Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 Verse 26 भगवद् गीता अध्याय 14 श्लोक 26 मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्ितयोगेन सेवते। स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते।।14.26।। हिंदी अनुवाद - स्वामी रामसुख दास जी ( भगवद् गीता 14.26) ।।14.26।।जो मनुष्य अव्यभिचारी भक्तियोगके द्वारा मेरा सेवन करता है? वह इन गुणोंका अतिक्रमण करके ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका पात्र हो जाता है। हिंदी अनुवाद - स्वामी तेजोमयानंद ।।14.26।। जो पुरुष अव्यभिचारी भक्तियोग के द्वारा मेरी सेवा अर्थात् उपासना करता है? वह इन तीनों गुणों के अतीत होकर ब्रह्म बनने के लिये योग्य हो जाता है।। हिंदी टीका - स्वामी रामसुख दास जी ।।14.26।। व्याख्या --   [यद्यपि भगवान्ने इसी अध्यायके उन्नीसवेंबीसवें श्लोकोंमें गुणोंका अतिक्रमण करनेका उपाय बता दिया था? तथापि अर्जुनने इक्कीसवें श्लोकमें गुणातीत होनेका उपाय पूछ लिया। इससे यह मालूम होता है कि अर्जुन उस उपायके सिवाय गुणातीत होनेके लिये दूसरा कोई उपाय जानना चाहते हैं। अतः अर्जुनको भक्तिका अधिकारी समझकर भगवान् उनको गुणातीत होनेका उपाय भक्ति बताते हैं।]मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते -- इन पदोंमें उपासक? उपास्य और उपासना -- ये तीनों आ गये हैं अर्थात् यः पदसे उपासक? माम् पदसे उपास्य और अव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते पदोंसे उपासना आ गयी है।अव्यभिचारेण पदका तात्पर्य है कि दूसरे किसीका भी सहारा न हो। सांसारिक सहारा तो दूर रहा? ज्ञानयोग? कर्मयोग आदि योगों(साधनों) का भी सहारा न हो और भक्तियोगेन पदका तात्पर्य है कि केवल भगवान्का ही सहारा हो? आश्रय हो? आशा हो? बल हो? विश्वास हो। इस तरह अव्यभिचारेण पदसे दूसरोंका आश्रय लेनेका निषेध करके भक्तियोगेन पदसे केवल भगवान्का ही आश्रय लेनेकी बात कही गयी है।सेवते पदका तात्पर्य है कि अव्यभिचारी भक्तियोगके द्वारा भगवान्का भजन करे? उनकी उपासना करे? उनके शरण हो जाय? उनके अनुकूल चले।स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान् -- जो अनन्यभावसे केवल भगवान्के ही शरण हो जाता है? उसको गुणोंका अतिक्रमण करना नहीं पड़ता? प्रत्युत भगवान्की कृपासे उसके द्वारा स्वतः गुणोंका अतिक्रमण हो जाता है (गीता 12। 67)।ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते -- वह गुणोंका अतिक्रमण करके ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका पात्र (अधिकारी) हो जाता है। भगवान्ने जब यहाँ भक्तिकी बात बतायी है? तो फिर भगवान्को यहाँ ब्रह्मप्राप्तिकी बात न कहकर अपनी प्राप्तिकी बात बतानी चाहिये थी। परन्तु यहाँ ब्रह्मप्राप्तिकी बात बतानेका तात्पर्य यह है कि अर्जुनने गुणातीत होने(निर्गुण ब्रह्मकी प्राप्ति) का उपाय पूछा था। इसलिये भगवान्ने अपनी भक्तिको? ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका उपाय बताया।दूसरी बात? शास्त्रोंमें कहा गया है कि भगवान्की उपासना करनेवालेको ज्ञानकी भूमिकाओंकी सिद्धिके लिये दूसरा कोई साधन? प्रयत्न नहीं करना पड़ता? प्रत्युत उसके लिये ज्ञानकी भूमिकाएँ अपनेआप सिद्ध हो जाती हैं। उसी बातको लक्ष्य करके भगवान् यहाँ कह रहे हैं कि अव्यभिचारी भक्तियोगसे मेरा सेवन करनेवालेको ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका पात्र बननेके लिये दूसरा कोई साधन नहीं करना पड़ता? प्रत्युत वह अपनेआप ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका पात्र हो जाता है। परन्तु वह भक्त ब्रह्मप्राप्तिमें सन्तोष नहीं करता। उसका तो यही भाव रहता है कि भगवान् कैसे प्रसन्न हों भगवान्की प्रसन्नतामें ही उसकी प्रसन्नता होती है। तात्पर्य यह निकला कि जो केवल भगवान्के ही परायण है? भगवान्में ही आकृष्ट है? उसके लिये ब्रह्मप्राप्ति स्वतःसिद्ध है। हाँ? वह ब्रह्मप्राप्तिको महत्त्व दे अथवा न दे -- यह बात दूसरी है? पर वह ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका अधिकारी स्वतः हो जाता है।तीसरी बात? जिस तत्त्वकी प्राप्ति ज्ञानयोग? कर्मयोग आदि साधनोंसे होती है? उसी तत्त्वकी प्राप्ति भक्तिसे भी होती है। साधनोंमें भेद होनेपर भी उस तत्त्वकी प्राप्तिमें कोई भेद नहीं होता। सम्बन्ध --   उपासना तो करे भगवान्की और पात्र बन जाय ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका -- यह कैसे इसका उत्तर आगेके श्लोकमें देते हैं। हिंदी टीका - स्वामी चिन्मयानंद जी ।।