Gita: Bhakti Yoga - Verse 5

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru and Prostrations to all


Word Meaning:
Kleshaha: the trouble
aDhikatharaha: is greater
tesham: of those
avyaktha aasaktha chethasaam: whose minds are set on the Unmanifested
avyaktha: the Unmanifested
hi: for
gathihi: goal
dhuKhaam: with pain
dehavadbhihi: for the embodied
avaapyatae: is reached

“Greater is their trouble whose minds are set on the “Unmanifest”; for the goal, the Unmanifest is very hard for the embodied to reach”

In the previous sloka Krishna told about the Para Bhakti, and in this sloka he tells “who will find difficulty in meditating on the unmainfested god”. Krishna says those who know that Unmanifested form of god is the Ultimate Reality but still have the identification with the body finds it difficult to meditate on the Unmanifested form of god.

To meditate on the unmanifested god, one has to control the senses, have to turn the mind inwards. But the nature of the mind is extroverted and hence will have the identification with the body. Those who have the identification with the body it is difficult to meditate on the unmanifested god. Therefore for them the form god will be useful and the worship as told by Krishna in sloka 2 with constant thought, total surrender and keeping in the mind the lord as the Ultimate goal will soon realize the body is temporary. Thus those who sees the body and the world as real will find meditating on form god useful in building concentration. By doing so the identification with the body goes away and hence will be in a position to apprehend the real nature of the Self which is Ultimate Reality of Brahman.

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh