Bhakti yoga

The term share may be explained a little. It implies no separation of a created object from its creator and no difference of nature. As Emerson said: 'There is no bar or wall in the human soul where man the effect leaves off and God the cause begins.' The Sanskrit word for share used in this verse, and in verse xv, 7, is arsha. This definitely means a share. If something is shared out (as e.g. a piece of cake) every portion has the same nature. Such is the creation of man by God, according to the Gita.

The last of this group of chapters describes the devotee. The following descriptive verses are especial favorites with thousands upon thousands of devotional people who follow what is called the bhakti-yoga.

Without hatred for any being, friendly, compassionate, without possessiveness, without egotism, equal in pain and pleasure, forgiving, contented, always having yoga, self-controlled, firmly purposeful and with manas and buddhi intent upon me he, who is my devotee, is to me beloved.

He from whom the world does not shudder away, and who does not shudder away from the world, and who is free from the ups rushing of sensuous enthusiasms, anger, and fear - he is to me beloved.

He who is not looking for something (for his pleasure or happiness) is pure, industrious, impartial, untroubled (by what happens), and who has given up all undertakings he, who is my devotee is to me beloved.

He who does riot exult, is not hostile, does not grieve, does not long (for anything), (and) has given up attachment to the lovely and the unlovely he, having bhakti, is to me beloved.

The same to foe and friend, and likewise when respected and disrespected, and the same in cold and heat and pleasure and pain, (and) free from attachments, equal when reproached or praised, silent, contented with whatever is, without a home, with steady purpose (that) man, having bhakti, is to me beloved.

But those who devote themselves to this deathless way of life, as (now) declared, having wealth of faith, with me as supreme those devotees are to me exceedingly beloved.

Chapters 13 to 18 of the Gita give some details concerning the philosophical doctrines already expounded. Chapter 13 deals with the Yoga of the Distinction between the Field and the knower of the Field or Matter and Spirit. It describes the Knower as the Supreme Brahman (parabrahman), as standing in the world, pervading everything, having all the functions of the senses without any organs, being outside and inside all beings, not divided among beings but standing as though divided, maintaining all beings, and absorbing and producing them. It is called the light of all lights

Beyond the darkness. Whatever being is born, it is explained, is due to the junction of the knower of the field with the field.

There is in each being that ruler (ishwara) - the same inner ruler in every case, action less while the material (field) does all the actions. The combinations of the three qualities of Nature (tames, rajas, and sattwa) are the material basis of all things. The distribution and predominances of these three inertia, mobility or restlessness, and harmony or orderliness is detailed in Chapter 14. The sattwic condition of the body and mind is the only one of the three which can permit of liberation, for the other two are concerned with worldly attachments of enjoyment (bhoga) or self-satisfaction (azshwarya) or with possessiveness, desire, and aversion, or egotism.