Devotion - 12 - 01

The Shloka

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अर्जुन उवाच।

एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।

ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥

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arjuna uvāca evaṁ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate ye cāpy akṣharam avyaktaṁ teṣhāṁ ke yoga-vittamāḥ

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka sets the stage for Krishna’s response in the following verses, where He will explain the relative merits and challenges of both paths of devotion. Arjuna’s question is crucial for understanding the different approaches to spirituality within Hinduism and the path that is most accessible and effective for different individuals.

Arjuna asked: Which are considered to be more perfect in Yoga – those devotees who are always engaged in Your personal worship or those who worship the impersonal, unmanifest Absolute?

Arjuna inquires of Krishna which devotees are more accomplished in yoga: those devoted to His personal form or those devoted to the impersonal Absolute.

Arjuna inquires about the superiority of two paths of devotion. He asks Krishna to clarify which devotees are considered more advanced in Yoga: those who are consistently devoted to Krishna in His personal form, engaging in direct worship and devotional practices, or those who pursue the formless, unmanifest, and imperishable Absolute, which is more abstract and challenging to grasp.

Sentence - 1

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अर्जुन उवाच।

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Meaning

Arjuna said:

Meaning of Words

अर्जुन	arjuna
Arjuna, the warrior prince and main listener of the Bhagavad Gita.
उवाच	uvāca	said

Sentence - 2

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एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।

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Meaning

Those devotees who, ever steadfast, worship You.

Meaning of Words

एवं	evaṁ
Thus, in this way In this manner; referring to the devotion described earlier.
सततयुक्ता	satata-yuktā
Constantly engaged Steadfastly devoted; always united with.
ये	ye	Those who
भक्तास्	bhaktās	Devotees
त्वां	tvāṁ	You
पर्युपासते	paryupāsate
Duly worship Worship in all respects; fully devoted to worshiping.

Sentence - 3

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ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥

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Meaning

And those who worship the Imperishable, the Unmanifest - of these, who are the more knowers of Yoga?

Meaning of Words

च	ca	And
अपि	api	Also
अक्षरम्	akṣharam
Imperishable The indestructible, unchanging reality; Brahman.
अव्यक्तं	avyaktaṁ
Unmanifest The formless, invisible aspect of the Divine.
तेषां	teṣhāṁ	Of those
के	ke	Who
योगवित्तमाः	yoga-vittamāḥ
The best knowers of Yoga The most proficient in Yoga; the most accomplished Yogis.

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