Bhakti Yoga - Part I

The marks of a devotee

- Shri Murarilal Dhanuka

Lord Krishna, out of the devotees who worship the attributeless and formless Brahma and those who worship God with attributes, declared the latter to be most perfect in yoga and ordered Arjuna, to follow the latter path. In verses thirteen and fourteen of chapter twelve of the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord mentions twelve marks of a devotee:

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः

करूण एव च ।

निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२.१३।।

सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः ।

मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ।। १२.१४ ।।

He, who has no ill-will for any being, who is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from the sense of mine and egoism, and is even-minded in pleasure and pain, is forgiving, ever content, self-controlled, unshakable in determination, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, is a Yogi, my devotee, and is dear to Me.

No ill-will for any being: A person can bear ill will to another person, in two ways - 1) By creating an obstacle, to the acquirement of something desirable, such as wealth, honour, praise etc. 2) By creating, undesirable objects, actions, persons and incidents etc. A devotee bears no ill will in the least to anyone, even though they may act against his progress and may harm him.

Who is friendly and compassionate to all: A devotee is not only free from malice for every being but he is also friendly and compassionate to all beings, because he beholds that all beings are His manifestations. The Lord is a disinterested friend of all beings (Gita 5/29).