Then the heroic son of Pandu (Arjuna), the very banner of victory of the Kuru race, said (16-20), O Lord, have you heard what I said? I was frightened of your marvellous cosmic vision. I took refuge in your human form, as I was accustomed to it. But you warned me that I should not do so. Undoubtedly you exist both in the unmanifest and the unmanifest form, the former being attainable through devotion and the latter through the practice of yoga. These are the two pathways, which lead one to the threshold of the manifest and unmanifest forms. But the purity of a bar of gold weighing hundred tolas also belongs to a piece of that bar weighing three gunjas (a red berry forming the smallest weight of a jeweller). Therefore, the worth of the limited manifest form and the all-pervading unmanifest form is the same (21-25). The power, which subsists in the ocean of nectar (to grant immortality), exists in a sip of nectar. My mind has already reached this definite conclusion. But I wish to know whether the universal form assumed by you for a moment is your true nature or is only your divine play. You have devotees who perform all actions for your sake, hold you to be the highest object of worship and surrender all their desires to you. Then there are some that worship you by cherishing your unmanifest form in their mind (26-30) which is indescribable and beyond the Omkara, which is imperishable and not like anything else. They meditate upon this form, which is super-sensuous, imperceptible and not limited by time and space, with the conviction that 'we are that Brahman'. Tell me who between the two have apprehended the essential nature of yoga. Overjoyed at thetas query from Arjuna, the blessed Lord, the friend of all said "O Arjuna, you know well how to ask a question."

O Partha, just when the sun goes behind the western horizon, all his rays follow him (31-35), or a river begins to swell in the rainy season, so the faith (of my devotees) goes on increasing as they continue to worship me. Their devotion increases like the tidal flow of the river Ganges, which flows in its full force all through before it joins the sea. These devotees fixing their minds on me, worship me day and night and dedicate their whole life to me. I consider such devotees as the best knowers of yoga.

O Arjuna, the jnanis try to realise the imperishable Brahman without form (36-40). How can the senses penetrate that in which the mental activity comes to a stop and which even reason cannot enter? Since this Brahman is not to be found at one place, it is inaccessible even to profound meditation. Since it is without form and exists in all forms at all places, the mind finds it difficult to contemplate upon it and becomes non-pulsed. It was never born nor will it ever take birth. One cannot say whether it exists or does not exist; so no means can be found to attain it. It neither moves nor stirs, it neither ends nor gets soiled. The jnanis have brought this Brahman under their control through their yogic power (41-45). They have consigned legions of sense-objects to the Are of dispass1on and have brought with great fortitude their parched senses under control. Then they withdraw the senses (from the external objects), holding them in leash through self-control and confine them in the cave of the heart. After closing the exit of the out-breath, they erect the tower of mulabandha after adopting a proper posture and mudra. They snap the bonds of hope, blast the cliffs of fears and completely dispel the darkness of ignorance. Burning the seven fluids (dhatu) of the body by the flames of the Mulabandha posture, they offer in sacrifice all the diseases in the body to the six plexuses (chakras) (46-50). Then erecting the torch of the Serpent-Power on the Muladhara they make way for it in the spinal column right up to the head. Then closing the nine gates (of the senses) by means of crossbars in the form of self-restraint, they open up the way in the Sushumna nadi. They kill rams in the form of desires and buffaloes in the form of their minds and offer their heads as oblations to the goddess Durga in the form of the power of the vital breath. After combining the breath passages Ida and Pingala, they speedily win the nectar in the seventeenth phase of the moon in the loud acclamation of the unbeaten (anahata) sound. Then they ascend the flight of steps carved out in the passage of the Sushumna nadi and reach the brahmarandhra, the aperture in the head (51-55). After mounting the difficult stairs of the ajnacakra and clasping in their arms the sky-region of the head, they become united to the Supreme Brahman. In this way they, imbued with equanimity of the mind, resort to the strenuous path of yoga in order to attain Brahman. Those that have attained in this manner the unmanifest Brahman in exchange of their individual life, also come to me. Do not think that they gain something more on the strength of this yoga; if any thing it is toil, which falls into their lap.

