विवेचन सारांश
39 Qualities That Make Us Bhagavān's Favourite

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ID: 6865
अंग्रेज़ी - English
Sunday, 27 April 2025
Chapter 12: Bhakti-Yoga
2/2 (Ślōka 12-20)
Interpreter: GĪTĀ PRAVĪṆA JYOTI JI SHUKLA


The 12th chapter of the Bhagavadgītā is Bhakti-Yoga - The Yoga of Devotion.

After the customary lighting of the lamp, and prayers to Śrī Bhagavān, the session began with a short recap of the previous weeks discussion. 

In the last session we had discussed about two kinds of devotees:

  • Saguna devotees: who worship Bhagavān in HIS manifested form. They express their devotion by visiting temples, offering prayers, performing puja - arti, and presenting flowers and Prasad to HIM.
  • Nirguna devotees : on the other hand, do not worship deities. They go to serene places like mountains and meditate on the formless Divine, remaining unaffected by external conditions such as hunger or cold.
Arjuna was curious to know which of the two types of devotees are better. Bhagavān disclosed that Nirguna worship is challenging to practice because herein the formless Brahman is worshipped. And without any form to meditate upon it becomes difficult to focus or meditate. Therefore, it is advisable to begin with the simpler path of Saguna Bhakti. Once firmly established in this form of devotion, one can gradually progress toward Nirguna worship.

In the 7th verse, Bhagavān assures that HE takes personal care of HIS dearest devotees. HE said, HE frees them from the bondage of birth and death, and helps them unite with HIM eternally.

तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् |
भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् || 12.7||
From the next verse Bhagavān begins to explain how to worship HIM to become HIS favourite. 

HE told Arjuna that if he cannot fix his mind fully on HIM, he should at least do all his actions with devotion. With regular practice, he will become perfect. If even that feels hard, then he should simply work to please HIM. And if that too is difficult, then he should just give up attachment to the results of his actions and stay calm within himself.

In today's session, we will explore the 39 qualities that Bhagavān shared with Arjuna, which make one a true devotee (Bhakta) dear to HIM.
Bhagavān explained that merely engaging in long hours of worship is not enough if one still holds anger, hatred, or jealousy within. Such devotees are not HIS favourites.

To become a Bhakta truly loved by Bhagavān, we must cultivate these 39 noble qualities within ourselves. Let us now delve into these divine qualities that will help us move closer to Bhagavān.

The children were told to sit with paper and pen so that they self assess these 39 qualities.

12.12

śreyo hi jñānamabhyāsāj, jñānāddhyānaṁ(v̐) viśiṣyate,
dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgaḥ(s), tyāgācchāntiranantaram.12.12.

Knowledge is better than practice without discernment, meditation on God is superior to knowledge, and renunciation of the fruit of actions is even superior to meditation; for, peace immediately follows from renunciation.

Bhagavān explained that gaining knowledge is better than routine practice, meditation is better than knowledge, and giving up the fruits of actions is even better, because it brings peace right away.

Knowledge can be gained by reading scriptures like Gītā, Ramayan, Mahabharata etc. And more important than reading is to implement the teachings into our daily life.  

Though meditation is superior to knowledge gained through reading scriptures; however, giving up the fruits of action is the superior most. Attaching to results of our action creates more desires and brings sorrow.

Bhagavān places the highest value on detachment from the outcomes / results of our actions. This means letting go of expectations tied to results. For example, a student may set a goal of scoring 95% or more, which is fine. However, attachment to this result can cause unnecessary stress and disturb the mind if the outcome is not as expected.

HE advises us to focus wholeheartedly on our actions, such as studying with full dedication, without being fixated on the results. We should accept outcomes gracefully, without brooding over them for days.

An example was shared of Nobita, the cartoon character, who would avoid studying properly and then try to hide the poor exam papers by burying them in the garden to escape scolding from her mother. We should never find ourselves in such a situation. Instead, we must study sincerely and put in our best efforts.

Before moving forward the children were quizzed to answer - 

How many qualities will Bhagavān share to become HIS favourite? Only 82% answered correctly showcasing that the rest were not paying attention in class.

12.13

adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṁ(m), maitraḥ(kh) karuṇa eva ca,
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ(s), ṣamaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī. 12.13

He who is free from malice towards all beings, friendly and compassionate, and Free from the feelings of 'I' and 'mine', balanced in joy and sorrow & forgiving by nature.

Hereon Bhagavān will explain 39 qualities of a true devotee.

1. adveṣhṭā: free from malice; not to hate anybody. On seeing other's success, we should be appreciative, must keep good thoughts about the person and alway speak good about the person. 

