Bhagavad Gita
Chapter XII — The Religion of Faith
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa18853 min read
Bhagavad GitaKrishnaBhakti
Arjuna
Lord! of the men who serve Thee--true in heart--As God revealed; and of the men who serve,Worshipping Thee Unrevealed, Unbodied, Far,Which take the better way of faith and life?
Krishna
Whoever serve Me--as I show Myself--Constantly true, in full devotion fixed,Those hold I very holy. But who serve--Worshipping Me The One, The Invisible,The Unrevealed, Unnamed, Unthinkable,Uttermost, All-pervading, Highest, Sure--Who thus adore Me, mastering their sense,Of one set mind to all, glad in all good,These blessed souls come unto Me.
Yet, hardThe travail is for such as bend their mindsTo reach th' Unmanifest That viewless pathShall scarce be trod by man bearing the flesh!But whereso any doeth all his deedsRenouncing self for Me, full of Me, fixedTo serve only the Highest, night and dayMusing on Me--him will I swiftly liftForth from life's ocean of distress and death,Whose soul clings fast to Me. Cling thou to Me!Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwellSurely with Me on high. But if thy thoughtDroops from such height; if thou be'st weak to setBody and soul upon Me constantly,Despair not! give Me lower service! seekTo reach Me, worshipping with steadfast will;And, if thou canst not worship steadfastly,Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me!For he that laboureth right for love of MeShall finally attain! But, if in thisThy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! findRefuge in Me! let fruits of labour go,Renouncing hope for Me, with lowliest heart,So shalt thou come; for, though to know is moreThan diligence, yet worship better isThan knowing, and renouncing better still.Near to renunciation--very near--Dwelleth Eternal Peace!
Who hateth noughtOf all which lives, living himself benign,Compassionate, from arrogance exempt,Exempt from love of self, unchangeableBy good or ill; patient, contented, firmIn faith, mastering himself, true to his word,Seeking Me, heart and soul; vowed unto Me,--That man I love! Who troubleth not his kind,And is not troubled by them; clear of wrath,Living too high for gladness, grief, or fear,That man I love! Who, dwelling quiet-eyed,Stainless, serene, well-balanced, unperplexed,Working with Me, yet from all works detached,That man I love! Who, fixed in faith on Me,Dotes upon none, scorns none; rejoices not,And grieves not, letting good or evil hapLight when it will, and when it will depart,That man I love! Who, unto friend and foeKeeping an equal heart, with equal mindBears shame and glory; with an equal peaceTakes heat and cold, pleasure and pain; abidesQuit of desires, hears praise or calumnyIn passionless restraint, unmoved by each;Linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in Me,That man I love! But most of all I loveThose happy ones to whom 'tis life to liveIn single fervid faith and love unseeing,Drinking the blessed Amrit of my Being!
“HERE ENDETH CHAPTER XII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Entitled "Bhaktiyog," Or"The Book of the Religion of Faith."”
— Bhagavad Gita