Today Swami discussed the 12th chapter, on Bhakti Yoga. Here is one shloka;

Abhyase’ pyasamartho’ si, mat karma paramo bhava,
Madartham api karmani kurvan siddhim avapsyasi.’ 12.10

Here, the Lord is instructing Arjuna in the different sadhanas of bhakti. First He says, ‘fix your mind in Me, and you will dwell in Me.’ This is the first step. Then He says, ‘if you cannot do that, perform practice (abhyasa). In other words, the first step is meditation, but meditation truly takes place only in a one-pointed and mature mind. If that suitability isn’t there, then one must practice to reach that state. If one is even unable to do that, the Lord says here, ‘perform karma for Me.’

In order words, instead of sitting in a dark room, closing your eyes and falling asleep, do some work! Here, this means that if a person isn’t even suitable for this abhyasa, then he should perform karmas as an offering to God. Through that, he can gain purity of mind, or ‘citta shuddhi.’ Otherwise, it will be just a waste of time, if the person isn’t suitable. Then as the Lord says, ‘siddhim avapsyasi,’ one reaches Perfection, Moksha.

There is a lot of confusion for many in a particular shloka related to this, which says, ‘greater than practice is knowledge. Greater than knowledge is meditation. Greater than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action. Renunciation leads directly to peace.’

Here, many commentators are confused, so they make up different explanations, that ‘knowledge’ means ‘savikalpa samadhi,’ or ‘aparoksha jnana,’ etc. Actually, the meaning is according to the circumstance, as the Lord is instructing Arjuna according to each person’s suitability. First, ‘knowledge is greater than practice.’ This is the first step the Lord teaches; ‘the level of knowledge, or experience of the Lord.’ That is ‘knowledge.’ However, if one isn’t able to do that, ‘greater than knowledge is meditation’ – this means to be one-pointed in the thought of the Lord. If that isn’t possible, ‘better than meditation is renunciation’ – if one isn’t suitable for that, perform karmas while renouncing the fruits. Through that comes ‘shanti,’ the peace that makes one suitable to follow the other sadhanas. This meaning is according to the circumstance of the instruction.

Piyush,
July 8, 2007