The children were asked to honestly assess themselves on how much hatred or jealousy they felt when others performed better than them in school.

  • If they always felt hatred, they were asked to rate themselves between 0 to 3, depending on the intensity of their feelings.

  • If they sometimes felt hatred, they could rate themselves between 5 to 6.

  • If they genuinely felt happy and appreciative of others' success, they were encouraged to rate themselves between 8 to 10.

2. sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ: Bhagavān likes those who are friendly towards all living beings. One should not indulge in groupism, bullying and back biting. We must keep in mind not to make any enemies.

The children were asked to mark themselves on the same scale in all the characteristics. 

3. karuṇaḥ—compassionate / kind / empathetic. Example: Trying to tease a Puppy in order to trouble it is not exhibiting kindness.  A person with rude behaviour will also not fit in as a compassionate person.

While teaching younger siblings one tends to get angry on them when they do not understand; or sometimes if an insect bites us the first reaction is to kill it. These are not considered as acts of kindness.

4. nirmamaḥ: Free from attachment to possession. Example: Often among siblings there is a tendency of not sharing each other's things - books, dresses etc. The arguments tends towards oneupmanship by expressing to each other in boastful manner and also comparing the capabilities with an intention of chiding other. This kind of conduct has to be given up in order to be become Bhagavān's favourite. Our sentiment should be that all that one has belongs to Bhagavān. 

5. nirahankāraḥ: Free from ego. Accomplished devotees naturally become humble and eliminate pride and sense of proprietorship from their personality. Suppose one tops the class, or wins an award, one should feel happy but not bring in pride considering oneself to be the best.

6. sama duḥkha sukhaḥ: equipoised in distress and happiness.  Striving for a balanced outlook in all situations is essential to cultivate the equanimity that makes one dear to HIM. Whatever results come in the way of devotees they see those as the will of Paramātmā and accept them with equanimity. We should not become extremely happy if something goes according to what we want, and extremely sad if something goes against our wish. Such deficiencies should be corrected to be more balanced in order to become HIS favourite.

In the 2nd chapter Bhagavān advised

समत्वं योग उच्यते
equanimity in success and failure is called Yoga.

Example: if we get good marks then the person is on the top of the world and if the marks do not come as expected then it leads to depressed mind. This extreme behaviour needs to be normalised for becoming HIS favourite.

7. kṣhamī: The ability to forgive. If our friends or siblings make a mistake, we should have the ability to forgive them, even if they don’t say sorry. If we remain angry with them, we will also feel miserable because of that. Not only should we always forgive, but we should also forget the mistake of others. We should leave the task of punishing wrongdoers to HIM.                                   

12.14

santuṣṭaḥ(s) satataṁ(y̐) yogī, yatātmā dṛḍhaniścayaḥ,
mayyarpitamanobuddhiḥ(r), yo madbhaktaḥ(s) sa me priyaḥ.12.14.

The Yogī who is Ever-concentrated and mentally united with Me, nay, who has subdued his mind, senses and body, has a firm resolve, and has surrendered his mind and reason to Me—that devotee of Mine is dear to Me.

Bhagavān continues continues to explain the characteristics of devotees who are very dear to HIM.

8. santuṣṭaḥ: contented; to remain satisfied in all circumstances. At the start of every school year we should not insist for a new pencil box, new dress and new shoes. If they are not torn or broken and in good working condition, we should use old ones. Change them only when they are not usable.

Example: Whenever Nobita, the character from Doraemon, saw a new video game with his friend, he would run to Doraemon crying, demanding the same game. Even though he already had many games, he always longed for what others had. This is a bad habit. We should not compare ourselves or our belongings with others. Instead, we should be content with what we have and not create unnecessary desires for new gadgets or games. Otherwise, it only leads to unhappiness.

9. yatātmā: self-control. This was explained with the following examples.

Examples: Siblings while watching TV often end up fighting as they want to watch different programs. In this whole tussle often they end up breaking things or throwing remote. This is not acceptable by Bhagavān and such a person will not be able to qualify for becoming HIS favourite.  

While studying, we often think of other things, sometimes we get hungry, sometimes want music. This is not self-control, and one needs to correct this habit. During study time the mind has to be focussed in order to get higher results. Determination is important in order to resolve to study at scheduled time every day. 

10. dṛḍhaniścayaḥ: firm resolve. When we decide to do something or achieve something, we should work towards it with firm determination. 

