GitaChapter 12Verse 2

Gita 12.2

Bhakti Yoga

श्रीभगवानुवाच | मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते | श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ||२||

śrī-bhagavān uvāca | mayy āveśya mano ye māṁ nitya-yuktā upāsate | śraddhayā parayopetās te me yuktatamā matāḥ ||2||

In essence: Krishna's definitive answer: Those who worship Me with their minds absorbed in Me, with supreme faith, are the highest yogis.

A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply

Sadhak-Guru Dialogue

Sadhak: "Krishna seems to be showing favoritism toward His devotees. Isn't that unfair to those who seek the formless?"

Guru: "Is a mother showing favoritism when she picks up a crying infant rather than an adult child who can walk? Krishna will explain in the next verses that both paths lead to Him. But He is acknowledging that the personal path is easier and more natural for embodied beings."

Sadhak: "What does 'supreme faith' mean? How is it different from ordinary faith?"

Guru: "Ordinary faith says 'I believe God exists.' Supreme faith says 'God is more real than I am.' It's the faith of one who has tasted the Divine and can no longer doubt. It's not belief despite uncertainty—it's certainty that has become the ground of one's being."

Sadhak: "But I don't have such faith. Does that mean I'm not qualified for this path?"

Guru: "Faith grows through practice. Start with whatever faith you have—even doubt honestly held is a kind of faith in truth. Worship with what you have, and the path itself will reveal more. Krishna says 'parayā'—supreme—as the destination. Your faith need not start there, but it can grow there."

Sadhak: "What does it mean to 'fix the mind on Krishna'? I don't even know what He looks like."

Guru: "His form is described in scripture, but more importantly, His qualities are accessible everywhere. When you see compassion, you see Krishna. When you experience love, you experience Krishna. Fix your mind on the highest beauty, the deepest love, the purest truth you can conceive—and you are contemplating Him."

Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.

🌅 Daily Practice

🌅 Morning

Begin the day by consciously offering your mind to the Divine. Say or think: 'Today, let my mind be absorbed in You.' Choose an image, name, or quality of the Divine that resonates with you and hold it gently in awareness as you start your day.

☀️ Daytime

Practice 'nitya-yukta' (constant union) by creating touchstones throughout the day. Every time you see a particular color, hear a bell, or complete a task, let it remind you to reconnect with the Divine. Even brief moments of remembrance, accumulated throughout the day, build the habit of absorption.

🌙 Evening

Before sleep, review: How absorbed was my mind in the Divine today? This is not about guilt but honest assessment. Celebrate the moments of connection and note when you forgot. Offer the whole day—successes and failures—to the Divine as an act of faith. Let this offering be your last thought.

Common Questions

If personal devotion is superior, does that mean Advaitins and Jnanis are on a lower path?
Not lower in value, but longer in duration. Krishna will clarify that the impersonal path also reaches Him, but with greater difficulty for embodied beings. The greatest Advaitins—Shankaracharya himself—composed devotional hymns. At the highest level, knowledge and devotion merge. The distinction is most relevant at the beginning of the path, where the personal approach provides easier access.
What if I'm drawn to formless meditation but this verse makes me feel I should worship a form?
Follow your authentic calling. Krishna describes the ideal path for most seekers, but He never forces anyone. If formless meditation genuinely draws you, pursue it with the same whole-heartedness He describes here. The key elements—absorbed mind, constant practice, supreme faith—apply to both paths. What matters is totality of commitment, not the specific form of practice.