14.26।। धर्म का व्यावहारिक शास्त्रीय ग्रंथ होने के कारण गीता में केवल सिद्धान्तों का प्रतिपादन नहीं किया गया है। इसमें प्रत्येक सिद्धान्त के विवेचन के पश्चात् उस साधन का वर्णन किया गया है? जिसके अभ्यास से एक साधक सिद्धावस्था को प्राप्त हो सकता है।जो अव्यभिचारी भक्तियोग से मेरी सेवा करता है ईश्वर से परम प्रीति भक्ति कहलाती है। प्रिय वस्तु में हमारा मन सहजता से रमता है। हमारा सम्पूर्ण स्वभाव हमारे विचारों से पोषित होता है। यथा विचार तथा मन? यह नियम है। इसलिये एकाग्र चित्त से आत्मा के अनन्तस्वरूप का चिन्तन करने से परिच्छिन्न नश्वर अहंकार की समाप्ति और स्वस्वरूप में स्थिति हो जाती है।यह सत्य है कि परमात्मा का अखण्ड चिन्तन एक समान निष्ठा एवं प्रखरता के साथ संभव नहीं होता है। जिस स्थिति में आज हम अपने को पाते हैं? उसमें यह सार्मथ्य नहीं है कि मन को दीर्घकाल तक ध्यानाभ्यास में स्थिर कर सकें। साधकों की इस अक्षमता को जानते हुये भगवान् एक उपाय बताते हैं? जिसके द्वारा हम दीर्घकाल तक ईश्वर का स्मरण बनाये रख सकते हैं। और वह उपाय है सेवा। तृतीय अध्याय में यह वर्णन किया जा चुका है कि ईश्वरार्पण की भावना से किए गए सेवा कर्म ईश्वर की पूजा (यज्ञ) बन जाते हैं। इससे स्पष्ट होता है कि केवल मूर्तिपूजा? या भजन ही पर्याप्त नहीं है। गीताचार्य की अपने भक्तों से यह अपेक्षा है कि वे अपने धर्म को केव्ाल पूजा के कमरे या मन्दिरों में ही सीमित न रखें। उन्हें चाहिये कि वे अपने दैनिक जीवन? कार्य क्षेत्र और लोगों के साथ व्यवहार में भी धर्म का अनुसरण करें।अखण्ड ईश्वर स्मरण तथा सेवासाधना मन के विक्षेपों को दूर करके उसे ध्यान की सूक्ष्मतर साधना के योग्य बना देती है। तमस और रजस की मात्रा घटती जाती है और उसी अनुपात में सत्त्वगुण प्रवृद्ध होता जाता है। ऐसा सत्त्वगुण प्रधान साधक ध्यान की साधना के योग्य बन जाता है। ऐसे साधक से आत्मानुभूति दूर नहीं रहती।उत्तम अधिकारी ब्रह्मस्वरूप का अनुभव कर स्वयं ब्रह्म बन जाता है। जैसे स्वप्नद्रष्टा जागने पर स्वयं ही जाग्रत पुरुष बनता है।यह साधक स्वयं ब्रह्म कैसे बनता बनता है सुनो English Translation - Swami Gambirananda 14.26 And he who serves Me through the unswerving Yoga of Devotion, he, having gone beyond these alities, alifies for becoming Brahman. English Translation - Swami Sivananda 14.26 And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, he, crossing beyond the alities, is fit for becoming Brahman. English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 14.26. Whosoever serves Me alone with an unfailing devotion-Yoga, he, transcending these Strands, turns to be the Brahman. English Commentary - Swami Sivananda 14.26 माम् Me? च and? यः who? अव्यभिचारेण unswerving? भक्तियोगेन with devotion? सेवते serves? सः he? गुणान् Gunas? समतीत्य crossing beyond? एतान् these? ब्रह्मभूयाय for becoming Brahman? कल्पते is fit.Commentary A Sannyasi or even a Karma Yogi who serves Him (the Isvara? Narayana Who abides in the hearts of all beings) with unswerving devotion? is endowed with the knowledge of the Self. He then goes beyond the three alities and becomes fit to become Brahman? for attaining liberation or release from birth and death.He attains to the knowledge of the Self through the grace and mercy of the Lord. To these everharmonious devotees worshipping Me in love? I give the Yoga of discrimination by which they come unto Me. Out of pure compassion for them? dwelling within their Self? I destroy the ignorancorn darkness by the shining lamp of wisdom. (Chapter X. 10 and 11)Avyabhicharini Bhakti The devotee constantly meditates on the Lord. He has exclusive devotion to the Lord alone. He has no other thought save that of his Lord. His mind is filled with the thoughts of the Lord. His thoughts flow towards the Lord like the continuous flow of oil from one vessel to another. There is Sajatiya