Example: While studying or learning Yoga, for the first few days, we do it very seriously; but slowly we become careless and maybe stop doing it completely.
There is quote that goes ‘zameen tallath, zamaa tallath, magar banda nahi tallath’ .  meaning that banda or a determined person will remain firm and resolute in his action and goals. (Tallath means to procrastinate).

Once a learned saint said, if a thought comes into your mind and you feel like procrastinating it; or move what is to be done today, to doing it tomorrow, that person should slap himself twice on his face. (Tomorrow in English - Do Maaro in Hindi).

11 and 12. mayyarpita manaḥ buddhiḥ—The mind and the intellect should be dedicated to HIM. Sometimes the intellect guides you to study but the mind wants you to play. In this situation if we dedicate the mind and intellect to HIM, one makes the right decision because the mind gets relaxed.  When a person is devoted to HIM, the rest of the personality naturally gets dedicated in HIS service.

The one who worships Bhagavān every day and has the mind invested in HIM will succeed in life because he is very dear to HIM.

12.15

yasmānnodvijate loko, lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ,
harṣāmarṣabhayodvegaiḥ(r), mukto yaḥ(s) sa ca me priyaḥ 12.15

He who is not a source of annoyance to his fellow-creatures, and who in his turn does not feel vexed with his fellow creatures, and who is free from delight and envy, perturbation and fear, is dear to Me.

Further Bhagavān lists the following qualities

13. yasmānnodvijate loko: not indulging in actions which is a source of annoyance to anyone. Example many a times we twist the names of our friends and call them with those names to annoy them. like Devansh becomes, Devanshi; or, Somil becomes Somali. Such acts are not good. From now on one should refrain from doing so.

l4. lokānnodvijate ca yaḥ: Not getting disturbed by actions of others. Good hearted people never hurt others. However, it does not mean that others do not try to hurt them. The devotees always maintain a compassionate attitude and do not get agitated by the actions of others. Like if someone twists their name one must not react or get angry.

15. harṣha rahit : We should not feel very happy or over excited when something good happens, or when we achieve something. That does not mean we should not enjoy the achievement. We should be happy but not too much happy that it distracts us from our further actions.

16. amarṣha rahit: Free from jealousy. If someone is getting better marks than us, or wins a prize, that does not mean that we should feel jealous or envious of him.

17. bhaya rahit: Free from fear. One should not be fearful of anything. Some fear even a small insect like a cockroach, which is so small that it cannot even hurt us. Mind should be trained not to fear by looking at things in a very pragmatic manner and surrendering to Bhagavān.

There is famous bhajan given below which exhibits that closeness to Paramātmā frees one from fear.

18. udvegaḥ rahit: free from anxiety. One should not become agitated and aggressive for anything that happens around us.

Those who have complete faith in Paramātmā do not have any fears. Only people who do not believe in HIM go through fear, anxiety and stress.

12.16

napekṣaḥ(ś) śucirdakṣa, udāsīno gatavyathaḥ,
sarvārambhaparityāgī, yo madbhaktaḥ(s) sa me priyaḥ. 12.16

He who wants nothing, who is both internally and externally pure, is wise and impartial and has risen above all the distractions, and who renounces the sense of doership in all undertakings—such a devotee of Mine is dear to Me.

The children were reminded to mark themselves on every characteristic. 

19. anapekṣaḥ: Not to have very high expectations.  One may expect too much for example expecting very high marks, or wanting new dresses, shoes, gadgets as per trending markets. Such expectations only bring sorrow if in reality it does not happen as desired.

20. śhuchiḥ: Internally and externally purity.

Examples: External cleanliness should be followed. Throwing the wrapper on the ground instead of in trash cans, Eating food without washing hands or Throwing around the removed clothes and shoes in the room are some bad actions which should not be followed. 
For inner cleanliness one must be free from bad thoughts, like anger, ill will, hatred, greed etc. Reading scriptures and good books help in cleansing the mind.

21. dakṣaḥ: skillful, expert. They look at all the task as opportunity to serve HIM. Hence, they perform the work with great care and attention. And this makes them expert in all the task they undertake. One must keep practicing what is not perfect in us.

22. udāsīnaḥ : remain neutral in all circumstances. We should not get disturbed by the happenings around us.

23. gata-vyathaḥ: Free of sorrow. Such devotees remain happy in all outcomes good or bad. They have faith and surrender the outcomes to HIM. One should not get disturbed if the outcome is not good.  

24. sarva-ārambha parityāgī: Free from practice of initiating actions connected to desires. We should not initiate fulfilling our desires. Like if one wants to eat a samosa, or an ice cream do not rush to buy one. Wait till same one else asks you to buy. Renouncing with an attitude of service makes them rise above petty selfishness.

