Bhagavad Gita chapter 12 in English and Sanskrit

Chapter 12, 20 verse records. English translation by Shri Purohit Swami, with Swami Sivananda used where identified in the source dataset.

The Gita is traditionally described as 700 verses. This source edition contains 701 records because chapter 13 includes 35 verses; verse numbering differs between editions.

Bhagavad Gita 12.1

"Arjuna asked: My Lord! Which are the better devotees who worship Thee, those who try to know Thee as a Personal God, or those who worship Thee as Impersonal and Indestructible?

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अर्जुन उवाच | एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते | ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ||१२-१||

arjuna uvāca . evaṃ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate . ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ ||12-1||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.2

Lord Shri Krishna replied: Those who keep their minds fixed on Me, who worship Me always with unwavering faith and concentration; these are the very best.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

श्रीभगवानुवाच | मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते | श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ||१२-२||

śrībhagavānuvāca . mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nityayuktā upāsate . śraddhayā parayopetāḥ te me yuktatamā matāḥ ||12-2||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.3

Shri Purohit Swami did not comment on this sloka

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते | सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ||१२-३||

ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyamavyaktaṃ paryupāsate . sarvatragamacintyañca kūṭasthamacalandhruvam ||12-3||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.4

Subduing their senses, viewing all conditions of life with the same eye, and working for the welfare of all beings, assuredly they come to Me.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः | ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ||१२-४||

sanniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ sarvatra samabuddhayaḥ . te prāpnuvanti māmeva sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ||12-4||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.5

But they who thus fix their attention on the Absolute and Impersonal encounter greater hardships, for it is difficult for those who possess a body to realise Me as without one.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् | अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ||१२-५||

kleśo.adhikatarasteṣāmavyaktāsaktacetasām || avyaktā hi gatirduḥkhaṃ dehavadbhiravāpyate ||12-5||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.6

Verily, those who surrender their actions to Me, who muse on Me, worship Me and meditate on Me alone, with no thought save of Me,

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः | अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ||१२-६||

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ . ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate ||12-6||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.7

O Arjuna! I rescue them from the ocean of life and death, for their minds are fixed on Me.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् | भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ||१२-७||

teṣāmahaṃ samuddhartā mṛtyusaṃsārasāgarāt . bhavāmi nacirātpārtha mayyāveśitacetasām ||12-7||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.8

Then let thy mind cling only to Me, let thy intellect abide in Me; and without doubt thou shalt live hereafter in Me alone.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय | निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ||१२-८||

mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya . nivasiṣyasi mayyeva ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ ||12-8||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.9

But if thou canst not fix thy mind firmly on Me, then, My beloved friend, try to do so by constant practice.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम् | अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय ||१२-९||

atha cittaṃ samādhātuṃ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram . abhyāsayogena tato māmicchāptuṃ dhanañjaya ||12-9||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.10

And if thou are not strong enough to practise concentration, then devote thyself to My service, do all thine acts for My sake, and thou shalt still attain the goal.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव | मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ||१२-१०||

abhyāse.apyasamartho.asi matkarmaparamo bhava . madarthamapi karmāṇi kurvansiddhimavāpsyasi ||12-10||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.11

And if thou art too weak even for this, then seek refuge in union with Me, and with perfect self-control renounce the fruit of thy action.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः | सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ||१२-११||

athaitadapyaśakto.asi kartuṃ madyogamāśritaḥ . sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān ||12-11||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.12

Knowledge is superior to blind action, meditation to mere knowledge, renunciation of the fruit of action to meditation, and where there is renunciation peace will follow.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते | ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ||१२-१२||

śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsājjñānāddhyānaṃ viśiṣyate . dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgastyāgācchāntiranantaram ||12-12||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.13

He who is incapable of hatred towards any being, who is kind and compassionate, free from selfishness, without pride, equable in pleasure and in pain, and forgiving,

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च | निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ||१२-१३||

adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca . nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||12-13||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.14

Always contented, self-centred, self-controlled, resolute, with mind and reason dedicated to Me, such a devotee of Mine is My beloved.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः | मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१४||

santuṣṭaḥ satataṃ yogī yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ . mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||12-14||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.15

He who does not harm the world, and whom the world cannot harm, who is not carried away by any impulse of joy, anger or fear, such a one is My beloved.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः | हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ||१२-१५||

yasmānnodvijate loko lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ . harṣāmarṣabhayodvegairmukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ ||12-15||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.16

He who expects nothing, who is pure, watchful, indifferent, unruffled, and who renounces all initiative, such a one is My beloved.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः | सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१६||

anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa udāsīno gatavyathaḥ . sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||12-16||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.17

He who is beyond joy and hate, who neither laments nor desires, to whom good and evil fortunes are the same, such a one is My beloved.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१७||

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati . śubhāśubhaparityāgī bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||12-17||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.18

Shri Purohit Swami did not comment on this sloka

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः | शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः ||१२-१८||

samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca tathā mānāpamānayoḥ . śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu samaḥ saṅgavivarjitaḥ ||12-18||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.19

Who is indifferent to praise and censure, who enjoys silence, who is contented with every fate, who has no fixed abode, who is steadfast in mind, and filled with devotion, such a one is My beloved.

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् | अनिकेतः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ||१२-१९||

tulyanindāstutirmaunī santuṣṭo yena kenacit . aniketaḥ sthiramatirbhaktimānme priyo naraḥ ||12-19||

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Bhagavad Gita 12.20

Verily those who love the spiritual wisdom as I have taught, whose faith never fails, and who concentrate their whole nature on Me, they indeed are My most beloved."

Translator: Shri Purohit Swami.

Sanskrit and IAST transliteration

ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते | श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ||१२-२०||

ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate . śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste.atīva me priyāḥ ||12-20||

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Source dataset: Vedic Scriptures. See translation attribution.