The Bhagavad Gita (Arnold translation)/Chapter 12

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."