Verse 12.11

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 12.11:

अथैतद् अप्य् अशक्तोऽसि कर्त्तुं मद्-योगम् आश्रितः ।
सर्व-कर्म-फल-त्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान् ॥ ११ ॥

athaitad apy aśakto'si karttuṃ mad-yogam āśritaḥ |
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān || 11 ||

atha–yet; etat–this; api–though; aśaktaḥ–unable; asi–you are; karttum–perform;mat-yogam–the process of connection with Me (in the form of offering all activities to Me); āśritaḥ–taking shelter; sarva-karma–all your activities; phala-tyāgam–renunciation of the fruits; tataḥ–then; kuru–perform; yata-ātmavān–with a controlled mind.

If, however, you are unable to perform this abhyāsa-yoga, then take shelter of the yoga of offering all your works to Me, and with a controlled mind renounce the results of all your actions.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Śrī Bhagavān says, “If you are unable to do this, then take shelter of My bhakti-yoga and renounce the results of your actions by offering them to Me” [as described in the first six chapters].

The first six chapters explain niṣkāma-karma-yoga, selflessly performed activities offered to Bhagavān, as the means to attain liberation. The second six chapters describe bhakti-yoga as the means to attain Bhagavān. This bhakti-yoga is of two types: (1) the actions of the internal senses that are steadily fixed on Bhagavān, and (2) the activities of the external senses.

The first type of bhakti-yoga is further divided into three stages: (1) remembrance (smaraṇa), (2) meditation (manana) and (3) regulated practice (abhyāsa), which is for those who are unable to constantly perform smaraṇa but who are attached to attaining such a stage. These three practices are indeed very difficult for those who are less intelligent, but they are easy for those who are free from offences and devoted to pure intelligence.

The second type of bhakti-yoga, however, which engages the activities of the external senses in hearing, chanting and so forth, is an easy method for everyone. Those who are engaged in either type of bhakti-yoga are superior to all others. This is described in the second six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are unable to perform either of these and who cannot worship Śrī Bhagavān faithfully by controlling their senses and minds are qualified to perform niṣkāma-karma-yoga offered to Bhagavān, as described in the first six chapters. They are inferior to the above two types of bhakti-yogīs.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In the previous verse, with the statement mat-karma-paramo bhava, Śrī Kṛṣṇa gave instructions to clean His temple, water tulasī and flower gardens, and perform other such services. Upon hearing this, Arjuna wondered what someone should do who considers these services to Bhagavān, which are simple, easy and happily performed, to be insignificant. They could also be unwilling to perform them on account of having taken birth in a high-class family or holding a respected position in society. In the present verse, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, understanding Arjuna’s mind, gives a fourth option. “If one is unable to perform such simple services for Śrī Bhagavān, then it is appropriate that he adopt the process of bhagavad-arpita niṣkāma-karma-yoga, selflessly performing one’s prescribed duties and offering them to Bhagavān.”

It is not appropriate, however, to avoid services such as cleaning the temple because of one’s material false ego. Although King Ambarīṣa was the lord of the Earth’s seven islands, he constantly remained engaged in the service of Śrī Bhagavān by cleaning His temple with his own hands and performing other services. According to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, King Pratāparudra would sweep in front of Śrī Jagannātha-deva’s chariot during the famous Ratha-yātrā festival in Jagannātha Purī. Upon seeing such a service attitude, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very pleased with him. Therefore, according to the instructions of our worshipful disciplic succession, to perform even an insignificant service to Śrī Bhagavān creates auspiciousness for us. To consider oneself superior because of material false ego and to think services such as cleaning the temple to be insignificant causes a person to fall from his endeavour in attaining the transcendental goal.

If, because of such a superiority complex, someone is unable to engage in service as instructed by Bhagavān, then for him the most compassionate Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa is giving another option. He should perform his prescribed duties according to varṇāśrama-dharma, with-out desiring to enjoy the fruits of his action, and he should offer the results to Bhagavān.

Śrī Bhagavān has given four sequential options in descending order for persons possessing four types of qualification:

(1) Fixing one’s mind on the form (svarūpa) of Bhagavān, one should try to achieve prema through the process of hearing, chanting and remembering the names, forms and qualities of Bhagavān. This is the path of spontaneous attachment, rāgānugā-bhakti.

(2) For those who are unable to absorb the mind in Bhagavān through the path of rāgānugā-bhakti, it is better to take shelter of repeated practice (abhyāsa-yoga) by following the path of devotion according to Vedic regulations (vaidhī-bhakti).

(3) For those who are even unable to perform this repeated practice in the form of vaidhī-bhakti, it is necessary to become devoted to performing work (service) for Bhagavān. In this way, while being devoted to working for Bhagavān, they will gradually attain perfection in abhyāsa-yoga, and eventually their minds will become fixed at the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān.

(4) For those who are even unable to perform karma (action) in service to Śrī Bhagavān, it is better to surrender to Him and simply perform karma as prescribed in the Vedas, without being attached to the fruits.

As a result of such actions, one will gradually attain the path leading to exclusive, uninterrupted, transcendental devotion (parā-bhakti), which imparts knowledge of one’s own svarūpa and the svarūpa of Bhagavān.