The path of love
Bhakti yoga - the sweetest path to the divine. Cultivate pure love and surrender.
Ananya-chintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate, tesham nityabhiyuktanam yoga-kshemam vahamy aham
To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham bhakty-upahritam ashnami prayatatmanah
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it.
Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat, yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform—do that as an offering to Me.
Samo 'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo 'sti na priyah, ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya mayi te teshu chapy aham
I am equal to all beings; none is hateful or dear to Me. But those who worship Me with devotion are in Me, and I am in them.
Api chet suduracharo bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah
Even if someone commits the most abominable actions, if they worship Me with exclusive devotion, they are to be considered saintly, for they have made the proper resolve.
Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi yuktvaivam atmanam mat-parayanah
Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and bow down to Me. Uniting yourself with Me in this way, with Me as your supreme goal, you will certainly come to Me.
Bhaktyā tv ananyayā śhakya aham evaṁ-vidho 'rjuna, jñātuṁ draṣhṭuṁ cha tattvena praveṣhṭuṁ cha parantapa
Only through exclusive devotion can I be known as I am, seen directly, and entered into, O Arjuna.
Mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ, nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
O Pandava, one who performs My work, considers Me as the supreme, is devoted to Me, is free from attachment, and is without enmity toward any being — such a person comes to Me.
Śhrī bhagavān uvācha: mayy āveśhya mano ye māṁ nitya-yuktā upāsate, śhraddhayā parayopetās te me yuktatamā matāḥ
The Blessed Lord said: Those who fix their minds on Me and worship Me with constant devotion and supreme faith — these I consider the most perfect in yoga.
Ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah, ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate
But those who worship Me, surrendering all their activities to Me and devoted to Me without deviation, meditating on Me with exclusive yoga...
Tesham aham samuddharta mrityu-samsara-sagarat, bhavami na chirat partha mayy aveshita-chetasam
For those whose minds are set on Me, I am soon the deliverer from the ocean of death and transmigration, O Partha.
Mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya, nivasiṣhyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na sanśhayaḥ
Fix your mind on Me alone and let your intellect dwell upon Me. Thereafter, you shall certainly live in Me. Of this, there is no doubt.
Atha chittaṁ samādhātuṁ na śhaknoṣhi mayi sthiram, abhyāsa-yogena tato mām ichhāptuṁ dhanañjaya
If you cannot fix your mind steadily on Me, then seek to reach Me by the practice of repeated yoga, O Arjuna.
Abhyāse 'py asamartho 'si mat-karma-paramo bhava, mad-artham api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
If you are unable even to practice, be devoted to performing actions for My sake. By doing actions for My sake, you will attain perfection.
Ye tu dharmyāmṛitam idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate, śhraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te 'tīva me priyāḥ
Those who follow this immortal dharma as I have declared, endowed with faith and considering Me as their supreme goal—such devotees are most dear to Me.
Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo 'si me
Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and offer obeisance to Me. Doing so, you will certainly come to Me. This is My pledge to you, for you are My dear friend.
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma shuchah
Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.
Tesham jnanee nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir vishishyate, priyo hi jnanino 'tyartham aham sa ca mama priyah
Of all these devotees, the one with knowledge (jnani), who is always absorbed in Me with single-minded devotion, is the best. I am very dear to such a one, and that one is also very dear to Me. The jnani who combines knowledge with unwavering devotion is the highest type of seeker — a beloved of God.
Ananya-chetah satatam yo mam smarati nityashah, tasyaham sulabhah partha nitya-yuktasya yoginah
For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pritha, because of constant engagement in devotional service.
Purushah sa parah partha bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya, yasyantah-sthani bhutani yena sarvam idam tatam
The Supreme Person, O Partha, is attainable only through exclusive devotion. Within that Supreme Person all beings dwell, and by Him all this world is pervaded. The Supreme is attainable not by intellectual effort alone but through single-pointed, exclusive devotion (ananya bhakti). The entire universe exists within and is pervaded by this Supreme.
Read slowly and contemplate. Don't rush through these verses. Pick one that resonates and sit with it for a few minutes.
Return regularly. Ancient wisdom reveals itself gradually. Come back to these verses when you need them.
Apply to your situation. Consider how each teaching relates specifically to what you're experiencing right now.
Share what helps. If a verse brings you peace or clarity, share it with others who might need it.