There are others who wish to attain without devotion the supportless unmanifest Brahman, which does well to all living beings. But they succumb to the temptations such as lordship of heaven and desire of prosperity and supernatural powers, which come in their way. They have to face many hurdles such as desire and wrath. Then will they not feel that they have toiled in vain? They have to suppress hunger and thirst and they have to keep the wind stirring with both hands. They have to sleep in the sun during daytime, to derive pleasure from self-restraint and to form friendship with trees. They have to expose their bodies to heat and cold and live in the rain (61-65). Thus this yoga is like entering the funeral pyre by a faithful wife everyday without having a husband. They have to carry on a continuous struggle with death without any purpose such as serving a master or following a family custom. Can anyone take a drought of poison, which is hot and pungent'? O Partha, will not his mouth get torn in swallowing a hill? Therefore, those who resort to yoga are destined to share only misery in life. Just consider, if a toothless person were compelled to eat gram of steel, will that satisfy his hunger or put him death (66-70)? Has anyone swum across the sea with the help of his arms, or has anyone ever been able to walk in the sky? Has anyone been able to ascend the steps of sun's abode without receiving a single wound on the battlefield? Therefore, O Arjuna, just as a cripple cannot enter into contest with the wind, so it is difficult for an embodied person to attain the formless God. Those who, with this intense longing to attain Brahman, work hard for it, have necessarily to suffer great afflictions. But those who resort to the path of devotion do not have to endure such misery (71-75).

Such devotees perform willingly, with their organs of actions, all the works falling to their lot according to their caste and stage of life. In performing such works, they follow the scriptural injunctions, shun prohibited actions and burn all actions by dedicating the fruits of actions to me. In this way, by surrendering all their works to me, they annihilate their actions. And whatever natural tendencies they possess, whether of the body, speech or mind, are not directed anywhere except to me. In this way they worship me without interruption and become my dwelling-place through meditation (76-80). Leaving their poor and helpless clients namely sensuous pleasures and salvation; they enjoy having dealings with me. In this way, they surrender to me their body, mind and soul through exclusive devotion and love. How can I tell you what I do for them'? I do whatever they wish for.

What more can I say'? O Arjuna, how dear is the child to its mother? So my devotees of whatever kind are dear to me. I have undertaken the work of relieving them of their miseries in this Kali age. Why should my devotees feel anxious about the cycle of births and deaths? Will a rich man's wife ever have to face the situation of having to eat uncooked food'? (81-85) these devotees are like my pals. So if they have to face any adverse times, is it not a blot on my honour? I feel distressed at seeing this created world engulfed in the waves of the ocean of mortal life. Who is not frightened of the turbulent sea of life? Therefore to save them from this fright, I hasten to their places from time to time by assuming different incarnations. I have delivered them out of this sea of life by constructing boats in the form of thousand names (vtz. Vishnu Sahasranama) (86-90). For those who are single and unencumbered, I settle them in meditation; for those who are fond of domestic life, I provide for them' boats in the form of my names. I provide life belts of my love to some devotees and take them to the other shore of salvation. For those who call themselves my devotees-be they quadrupeds, I make them At for the throne of Vaikuntha. Therefore, there is no cause of anxiety for my devotees. I am their saviour, ever ready to protect them. When my devotees dedicate all their mental functions to me, at that very moment they have made me predisposed towards them (91-95). Therefore, O winner of wealth, I give you this mantra that you should take to the path of devotion.

O Arjuna, you fix your mind and intellect in me with determination. You will attain to me if you combine these two and enter my heart. Once your mind and intellect dwell in me, then how can the notion of duality exist between us? Just as light ceases when the lamp is put out, or the daylight vanishes when the sun sets, (96-100), so when the life-breath leaves the body, the ego automatically goes out with the mind and the body. Therefore fix your mind and intellect on my essential nature and then you will become all pervasive and one with me. This I declare to you on oath that this is the truth, without exception.

