Devotion must become compassion.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च |निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ||१२-१३||
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca . nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||12-13||
Use this verse as a daily character check.
Meaning
One who has no hatred toward any being, is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, balanced in sorrow and joy, and forgiving.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
A dear devotee is compassionate, ego-free, balanced, and forgiving.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna now describes the character of a true devotee. Bhakti is not only singing or ritual; it must become kindness, compassion, humility, emotional balance, and forgiveness.
Read the traditional commentary
From here to the chapter's end, Krishna paints a portrait of the soul who is dear to Him — and in doing so, shows what genuine devotion produces in character. The first strokes concern our relation to others: hating no creature (adveṣṭā), friendly (maitraḥ) and compassionate (karuṇaḥ) to all. Devotion that is real overflows as kindness.
Then come the inner marks: freedom from "mine" (nirmamaḥ) and from "I" (nirahaṅkāraḥ), evenness in pleasure and pain (sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ), and patient forgiveness (kṣamī). These qualities are not mere ethics added to faith; they flow naturally from a heart that has surrendered ego and rests in God. Love of the Divine and love of all beings are one current.
In daily life
Measure devotion by how you treat living beings.
A person who chants daily but speaks harshly at home still needs to integrate bhakti into behavior.
Try this today
Show friendliness or compassion to one being today.
My devotion becomes kindness toward all beings.Reflect
Where does my devotion need to become kinder?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘nirmamaḥ’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on forgiveness, in other chapters
- Verse 11.42 · ArjunaThe Divine walks with us through ordinary life; recognizing this awakens both humility and gratitude.
- Verse 16.3Cultivate strength tempered by forgiveness and purity tempered by humility — that balance marks a soul destined for the divine.
- Verse 3.29Hold your understanding with patience and compassion — do not tear away another's beliefs before they are ready for deeper truth.
- Verse 6.9Spiritual maturity shows in seeing the same essence in friend and foe, saint and sinner alike, without partiality.
Swipe left for 12.14 · Offer mind and intellect to Krishna.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 12.13
Who says Bhagavad Gita 12.13, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 12.13, in Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga (Bhakti Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 12.13 mean?
One who has no hatred toward any being, is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, balanced in sorrow and joy, and forgiving. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 12.13 for daily life?
Measure devotion by how you treat living beings. A person who chants daily but speaks harshly at home still needs to integrate bhakti into behavior.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 12.13 mean?
adveṣṭā — without hatred, non-hating; sarva-bhūtānām — toward all beings; maitraḥ — friendly; karuṇaḥ — compassionate; eva ca — and also.
Where does verse 12.13 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 13 of 20 in Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga. The next verse is 12.14.