Yoga of Devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 131 : Verse 12.12 : Application of Bhagvad Gita in Self Management

In this verse , Sri Krishna does an comparative study, and shows how knowledge is better then action, and meditation is better than knowledge, and how renunciation of the fruit of action, is even better then the meditation, as with renunciation immediately the peace follows . In the last 12 verses, Sri Krishna on answering the question of Arjuna, on worshiping form, and formless worship , has advocated a number of ways to Arjuna, for developing devotion, after declaring that worshipping form is better than worshiping formless . In these verse , he synthesizes , all this way, and make an incremental design, on the spiritual development from action to knowledge , from knowledge to meditation, and from meditation to renunciation of fruit of action.

Yoga of devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 130 : Verse 12.11: Application of Bhagvad Gita in Self Management

So in this verse, Sri Krishna gives another way, to practicing devotion. He says, even if you are unable to do abhyasa yoga (practicing devotion), and at the same time not able to surrender, all actions to me, there is another way. In that way you should renounce all the fruit of action, and take refuge in me, and practice self control .

Yoga of Devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 129 : Verse 12.10

Both attraction and repulsion are illusion. You are always attracted to one which shows more signs of faith , then the other . Yet, it can be very deceptive. That which attracts you now , repulses you after some time.

That is when the question comes - What is Bhakti ? Is it a lifestyle ? Does it depends in costumes you wear ? Words you speak ? . Bhakti is infact, a state of mind, where you feel connected with the whole universes.

Faith is a important tool on creating the bridge between the human and divine consciousness where you feel connected with the whole universe. It is with faith , the sincerity follows. Faith is again an inner state of mind and nothing to do, with the appearance you make, to claim you are faithful .

Whenever faith is equalized, with appearing faithful, the world is subjected to most violent form of wars. History, can give a lot of examples of wars, taken by religion, on the ground of external signs of faith ,and not the real faith. Real faith brings oneness and not division.

Half of the war in the world , was stopped by true understanding of faith, and other half of the war, started by misunderstanding faith. Understanding faith is too important for the globalized world, to keep it only in hand of religious propagandist.

True understanding of faith and devotion comes with practice . However, Sri Krishna gives an way , even when the person is stumbling in practice . He ask them, to surrender all there actions to him. This surrender of actions helps them to grow the inner faith.

Yoga of Devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 128 : Application of Bhagvad Gita in Self Management

In continuation to his answer to Arjuna ,on advantages and disadvantages of moving through the spiritual path, through worshipping form or worshipping the formless , Sri Krishna here reveals another gem of wisdom. While he pointed out earlier, in Bhagvad Gita , that true devotion is to improve the quality of desire, and transforming it into love, which will enable the mind, to become one pointed, and has nothing to do with rituals , dress and words . In this verse , he goes further and describes the practical steps, to reach that true state of devotion . While describing that he emphasizes that practice is the single most effective tool, which makes the mind of the seeker , slowly become closer to his soul , who is represented by Sri Krishna, known popularly as Lord Vasudeva.

Yoga of Devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 127: Application of Bhagvad Gita in Self Management

Sri Krishna in this verse ask Arjuna to fix his mind in him .Further he ask that the Intellect also should be also set to Sri Krishna . Once this is done , one can live in him .

Sri Krishna is a representation of the higher ideal of self . However , as the higher ideal of self , is itself having no form , so it would be very hard to focus on higher ideal. So, Sri Krishna gives an easy route to Arjuna . As Sri Krishna, already have his mind, towards higher ideal, and the Intellect towards awareness , if somebody focuses on his form, and fix him in his mind and intellect , he could gain the similar experience .

Yoga of Devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 126 : Application of Bhagvad Gita in Self Management

In this verse, Sri Krishna mentions when the mind is set to self, whose manifestation is Lord Krishna, self becomes a great savior to that seeker . Further he is found to be reinstating the common saying, that that those who protect dharma (inherent nature of an individual – the soul ), is again protected by dharma . Sri Krishna is representation of that inherent nature in our mind .He skillfully adds here on his advises to Arjuna, that one who had single minded devotion towards him, is protected from the illusion of mortal samsara (world) . That is the reason, why often it is found ,that one who attains spiritual development, remains unaffected by the disruption of the nature.

Yoga of Devotion : Wisdom Stimulus 125 : Application of Bhagvad Gita in Management

In the preceding verse, Sri Krishna gives a way, to move forward, from the confusion of formless worship and worshipping with form . While he earlier mentioned that the worshipping to form is better and easy . He further adds to it, that his form alone could help one to reach on the highest goal . At the same time, he adds certain different criteria for worshipping the form of him . This criteria’s could be seen as the principle of Sri Krishna’s philosophy in Bhagvad Gita, which he mentions here . The first criteria is to surrender all action to Sri Krishna, who represent an higher ideal in the world . In the second criteria , one should consider Sri Krishna as the supreme goal , and while one does that, his scattered mind becomes focused and the quality of his mind, improves . In the next criteria Sri Krishna talks about austerity and sense control, which drives one to purity and helps one to gain wisdom by self reflection.