Or if you are not able to devote your mind, heart and intellect in their entirety to me, then dedicate your mind to me for a moment everyday (101-105). The moment you experience the joy of communion with me, that very moment you will become averse to sensual pleasures. Then as the water in the river dries up with the advent of winter, so your mind will become free from the bonds of worldly existence. Just as the moon wanes day by day from the full moon night to the new moon night and then disappears, so you will become free from the sensuous enjoyments and slowly enter my being and ultimately become one with me. Know that this is what is called the yoga of practice. There is nothing, which cannot be attained with its help (106-110). Among those who practice this yoga, some roam in the sky, some tame fierce beasts such as tigers and snakes and some digest poison, while some walk on the sea. Through this practice some have made even the Vedas look insignificant. Therefore, there is nothing, which is difficult to secure by this yogic practice. Therefore, try to attain to me through the practice of yoga.

If you do not possess the capacity to take up this yoga of practice, then keep your life-style as it is. Do not restrain the senses, do not scale down your sensual enjoyment and do not give up the pride of your caste (111-115). Follow your family customs, observe the rules laid down by the scriptures and shun actions prohibited by them. Then you are free in follow your own course of action. But whatever work you do by means of the body, speech and mind, do not say, "I am doing this." The Supreme Being under whose authority all the worldly affairs are carried on, knows what is action and what is non-action. If a work is not completed, then do not brood over it but adopt the style of life, which conforms to your caste. Just as water follows the course as devised by the gardener, you also perform your action, renouncing egoistic feeling (116-120). Then your intellect does not have to bear the burden of deciding what one ought to do or avoid doing so that the heart remains Axed on me without interruption. O Arjuna, does the carriage ever bother about whether the road is straight or crooked'? Therefore, whatever work you do, whether it is perfunctory or perfect, dedicate it to me quietly. In this manner, O Arjuna, if you perform actions with devotion, you will attain the highest form of liberation, namely identification with me.

O Partha, should you not be able to perform actions for my sake, then think along these lines (121-125). If you think it difficult to dedicate your action to me before you resolve to do it or after, before you undertake it or later, then leave it alone. Even if I have pressed you to perform actions for my sake and dedicate them to me, you need not do so. Restrain your intellect and whenever you undertake any actions, abandon all thought about their fruit. Just as the trees and creepers drop down their fruits, you should also relinquish the fruits of the actions performed by you. You need not resolve to undertake such actions and perform them for my sake, but let them go into the Void (126-130). Like the rain fallen on a rock, a seed sown in fire or a dream seen in sleep, let all such actions be fruitless. O Partha, Just as a father does not entertain lewd desire for his daughter, be you desireless for the fruits of your actions. Let your actions become void, as the flames go waste in the sky. O Arjuna, renunciation of fruit may appear to you as an easy path. yet it is the foremost among the yogas. Just as a bamboo tree becomes barren once it yields fruit, so the actions do not sprout on the relinquishment of their fruit. (131-135) Then even in the present life, physical activities come to a stop and there is an end to the cycle of births and deaths, O Arjuna, one attains knowledge through study and meditation becomes possible with the attainment of knowledge. Then the different mental states become merged in meditation, after which all actions stop of their own accord. With the stoppage of activity, renunciation of fruit automatically comes resulting in peace of mind. This is the only course open, O Partha, to attain serenity of mind; therefore you should undertake scriptural study first {136-140).

O Partha, knowledge is more profound than scriptural study and meditation is still more incomprehensible than knowledge. Renunciation of fruit of actions is superior to meditation, while the peace of mind, which comes after it, is matchless. O heroic Partha, by following this path my devotee attains peace through these stages.

