THE FOLLOWING IS A CLASS GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CHARU SWAMI ON BHAGAVAT GITA CHAPTER 12

Transcription : Diptamurti Dasa, Vinod-Bihari Dasa
Editing : Hemavati Radhika Dasi

Audio Lecture Reference : http://www.bcswami.com/lectures/transc/Day6.Bhagavad%20Gita%20low.mp3

Hare Krishna

So all the teams are in place? One day we did not have ourinteractive group discussion. It seems that so many days we did nothave, so today which chapter we are going to do? You all are ready forthat? So twelfth chapter is the chapter entitled: devotional service.Is it not wonderful?  So devotional service is now culminating intothis particular chapter.

BG 12.1
arjuna uvaca
evam satata-yukta ye
bhaktas tvam paryupasate
ye capy aksharam avyaktam
tesham ke yoga-vittamah

TRANSLATION
Arjuna inquired: Which are considered to be more perfect, those who arealways properly engaged in Your devotional service or those who worshipthe impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested?

If Arjuna asked this question to Prabhupada? Any way let see how Krsna is dealing with this question?

BG 12.2
sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy avesya manor ye mama
nitya-yukta upasate
sraddhaya parayopetas
te me yuktatama matah

TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who fix their minds onMy personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great andtranscendental faith are considered by Me to be most perfect.

BG 12.3
ye tv aksharam anirdesyam
avyaktam paryupasate
sarvatra-gam acintyam ca
kuta-stham acalam dhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-gramam
sarvatra sama-buddhayah
te prapnuvanti mam eva
sarva-bhuta-hite ratah

TRANSLATION
But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyondthe perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable,unchanging, fixed and immovable — the impersonal conception of theAbsolute Truth — by controlling the various senses and being equallydisposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, atlast achieve Me.

Now there is one important consideration. At last achieve me, whatis the meaning of “at last achieving me?” They become completefrustrated with that endeavor, and then they give up and surrender toKrsna. By impersonal concept one cannot actually reach the absolute.Impersonalism is not the ultimate goal. One has to come, like considerall the impersonalists, those who were impersonalist at the beginning;the classic examples are four Kumaras, Sukadev Goswami. So whathappened to them? Did they continue and then ultimately achieve thespiritual perfection? Or they transcended the platform and came to theplatform of devotional service? So that is the meaning of the word “atlast coming to me”. But look at trouble they have to go through. Firstof all worshiping the unmanifested that which lies beyond theperception of the senses. You can not see, you can not feel, You cannottouch, I mean so difficult to worship something that is nothingactually, and then that is all pervading inconceivable, unchangingfixed, immovable, by controlling the various senses, yogis tries tocontrol the senses, is it easy? It is so difficult. And In order tocontrol your senses, what we have to do? The other day we haddiscussed, the yogis in order to control the mind, what they have toeventually do? They have to stop breathing.  Give it a try and goodluck. By controlling the various senses and being equally disposed toeveryone, equally disposed to everyone which means, that you have tobecome like a stone. No feeling at all .So, this is how difficult itis. Such person engaged in the welfare and they become engaged in thewelfare of all, and at last achieve me. And how do they at last achieveme? Because why finally when they give up realizing that this is notgoing to work, then they surrender unto Krsna. Then the next versesconfirming that: Next sloka.

BG 12.5
kleso ‘dhikataras tesham
avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham
dehavadbhir avapyate

TRANSLATION
For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonalfeature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To makeprogress in that discipline is always difficult for those who areembodied.

Those who are embodied for them it is difficult, if you are a stone,it would have been all right, but unfortunately you are not a stone. Iremembered that those who used to take intoxication, they used to usethat expression, to get stunned, which means to become devoid of allsenses, when your senses are active, then automatically you have yourperception, you have your discrimination, and you have your naturaltendency for reciprocation. Next sloka:

BG 12.6-7
ye tu sarvani karmani
mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena
mam dhyayanta upasate
tesham aham samuddharta
mrityu-samsara-sagarat
bhavami na cirat partha
mayy avesita-cetasam

TRANSLATION
But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me andbeing devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional serviceand always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O sonof Pritha — for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birthand death.

So, isn’t it wonderful? This is the advantage of surrendering toKrsna. You surrender to Krsna, and He will deliver you from the oceanof birth and death. mrityu-samsara-sagarat, it’s a dangerous ocean ofbirth and death. Another way of looking at it is you remember the otherday we gave the example: of Srila Prabhupada pointing asking thedifference between a dog that has master and dog that do not havemaster. How do they look? Don’t you immediately see the difference inthem? Now what type of dog you want to be? Do you want to be a dog witha master or without a master? With a master, So, that dog who has amaster, they do have any worry, they do not have to look after wherethe food where the food will come, and they do not have to worry somuch for defending themselves. Because they are always afraid of beingattacked by others. But when the dog is with a master, and somebodyattack the dog, the master stands on, defends the dog. So from that youcan see if you surrender to Krsna then what will happen to us? Letsomebody try to do something to us, Krsna will stand against us. WhenKrsna stands against us.

