Gita 12.1
अर्जुन उवाच |
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते |
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमा: || 1||
arjuna uvācha
evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate
ye chāpy akṣharam avyaktaṁ teṣhāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ
In this chapter, Arjun, after witnessing the Lord's cosmic form, expresses a desire to see God in His personal form with attributes and pastimes. This leads him to ask which path is superior—worship of the personal God or the formless Brahman. The question confirms that God has both personal and impersonal aspects. Limiting God to only one form is a misunderstanding of His completeness. Just as individual souls, though formless, repeatedly take forms, the all-powerful God can also manifest in any form. Jagadguru Shankaracharya, a key proponent of the path of knowledge (jñāna-yog), affirmed this dual nature of God, acknowledging that while both forms of worship exist, the path of meditating on the formless Brahman is extremely difficult.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya stated:
मूर्तम् चैवमूर्तम् द्वेवा ब्रह्मणों रूपे, इत्युपनिशत त्योरवाद्वय
भक्तो भगवदुपदिष्टौ, क्लेशदक्लेशद्वा मुक्तिस्यादेरत्योर्मध्ये
mūrtaṁ chaivāmūrtaṁ dwe eva brahmaṇo rūpe, ityupaniṣhat tayorvā dwau
bhaktau bhagavadupadiṣhṭau, kleṣhādakleśhādwā muktisyāderatayormadhye
“The Supreme entity is both personal and impersonal. Practitioners of the spiritual path are also of two kinds—devotees of the formless Brahman, and devotees of the personal form. But the path of worshipping the formless is very difficult.”
Gita 12.2
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते |
श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मता: || 2||
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
mayy āveśhya mano ye māṁ nitya-yuktā upāsate
śhraddhayā parayopetās te me yuktatamā matāḥ
God can be realized in different levels of closeness, just as a distant train appears first as a light, then a form, and finally, as a full train with visible details as it comes nearer. Similarly, the one Supreme God is experienced in three primary manifestations: Brahman (the formless, all-pervading divine light), Paramātmā (the Supreme Soul residing in all beings), and Bhagavān (the personal form of God with divine attributes). These are not separate Gods but different aspects of the same Supreme Being, as confirmed in the Bhagavatam (1.2.11). Just like water, steam, and ice are all forms of H₂O but have different qualities, so too do Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān differ in the depth and nature of realization. While all are divine, the personal form of God—Bhagavān—offers the closest and most complete experience of the Divine.
Brahman is the all-pervading, formless aspect of God present in all beings and everywhere, as described in the Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad. It is characterized by eternality, knowledge, and bliss but lacks the manifestation of God's personal qualities, form, and pastimes. In this form, God appears as a divine, attributeless light—nirguṇa, nirviśeṣa, and nirākār. Followers of the jñāna-yoga path worship this distant, abstract realization of the Supreme, similar to how a distant train appears only as light from afar.
Paramātmā is the aspect of God who resides in the hearts of all living beings, witnessing and guiding their actions based on karma. As stated by Shree Krishna in the Gita (18.61), God accompanies each soul through every life, silently observing and recording every thought, word, and deed. He never leaves us, acting as our eternal companion. The practice of aṣṭāṅg-yog, taught by Patanjali, aims to realize this indwelling presence of God. Compared to the distant realization of Brahman, Paramātmā is a more intimate experience—like seeing the train's form as it comes closer, rather than just its distant light.
Bhagavān is the personal form of God in which He fully expresses His divine qualities—such as His Name, Form, Virtues, Pastimes, Abodes, and Associates. According to the Shreemad Bhagavatam, God descends in this form, like Shree Krishna, for the world's welfare. While these divine attributes also exist in the Brahman and Paramātmā aspects, they remain hidden, just as fire remains latent in a matchstick until struck. In the Bhagavān aspect, these qualities are fully revealed.
The path of bhakti (devotion) leads to this most intimate realization of God, much like seeing the full detail of a train when it stops in front of the observer. As Shree Krishna declares in the Gita (18.55), true knowledge of Him comes only through loving devotion. Thus, Krishna concludes that among all spiritual seekers, the devotee of His personal form is the highest yogi.