As the all-pervading consciousness does not distinguish between what is one's own and another's, so he does not entertain hatred towards any creature. Just as mother earth does not think of giving support only to a superior and denying it to an inferior person (141-145), or the merciful life-breath does not say that it Will only dwell in the body of a prince and not in that of a pauper, or water does not think of quenching the thirst of cattle and turn itself into poison to kill tigers, so he is equally friendly with all creatures and looks after them like an affectionate nurse. He does not entertain the thought of "me" and "mine" and is never affected by happiness and misery. He is forgiving like the earth and joy lives happily in his lap (146-150).

Just as the sea is ever full of water even without rains, he is full of contestant without any formal devices. He restrains his mind taking a vow to do so, and his determination remains Arm till the end. The individual Self and the Supreme self dwell in his heart in perfect unison. Endowed with abundant yoga, he also dedicates his mind and intellect to me and becoming purified both internally and externally worships me with devotion and love (151-155). O Arjuna, he alone is a devotee, a yogi and a liberated soul. I am so fond of him as if he were my spouse-nay he is dear to me as my own Self is. But even this simile falls short of conveying my true feeling about him. This account of a loved one is like a magical spell, which cannot be expressed in words. I had to give expression to it because of your strong faith. I had to give the simile of husband and wife to denote this love; otherwise how can one describe it'? O Arjuna, leave this alone. My love for the devotee is redoubled, when I speak about him {156-160). And if a dear hearer happens to be near, with what can you measure the joy that one feels? Therefore, O Arjuna, you are a loving devotee as well as a dear hearer, and so I am giving vent to my feelings about a loving devotee, as the occasion required it. This combination of a devotee and hearer in you became a happy occasion for this enjoyable conversation. Saying this the Lord began to swing backward and forward. He added, "Please get to know the characteristics of the devotee, whom I give a place in my heart".

A stormy sea does not create fear in the aquatic animals and does not itself become tired of them (164-165). In the same way, he does not become bothered because of the rude world, nor is the world troubled because of him. O Arjuna, just as the body is not tired of its limbs, he does not become weary of the living creatures. This is because he knows that I am the life, which dwells in all of them. As he looks upon the world as his own body, all thoughts of people being dear or disagreeable to him, leave him. In this way, the notion of duality leaves him and he does not feel joy or anger. I am enamoured of him who becomes free from the pairs of opposites such as pleasure and pain or fear and sorrow and worships me. How can I describe to you how I feel attracted to him'? In short, he lives only for my sake (166-170). He who is satiated by the bliss flowing from Self-knowledge, and who has attained the highest aim of life, becomes wedded to perfection.

O Arjuna, he is free from all expectations and his mind is full of increasing happiness. The holy place of Kashi is known for its generous gift of salvation, but for that, one has to part with his body there. Our sins are washed off in the Himalayas, but one has to risk his life in going there. However the purity in the saints is not dangerous like that. The sacred water of the Ganges removes all sins and mental afflictions, but one is likely to get drowned there (171-175). Like the water of the Ganges the knowledge of the saints is deep and fathomless. But the devotee does not sink in their company; instead he becomes liberated even while living. The river Ganges gets rid of its sins by coming into contact with the saints (when they bathe in it). How superior in purity must be this contact of the saints? A saint by his purity lends support even to holy waters and drives away sinful thoughts from the minds (of those who come in contact with him). He is as clean and spotless in and out as the sun itself, and attains the experience of Brahman in the same way as a person born with his legs foremost sees a treasure buried under the earth. Just as the sky is all- pervasive and unattached, so his mind, while pervading all, is detached (176-180). Like a bird, which has escaped from the hands of a hunter and has shed fear, he becomes desireless and free from the anxiety of worldly life. He is ever blissful and does not feel the pricking of any worldly thing, like a dead body which is not ashamed of its nakedness. He does not suffer from egoism while performing any work. Just as fire is extinguished when it is not fed with firewood, he attains peace and his name is recorded on the checkerboard of liberation. In this way, he who has attained union with the In this way he who has attained union with Supreme Self reaches the other shore transcending duality {181-185). Dividing himself into two parts and designating one as the devotee and the other as God, he experiences the bliss of devotion and demonstrates to a non-devotee the proper way of devotion. I am fond of such a devotee and he becomes the object of my meditation. In short, I find great satisfaction, when I come across such a devotee. Incarnating myself I come to this world for his sake and he is so dear to me that I wave my life as a lamp before him.

