Chapter 12 Devotional Service

Outline of Chapter 12 BHAKTI OVER IMPERSONALISM (1 ‑ 7) PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF DEVOTION (8 ‑ 12) 1. Living within Krsna by continuously fixing one's mind and intelligence upon Him. (8) 2. Practicing the regulative principles of bhakti ‑ yoga to increase one's desire and ability to remember and obtain Krsna. (9) 3. Surrendering to Krsna one's work. (10) 4. Surrendering to Krsna the results of one's work. (11) 5. Cultivating meditation of knowledge. (12) QUALITIES THAT ENDEAR ONE TO KRSNA (13 ‑ 20)

Which is better? Your devotional service or worshipping the impersonal Brahman?

For the devotee not a single moment passes without serving Krishna!! 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. BG 12:2

Saguna- with form, qualities. etc. Possesses inconceivable potencies All pervading via His energies & as the Supersoul Unchanging, fixed and unmovable Possessor of six opulences in full Success is guaranteed, nothing is ever lost and Krsna helps! Realizes eternity, knowledge and bliss (includes Brahman and Paramatma realization) vs 5-7) Nirguna (without qualities) Inconceivable All pervading Unchanging, fixed & unmovable Risk of not realizing the Absolute Truth at the end. Must advance on their own. Unable or unwilling to give up false Unable or unwilling to give up false ego therefore no personal exchange May only realize the eternity and knowledge aspects of one’s original nature (Partial realization)

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 Prthä—for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death. BG 12:6-7

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. BG 12:8

PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF DEVOTION The result TOP MOST STAGES LOWER STAGES DIRECTDIRECT INDIRECTINDIRECT Mind Fixed on Krishna without deviation Will live in relationship with Krishna Follow regulative principles of sadhana-bhakti Develop desire to attain Krishna Work for Krishna Will come to the stage of devotional service Renunciation, cultivation of knowledge, meditation Purification, peace, gradual elevation BG

The qualities that make a devotee Very dear to Krishna BG Kind friend to all living entities 2. Doesn’t think himself the proprietor and free from false ego 3.Equal in happiness and distress fear and anxiety 4.Tolerant 5.Always satisfied and self controlled 6. Engaged in Devotional service with determination 7. Mind and intelligence fixed on Krishna 8.For whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone.

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. BG 12:20