of having unwavering faith and devotion toward God. They also highlight the qualities a devotee should cultivate, such as compassion, forgiveness, and detachment.

Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita also discusses Bhakti Yoga in detail. It describes the different types of devotion and the benefits of practicing this path of yoga. Here are some relevant shlokas from this chapter:

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Slokas in Sanskrit:

Bg. 18.22

भगवद्गीता: अध्याय 18, श्लोक 22

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् ।
अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ २२ ॥

yat tu kṛtsna-vad ekasmin
kārye saktam ahaitukam
atattvārtha-vad alpaṁ ca
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

Bg. 18.65

भगवद्गीता: अध्याय 18, श्लोक 65

मन्मना भव मद्भ‍क्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।
मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥ ६५ ॥

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ’si me

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Shrimad BhagvadGita 18.65

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