Gita 12.3-4
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते |
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् || 3||
सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धय: |
ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रता: || 4||
ye tv akṣharam anirdeśhyam avyaktaṁ paryupāsate
sarvatra-gam achintyañcha kūṭa-stham achalandhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ
te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
While Shree Krishna declares devotion to His personal form as the highest path, He also affirms that worship of the formless Brahman is valid and leads to God-realization. Those who meditate on the unmanifest, all-pervading, eternal aspect of the Divine also attain Him, though through a more abstract and difficult path.
Because living beings have infinite variations in nature, God manifests in infinite ways to suit their understanding. Ved Vyas categorized these into Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān, to help finite minds grasp the infinite Divine. All paths are legitimate, and no one should claim exclusivity in their conception of God.
As Krishna stated earlier in verse 4.11, He responds to all beings according to how they approach Him. Those who seek the unmanifest receive union with Him as Brahman. Thus, Shree Krishna emphasizes inclusivity, showing that all sincere paths lead to the same Supreme Truth, though through different experiences.
Gita 12.5
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् ||
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दु:खं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते || 5||
kleśho ’dhikataras teṣhām avyaktāsakta-chetasām
avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate
Shree Krishna acknowledges all forms of worship but emphasizes the superiority of devotion to the personal form of God over the worship of the formless Brahman. Worshipping the formless is difficult because human beings are naturally inclined toward forms, making it hard for the mind and intellect to connect with something abstract. Moreover, progress on the path of the formless Brahman depends solely on self-effort, as Brahman is described as formless, attributeless, and devoid of grace. In contrast, devotion to the personal form of God is easier and more fruitful, as God actively helps devotees through His compassion and grace. This is illustrated through two analogies:
- Baby Monkey Analogy (Markaṭ-Kiśhore Nyāya):
In this analogy, a baby monkey must cling tightly to its mother by itself. When the mother monkey jumps from tree to tree, the baby is not held—it has to hold on without help. If it loses grip, it falls. This represents the path of worshiping the formless Brahman.
The devotee must rely solely on personal effort—there is no help or grace from Brahman because Brahman is considered formless (nirākār), attributeless (nirguṇa), and inactive in a personal sense. The journey is challenging, and success entirely depends on the seeker's discipline, strength, and perseverance. - Baby Kitten Analogy (Mārjār-Kiśhore Nyāya):
Here, a baby kitten is helpless, and the mother cat carries it gently by the neck. The kitten does nothing; it is protected and transported entirely by the mother. This symbolizes the devotion to the personal form of God (Bhagavān). The personal form of God is full of qualities, such as compassion, mercy, and love. God actively helps and supports the devotee's spiritual progress. The devotee, like the kitten, is carried and protected by God's grace.
Shree Krishna stated in verse 9.31:
"No devotee of Mine is ever lost" (Bhagavad Gita 9.31).
He promises that those who worship Him with love and devotion in His personal form will never be abandoned or fail, because He personally ensures their well-being and spiritual success.
He promises that those who worship Him with love and devotion in His personal form will never be abandoned or fail, because He personally ensures their well-being and spiritual success.
Gita 12.6 -7
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्न्यस्य मत्परा: |
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते || 6||
तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् |
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् || 7||
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-parāḥ
ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
teṣhām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛityu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt
bhavāmi na chirāt pārtha mayy āveśhita-chetasām
Shree Krishna explains that His devotees attain Him quickly due to two key reasons:
- Focused Devotion through Personal Form:
Devotees who worship the personal form of God can easily focus their senses and mind on Him. They engage in various forms of devotion—chanting His names, hearing His glories, seeing His form, serving Him through actions, and meditating on His pastimes and virtues. This wholehearted engagement helps them swiftly unite their consciousness with God. - Divine Grace and Protection:
As these devotees offer constant and uninterrupted devotion, God responds by showering His grace upon them. He removes the obstacles on their path, dispels their ignorance with divine knowledge, and ultimately becomes their Savior—liberating them from the cycle of birth and death (mṛityu saṁsāra sāgarāt).
Thus, devotion to the personal form of God leads to rapid spiritual progress and liberation, supported by both the devotee's effort and God's grace.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 24.5.2025