Vritti Pravaha? i.e.? unbroken flow of the one thought of God. There is total abandonment of thoughts of sensual objects. Constant thinking of God is the sure means for crossing beyond the three alities of Nature. English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's 14.26 And he-be he a monk or a man of action (rites and duties)-, yah, who; sevate, serves; mam, Me, God, Narayana residing in the hearts of all beings; avyabhicarena, through the unswerving-that which never wavers-; bhakti-yogena, Yoga of Devotion-devotion [Bhakti (devotion), supreme Love, through which one becomes united (with God) is yoga.] itself being the Yoga-; sah, he; samatitya, having transcended; etan, these; gunan, alities as described; kalpate, alifies, i.e. becomes fit; brahma-bhuyaya,-bhuyah is the same as bhavanam-, for becoming Brahman, for Liberation. How this is so is being stated: English Translation of Commentary - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 14.26 Mam ca etc. By this [verse the Lord] teaches the basic means. Here the word ca has been used in the sense of affirmation in exclusion of all other things. [So the meaning is] : He, who serves Me exclusively. Hence, craving for fruits etc. [of action], whosoever takes hold of that fruit as his principal aim, but Me (the Supreme) as a subsidiary one-he is excluded by this interpretation. Because the devotion of this person is not unfailing. For, he has consideration for fruit [alone]. On the other hand, he who does not entertain any desire for any fruit; who, even when estioned [by somody as] Why do you under-take this desagreeable (foolish) act ? would give reply by silence alone, shedding tears that roll on his both the eyes wide open, and having shake in body and bodily hair thrilled-[all] due to his internal organ, agitated on account of being struck by the incessant devotion towards the Bhagavat-it should be born in mind that this person alone, not anybody else, in purified by the unfailing devotion which is (nothing but) the foremost Energy (Grace) of the Bhagavat, the Supreme Lord. English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary 14.26 The state of transcendence of Gunas is not attained merely by reflecting on the difference between the Prakrti and the self as declared in the text such as, When the seer beholds no agent of action other than the Gunas, then he transcends the Gunas, for it is liable then to be sublated by contrary subtle impressions (Vasanas) which have continued from beginningless time. He who, with unswerving Bhakti Yoga, namely, one-pointed Bhakti Yoga, serves Me of true-resolve, supremely compassionate and the ocean of parental affection for supplicants - such a man crosses over the Gunas of Sattva etc., which are otherwise invincible. He becomes worthy for brahmabhuya, the state of brahman i.e., he becomes alified for the state of brahman. The meaning is that he attains the self as It really is, immortal and immutable. Commentary - Chakravarthi Ji In this verse, the Lord answers the third question about the method of surpassing the gunas. Ca in this verse means eva: “only”. He who serves only me (mama ca) in my form as Syamasundara, the Supreme Lord, by bhakti yoga, he alone is qualified for becoming brahman, or realizing brahman (brahma bhuyaya kalpate). This statement is supported by the use of the adjective ekaya in the statement bhaktyaham ekaya grahyah: I can be attained by bhakti alone. And in the statement mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te, from use of the word eva (only), it is confirmed that without bhakti (to the Lord only), realization of brahman cannot be attained. It cannot be