12.17

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi, na śocati na kāṅkṣati,
śubhāśubhaparityāgī, bhaktimānyaḥ(s) sa me priyaḥ. 12.17

He who neither rejoice nor hates, nor grieves , nor desires, and who renounces both good and evil actions and is full of devotion, is dear to Me.

Bhagavān said that devotees who exhibit the qualities that HE expressed herein are very dear to HIM.

25. yo na hṛṣyati: Free from extreme rejoicing.
 
26. na dveṣṭi : Does not hate anyone.

27. na śocati na kāṅkṣati : Neither laments for any loss nor desire for any gain. One should not feel sad on getting less marks. He resolves to study harder next time.

Kāṅkṣati means to desire for more and more. If the wish list is long then we do not meet HIS requirements. Thus we should remain happy in what we have and not desire for too many things.

28. śhubha-aśhubha-parityāgī: Renounce both good and evil actions. Stealing, telling lies are bad actions. We must refrain from them completely. However, eating chocolates, playing, sleeping are supposed to be good. But if one indulges more than necessary then it becomes bad. One needs to be always aware of this and take things only to the extent which is minimal. Going beyond limits is not good and similarly doing things which are not permissible is also not acceptable. 

bhaktimānyaḥ sa me priyaḥ—Bhagavān said such devotees are very dear to HIM.

12.18

ṣamaḥ(ś) śatrau ca mitre ca, tathā mānāpamānayoḥ,
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu, ṣamaḥ(s) saṅgavivarjitaḥ. 12.18

He who deals equally with friend and foe, and is the same in honour and ignominy, who is alike in heat and cold, pleasure and pain and other contrary experiences, and is free from attachment.

Other qualities that qualify us to be HIS devotee are:

29. ṣamaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca :  Whether it is friend or foe we should see them as equal. We should have good thoughts for all. Treat them equally and not get swayed by the sentiments of enmity and friendship.

30. mānāpamānayoḥ : To remain balanced in Praise and reproach or in honour and dishonour. Whether praised or insulted take it equally not being too sad or too happy.

31. śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu: Be equipoised in all types of weather, cold or hot; and, pleasure and pain. We should not feel discomfort in too much cold or heat. HE advises us to remain equanimous in opposite experiences.
                                                                 
32. saṅgavivarjitaḥ:   Not to be too attached to material possessions and be with good company. Suppose a party is cancelled, one should not brood over the inconvenience. 

12.19

tulyanindāstutirmaunī, santuṣṭo yena kenacit,
aniketaḥ(s) sthiRāmatiḥ(r), bhaktimānme priyo naraḥ. 12.19

He who takes praise & criticism alike, and is given to contemplation and is contented with any means of subsistence available, entertaining no sense of ownership and attachment in respect of his dwelling-place and is full of devotion to Me, that person is dear to Me.

Lastly, Bhagavān explained the following traits of HIS most dear devotees.

34. tulyanindāstutiḥ: In reproach and praise are we should remain equipoised. We should not feel bad if someone says bad things about us or does back biting. Likewise if someone praises us we should not feel very happy. Remain balanced.

35. maunī: Give in to silent contemplation. If we learn something new or good, contemplate on it, ie., keep thinking about it.

36. santuṣhṭaḥ: content or satisfied with whatever comes. One must not compare with others. Whatever we have be satisfied with it.
                                                                                                 
37. Yena Kenacit : content with everything. HE wants us to think positively even if the circumstances are tough or difficult. We should not lose our ability to be happy even in the face of difficulties.

38. aniketaḥ: without attachment to the place of residence. Some kids throw tantrums for going to school as they are very attached to their homes and people in their homes. The same disqualifies the person from being a devotee. The devotees perceive their home as a temporary dwelling place as they understand the impermanence of material world.

39. sthira matiḥ: still or focused intellect. We should focus while studying. While studying the mind should not get distracted towards play, TV or music.

Devotees with these 39 qualities have their mind firmly fixed in HIM and hence are HIS favourites. 

12.20

ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṁ(y̐), yathoktaṁ(m) paryupāsate,
śraddadhānā matparamā, bhaktāste'tīva me priyāḥa.12.20.

Those devotees, however, who partake in a disinterested way of this nectar of pious wisdom set forth above, endowed with faith and solely devoted to Me, they are extremely dear to me.

Bhagavān ends the chapter with affirming that whoever will imbibe and follow the above 39 characteristics will be MY favourite devotee just like Arjuna.

The Pushpika it was explained, is a traditional closing verse at the end of each chapter. It is like offering a flower (pushpa) at the feet of Bhagavān.

  • Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā  Upanishatsu — In the sacred teachings of Bhagavad Gītā considered as Upanishads.

  • Brahmavidyayām — Teaching about Supreme Knowledge (Brahman).

  • Yogaśāstre — A scripture of Yoga (path to union with God).

  • Śrī Krishna Arjuna Samvāde — Presented as a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna

  • Bhakti Yoga Nāma Dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ — Named "Bhakti Yoga," the Twelfth chapter.


As promised a poll was conducted to see how the children had self evaluated their traits. Out of a total of 390, it was heartening to see that some children had scored 300 - 390 marks.

6% children got less than 150 marks
9% children got more than 200 marks
32% children got more than 250 marks
26% children got more than 350 marks

Children were urged to work towards imbibing these 39 qualities so that they become HIS favourite devotees. Those with less than 350 marks were advised to work harder in improving their traits. Those with full marks or close to full marks were also urged to strive to become better. 


The session concluded with Hari Nama Sankirtana, followed by a Questions and Answers session.

Question & Answers 


Devansh Sharma Ji
Question: I am having trouble memorising the shlokas we are learning in class. Please suggest a solution.
Answer: For this, you should do a daily recitation (parayan) of the 12th chapter. After some days, the shlokas will become memorised naturally. 


Avani Ji
Question: We do not want to have enmity with anyone, but if someone continues to show enmity towards us, what should we do?
Answer: You should simply ignore them. Do not hold any hatred toward that person in your mind.

Question:How will we know if we are a  favourite of Shri Bhagavān?

Answer: When all 39 qualities manifest within you, you will naturally become dear to Shri Bhagavān.

Question: How will we know whether we have these qualities or not?
Answer: By repeatedly listening to discussions (vivechan), you will gradually gain clarity about this.

Question: Is it true that Śrī Krishna said the Gītā for Hanuman Ji?
Answer: No, Gītā ji was said to Arjuna. Hanuman ji also heard it by default as He was on the flag on the chariot.

Chinmay Ji
Question: How can I concentrate my mind?
Answer: To concentrate your mind, practice meditation, do pranayama, and read the Bhagavad Gītā for at least half an hour daily.


Sauvik Ji
Question: If someone deliberately harbours hatred toward us, what should we do?
Answer: You should simply ignore them, avoid staying around them, and minimise conversations with them.


Sarang Ji
Question: Why did Shri Bhagavān preach the Gita to Arjuna specifically?
Answer: First of all, Arjuna would obey every word of Shri Bhagavān and possessed many virtues. When he received good knowledge, he also shared it with others. You too should do the same ie., share the knowledge gained from the Gita with others.


Umica Ji

Question: I get angry very fast. How should I control?

Answer: When you are angry read the shlokas till your mind calms down.

Avani Ji

Question: A friend of mine keeps demotivating me especially in goals that i want to accomplish. What should I do?

Answer: Leave her company. That is the best solution. To make new friends sit with them. Share your things with them. Slowly they will become friends.


Sanvi Ji
Question: How can we win over the hearts of others?
Answer: You should do what that specific person likes. If you want to win over your teacher’s heart, behave in a manner that your teacher appreciates.


Spruha Ji
Question: One of my friends speaks to me very rudely. What should I do in such a case?
Answer: Here’s a mantra for you:
"Om Ignoraya Namah"
You should ignore your friend’s rude behaviour.


Sanidhi Ji
Question: I want to get rid of my bad habits. What should I do?
Answer: For this, create a daily timetable and mark how many times you repeated your bad habit each day. By doing this, you will slowly eliminate the habit by yourself.


Vedika Ji
Question: Why was the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita written?
Answer: The Gita was spoken and written to free people trapped in grief from their sorrow and teach them how to live life properly.


Hazel Ji
Question: What does the Gita say about life?
Answer: The Gita teaches us to perform our duties (kartavya karma) and to give up attachment to the results of actions.


Sejal Ji
Question: How was Gita Pariwar (Gita Family) formed?
Answer: Param Pujya Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji founded Gītā Pariwar.

Question: Who was Swami Vivekananda Ji?
Answer: To know about Swami Vivekananda Ji in detail, please search on Google. He was a great yogi who spread the teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita across India and abroad.


Vanishka Ji
Question: Some of my classmates make fun of me when they hear me talk about the Gita. How should I share knowledge with them?
Answer: Those who do not want to listen and have no shraddha (faith)  there is no need to share knowledge with them.


om tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ(y̐) yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde
bhaktiyogo nāma dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ.

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