अर्जुन उवाच एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते। ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः॥
Arjuna said Of those worshipers, who constantly adore you and who mediate on you as Imperishable and Unmanifest, who are the best acquainted with devotion?
श्रीभगवानुवाच मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते। श्रद्धया परयोपेतास्ते मे युक्ततमा मताः॥
The great One said Those that constantly adore me, fixing their minds on me, and being endued with the highest faith, are considered by me as men having the greatest devotion.
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते। सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यं च कूटस्थमचलं ध्रुवम्॥
Those, however, who worship the Imperishable, the All pervading, Inconceivable, the Indifferent, the Immutable, the Eternal.
संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्रं समबुद्धयः। ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः॥
Who, restraining the entire groups of senses, are equal-minded in respect of all things, and are engaged in doing good to all creature, come to Me.
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते॥
Difficulty to attain me is greater to those who seek for the Unmanifest, for, the way to the Unmanifest is hard to find by man.
ये त सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः। अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते॥ तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात्। भवामि नचिरात् पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम्॥
I, without delay, become deliver from the ocean of this world of those, who, reposing all actions on Me and considering Me the highest object of attainment, worship Me, mediating on Me with exclusive devotion, and fixing their minds on Me.
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय। निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत अर्ध्वं न संशयः॥
Fix your mind on Me alone, place your understanding also on Me, you will thus, after death, live in Me; there is not the least doubt in it.
अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्। अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनंजय॥
If, however, O Dhananjaya, you are unable thus to fix your mind on Me, then, try to obtain Me by devotion arising from continued application.
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव। मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि॥
If you are not able even to have continued application, let your actions be performed for Me with your highest aim. For, by performing acts for My sake, you will attain to perfection.
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्॥
If even this you are unable to do, then resort to devotion in Me. Subduing your Self, abandon the desire for the fruits of actions.
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद् ध्यानं विशिष्यते। ध्यानात् कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्॥
Knowledge is superior to application; mediation is better than knowledge; abandonment of the desire for the fruits of action is better than mediation; place is the immediate result of such abandonment.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहंकारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥ संतुष्टः सतत योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः। मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः॥
He is dear to Me who has no hatred for anything, who is friendly and compassionate, who is free from egoism, who has no vanity, who is alike in pleasure and pain, who is forgiving, contented, always devoted, whose self is subdued, purpose is firm, mind and understanding are fixed on Me.
यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः। हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः॥
He is dear to Me, who is not troubled by the world, and the world is not troubled by him; and who is free from joy, fear and anxieties.
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः। सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः॥
He is dear to Me who is pure, diligent, unconcerned, and free from all distress, and desireless for the fruits of actions.
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति। शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान् यः स मे प्रियः।।१७।
He is dear to Me who has no joy and no aversion, who neither grieves nor desire, who renounces both good and evil and who is full of faith in Me.
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयोः। शीतोष्णमुखदुःखेषु समः सङ्गविवर्जितः॥
He is dear to Me who is alike to friend and foc, in honour and dishonor, in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and who is free from attachments.
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिौनी संतुष्टो येन केनचित्। अनिकेत: स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान् मे प्रियो नरः॥
He is dear to Me who is taciturn, who is contented with anything that come to him, who is homeless, steady-minded, full of faith, and to whom censure and praise are the same.
ये तु धर्मामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते। श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः॥
Those who resort to this righteousness that leads to immortality, and which has been declared to you by Me, such devotees of faith, who regard Me as the highest object for attainment, are the most dear to Me".