He does not value any thing as good as the realisation of the Self and so he does not derive any pleasure from sensual enjoyments (186-190). Since he has become fully conscious that he himself is the universe and got rid of the notion of duality, he does not entertain any feeling' of hatred for anyone. He is fully convinced that his true nature will remain indestructible even at the end of the epoch, and so does not lament the loss of anything. Since he has himself become Brahman beyond which there is nothing, he has no desire for anything. Just as the right and day do not exist for the sun, he does not distinguish between good and bad things. Although he has attained the state of uninterrupted knowledge, he still remains lovingly devoted to me (191-195). I say on oath that no one else is so truly dear to me as this devotee.

O Arjuna, he does not have even a trace of hostile feeling and so treats equally both a friend and an enemy. Just as a lamp does not think of giving light only to the inmates of the house and withhold it from strangers, or a tree gives shade without distinction to one who has planted it or one who has come to cut it, or sugarcane is not sweet to one who grows it or bitter to one who extracts juice from it squeezing it in a press, (196-200), so O Arjuna, he behaves evenly with friend and foe alike and regards honour and dishonour with the same feeling. Like the sky, which remains the same in all seasons, he treats equally heat and cold. Just as the Meru mountain remains unmoved while facing the southern or the northern wind, he remains unaffected by pleasure or pain, He treats all living beings equally like the moon-light which gives equal pleasure to a prince and a pauper.. Just as the entire world craves for water, so, all the three worlds are fond of him and like to have him as their own (201-205). Thus my devotee sheds love and attachment in and out for sensuous pleasures and remains in solitude Axing his mind on my essential nature.

He is not distressed by hearing slander or elated by praise. As the sky remains unaffected by its contact with the clouds, he treats evenly both slander and praise and moves with an even temper in public and in solitude. (As his mind is free from desires] whatever he utters whether true or false does not affect his silence and he does not become satiated while experiencing the Brahmin State beyond the mind. Just as the sea never dries up in the absence of the rains, he never feels joy at any gain nor is he dejected at any loss (206-210). Like the wind who never remains at one place and 1s constantly on the move everywhere, he does not resort to a house and regards the whole world as his home. He is fully convinced that the entire universe is his home-nay, he has himself become the entire universe, both movable and immovable. Even in this state he remains still zealously devoted to me. I treat such a one as my crown and place him on my head. It is no wonder that one should bend one's head before such an exalted person. So all the three worlds honour him by taking the holy water of his feet (211-215). One should make Lord Shiva as his guru and learn from him how to show respect to the object of one's faith. But leave this alone. To praise Lord Shiva is really to indulge in self-praise and so this is not an apt illustration. I wish to reiterate that I bear my devotee on my head. Even when my devotee has secured in his hand liberation, the fourth object of man's existence, he still follows the path of devotion and sets an example to the world. As a priest of emancipation, he decides who should get liberation and who should not, and yet he remains lowly like water (216-220). Therefore, I bow to him, hold him on my head and bear the mark of his heel on my chest. I embellish my speech by singing his praise and adorn my ears by hearing his encomiums. Though without eyes, I acquire vision to satisfy my strong longing to gaze at him. I worship him by offering him the lotus in my hand and take on two more arms in order to clasp him in a close embrace. Though I am formless, I have assumed a body in order to enjoy his companionship. In short, I am so fond him that I cannot describe my feeling for him by an appropriate simile (221-225). I feel somewhat strange in calling him my bosom friend. Those who pra1se him after hearing his life-story are also as dear to me as my life. O Arjuna, the yoga that I have described to you so far from the start is none other than the yoga of devotion. This devotee is so great that I shower My love on him, meditate upon him and bear him on my head.