BG 12.8
mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasishyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah

TRANSLATION
Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, andengage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always,without a doubt.

BG 12.9
atha cittam samadhatum
na saknoshi mayi sthiram
abhyasa-yogena tato
mam icchaptum dhananjaya

TRANSLATION
My dear Arjuna, O winner of wealth, if you cannot fix your mind upon Mewithout deviation, then follow the regulative principles ofbhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.

BG 12.10
abhyase ‘py asamartho ‘si
mat-karma-paramo bhava
mad-artham api karmani
kurvan siddhim avapsyasi

TRANSLATION
If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try towork for Me, because by working for Me you will come to the perfectstage.

So this is how Krsna is making the tings lighter and lighter for usand what is the trick? Somehow or other you start. Krsna’s point is ifyou can not start at this point then start at this point, if you cannot start this point start at this point. But start somewhere. If youwill start then what will happen then gradually you will elevate.

BG 12.11
athaitad apy asakto ‘si
kartum mad-yogam asritah
sarva-karma-phala-tyagam
tatah kuru yatatmavan

TRANSLATION
If, however, you are unable to work in this consciousness of Me, thentry to act giving up all results of your work and try to beself-situated.

See Krsna is making the things so easy for us. Is nt it? patrampushpam phalam toyam bg 9.26 what can be more simplier than that?

BG 12.12
sreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj
jnanad dhyanam visishyate
dhyanat karma-phala-tyagas
tyagac chantir anantaram

TRANSLATION
If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in thecultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, ismeditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits ofaction, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.

BG 12.13-14
adveshta sarva-bhutanam
maitrah karuna eva ca
nirmamo nirahankarah
sama-duhkha-sukhah kshami
santushtah satatam yogi
yatatma dridha-niscayah
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

TRANSLATION
One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, whodoes not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who isequal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, alwayssatisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service withdetermination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me — such a devoteeof Mine is very dear to Me.

BG 12.15
yasman nodvijate loko
lokan nodvijate ca yah
harshamarsha-bhayodvegair
mukto yah sa ca me priyah

TRANSLATION
He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed byanyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety,is very dear to Me

Now the question is when can one become, when can one attain such astate? Free from happiness and distress, free from all dualities, fearand anxiety, only when one properly surrendered to Krsna.

BG 12.16
anapekshah sucir daksha
udasino gata-vyathah
sarvarambha-parityagi
yo mad-bhaktah sa me priyah

TRANSLATION
My devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities,who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and notstriving for some result, is very dear to Me.

BG 12.17
yo na hrishyati na dveshti
na socati na kankshati
subhasubha-parityagi
bhaktiman yah sa me priyah

TRANSLATION
One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires,and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things — such adevotee is very dear to Me.

BG 12.18-19
samah satrau ca mitre ca
tatha manapamanayoh
sitoshna-sukha-duhkheshu
samah sanga-vivarjitah
tulya-ninda-stutir mauni
santushto yena kenacit
aniketah sthira-matir
bhaktiman me priyo narah

TRANSLATION
One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor anddishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, whois always free from contaminating association, always silent andsatisfied with anything, who doesn’t care for any residence, who isfixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service — such aperson is very dear to Me.

BG 12.20
ye tu dharmamritam idam
yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama
bhaktas te ‘tiva me priyah

TRANSLATION
Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and whocompletely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal,are very, very dear to Me.

So thus ends the twelfth chapter of Bhagavad Gita. So we get intothe group discussion. The groups are in place? Okay, girls group one,who all are there? Who all are still there? Raise your hands, Groupone. Okay, group is quite steady. Group two? Ah, anyway, group two, bythe way new participants in the girl side three new participants theyare Lilabati, Ruphal, and Jahnavi. Let us see group three, oh groupthree is this. Which one is group two? Okay. Okay girl’s groups are allright. Now let’s see the boy’s groups. Group one. Which one is groupone? That is group one. Okay. Group two? There is no group four? Okay,okay fine. Okay, group, Okay group four and group five? Dwarikadish cancome to group five. And group four how many of you are there? Okay. Andgroup six? Yeah, last group. It depends on which side you are lookingat. Okay. Okay, so all the groups are in place? And the verses I willgive, there are how many verses? Twenty verses. So, then we are leftwith two more.