Chapter XII- 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, hard
- The travail is for such as bend their minds
- To reach th' Unmanifest. That viewless path
- Shall scarce be trod by man bearing the flesh!
- But whereso any doeth all his deeds
- Renouncing self for Me, full of Me, fixed
- To serve only the Highest, night and day
- Musing on Me- him will I swiftly lift
- Forth 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 dwell
- Surely with Me on high. But if thy thought
- Droops from such height; if thou be'st weak to set
- Body and soul upon Me constantly,
- Despair not! give Me lower service! I seek
- To 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 Me
- Shall finally attain! But, if in this
- Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! find
- Refuge in Me! let fruits of labour go,
- Renouncing hope for Me, with lowliest heart,
- So shalt thou come; for, though to know is more
- Than diligence, yet worship better is
- Than knowing, and renouncing better still.
- Near to renunciation- very near-
- Dwelleth Eternal Peace!
- Who hateth nought
- Of all which lives, living himself benign,
- Compassionate, from arrogance exempt,
- Exempt from love of self, unchangeable
- By good or ill; patient, contented, firm
- In 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 hap
- Light when it will, and when it will depart,
- That man I love! Who, unto friend and foe
- Keeping an equal heart, with equal mind
- Bears shame and glory; with an equal peace
- Takes heat and cold, pleasure and pain; abides
- Quit of desires, hears praise or calumny
- In passionless restraint, unmoved by each;
- Linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in Me,
- That man I love! But most of all I love
- Those happy ones to whom 'tis life to live
- In 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."
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