Chapter 12, Verse 6
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः | अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ||१२-६||
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya matparaḥ . ananyenaiva yogena māṃ dhyāyanta upāsate ||12-6||
Meaning
12.6 But to those who worship Me, renouncing all actions in Me, regarding Me as the supreme gaol, meditating on Me with single-minded Yoga.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Returning to His chosen theme, Krishna describes the true devotee in full. Such a person surrenders every action to Him (sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṃnyasya), holds Him as the highest aim (mat-paraḥ), and meditates upon Him with an undivided yoga (ananyena yogena) — a devotion that admits no second object. This verse and the next form a single thought, the climax of Krishna's answer to Arjuna.
Notice that devotion here embraces all of life: work is not abandoned but offered up; the heart's focus is single; meditation and action become one continuous act of love. This integration of karma, dhyāna, and bhakti is the practical heart of the chapter.
💡 Key Takeaway
Offer every action to God, hold Him as your highest goal, and meditate with undivided love.
Related Verses
अर्जुन उवाच | एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते | ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ||१२-१||
arjuna uvāca . evaṃ satatayuktā ye bhaktāstvāṃ paryupāsate . ye cāpyakṣaramavyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yogavittamāḥ ||12-1||
12.1 Arjuna said Those devotees who, ever steadfast, thus worship Thee and those also who worship the imperishable and the unmanifested which of them are better versed in Yoga?
श्रीभगवानुवाच | मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते | श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ||१२-२||
śrībhagavānuvāca . mayyāveśya mano ye māṃ nityayuktā upāsate . śraddhayā parayopetāḥ te me yuktatamā matāḥ ||12-2||
12.2 The Blessed Lord said Those who, fixing their mind on Me, worship Me, ever steadfast and endowed with supreme faith, are the best in Yoga in My opinion.
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यमव्यक्तं पर्युपासते | सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ||१२-३||
ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyamavyaktaṃ paryupāsate . sarvatragamacintyañca kūṭasthamacalandhruvam ||12-3||
Swami Sivananda did not comment on this sloka