attained by any other method. What type of bhakti yoga is this? It should be without deviation (avyabhicarena). That means it is without mixture of karma, jnana or other elements, because there are statements rejecting niskama karma, and statements rejecting even jnana by the jnani in his final stage, jnanam ca mayi sannyaset: One should renounce jnana to me. But there are no statements about the rejection of bhakti yoga anywhere. Thus, by bhakti yoga, after giving up even jnana yoga, just as he has given up karma yoga, even the jnani surpasses the gunas. There is no other means. However, the ananya bhakta is already beyond the gunas, as understood from the statement in the eleventh canto nirguno mad apasrayah: one who surrenders to me is beyond the gunas. SB 11.25.26 Here is the principle. sattvikah karako ‘sangi ragandho rajasah smrtah tamasah smrti-vibhrasto nirguno mad-apasrayah A worker free of attachment is in the mode of goodness; a worker blinded by person al desire is in the mode of passion, and a worker who has completely forgotten how to tell right from wrong is in the mode of ignorance. But a worker who has taken shelter of Me is understood to be transcendental to the modes of nature. SB 11.25.26 It is understood that those who are free from attachment are practicing either karma yoga or jnana yoga on the level of sattva. And the person, who is beyond the gunas, having taken shelter of the Lord, is practicing sadhana bhakti. The jnani, having reached the perfection of jnana, by then giving up the level of sattva, becomes transcendental to the gunas. But the devotee, even at the beginning stage as a sadhaka, is beyond the gunas. This is the meaning of the verse. Sridhara Svami also says that ca gives the meaning of limitation, “only”. Madhusudana Sarasvati says the meaning is “He who serves only me, the Lord, Narayana, by undeviating bhakti yoga as described in the twelfth chapter, qualifies for liberation.” Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary In this verse Lord Krishna is specifically answering how such a jiva or embodied being transcends the three gunas or modes of material nature. One who is exclusively devoted to the Supreme Lord alone without cessation by bhakti yoga or the attaining the communion of the individual atma or immortal soul with the Supreme Lord through exclusive loving devotion is able to completely transcend all influences of the three gunas and achieving the state of the brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence becomes worthy of moksa or liberation from material existence and ultimately attains the Supreme Lord Krishna. The word avyabhicarena meaning without fail emphasizes these assertions. Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Even when attaining the state of the brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence from where prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical existence arises and subsequently manifests the three gunas or modes of material nature. Still no jiva or embodied being is as dear to the Supreme Lord as Sri Laksmi the goddess of fortune. This is stated in the Padma Purana. The word bhuyaya means elevated, the state of perfection denoting similarity in qualities to the Supreme Lord. The Pravritti text states that whoever is able to surmount the myriad of eternal obstacles created by Sri Laksmi is verily duly worthy and wise and is known as one who has transcended the gunas. Even more than surmounting the gunas; one who attains the association of the Supreme Lord Krishna in the eternal spiritual realms is known to even surpass transcendence. Like the one who crosses the minister has access to the emperor direct. The compound word brahmi bhuyaya denotes a state of consciousness similar in devotion to Sri Laksmis devotion to the Supreme Lord. In this verse Sri Laksmi is referred to as the brahman and prakriti. Thus she is being eulogised in three forms including her original form. By her grace a devotee of the Supreme Lord attains the Supreme Lord. Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary So from this verse it can be understood that not by only comprehending the relationship between matter and spirit, the physical body and the soul in meditation does one achieve the desired goal. For can one surmount the three gunas by mere reflection and contemplation which is always liable to be violated by the obstacles of old habits inimical to them by the mind which has been contracted out in service to them for countless lifetimes. Mam=unto Me the infallibly willed, the infinitely loving, the ocean of mercy to His devotees. Avyabhicharena means without adulteration, interruption or error in exclusive devotion Bhakti yoga means communion with the Supreme Lord through intense loving emotions Only the devotee of bhakti yoga will be able to surmount the gunas and attain Lord Krishna Brahma bhuyaya = Brahma bhavaya or eligibility and qualification for realisingthe brahman The brahman is the spiritual substratum pervading all existence. Although it is eternal and imperishable it is only the impersonal aspect of the Supreme Lord Krishna manifesting from the effulgence emanating from His inconceivable spiritual form. It also contains elements of the nature of the atma or the localised immortal soul as well as paramatma the omnipresent Supreme Soul within the etheric heart of all sentient beings in all dimensions and manifestations of creation in existence. Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary So from this verse it can be understood that not by only comprehending the relationship between matter and spirit, the physical body and the soul in meditation does one achieve the desired goal. For can one surmount the three gunas by mere reflection and contemplation which is always liable to be violated by the obstacles of old habits inimical to them by the mind which has been contracted out in service to them for countless lifetimes. Mam=unto Me the infallibly willed, the infinitely loving, the ocean of mercy to His devotees. Avyabhicharena means without adulteration, interruption or error in exclusive devotion Bhakti yoga means communion with the Supreme Lord through intense loving emotions Only the devotee of bhakti yoga will be able to surmount the gunas and attain Lord Krishna Brahma bhuyaya = Brahma bhavaya or eligibility and qualification for realisingthe brahman The brahman is the spiritual substratum pervading all existence. Although it is eternal and imperishable it is only the impersonal aspect of the Supreme Lord Krishna manifesting from the effulgence emanating from His inconceivable spiritual form. It also contains elements of the nature of the atma or the localised immortal soul as well as paramatma the omnipresent Supreme Soul within the etheric heart of all sentient beings in all dimensions and manifestations of creation in existence. Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 14.26Maam cha yo’vyabhichaarena bhaktiyogena sevate; Sa gunaan samateetyaitaan brahmabhooyaaya kalpate. Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 14.26mām—me; cha—only; yaḥ—who; avyabhichāreṇa—unalloyed; bhakti-yogena—through devotion; sevate—serve; saḥ—they; guṇān—the three modes of material nature; samatītya—rise above; etān—these; brahma-bhūyāya—level of Brahman; kalpate—comes to