B.G 12.05

क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषां अव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्। अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥५॥

Greater is the affliction for those whose minds are attached to the Unmanifest. The path of the Unmanifest is arduous and fraught with suffering for embodied beings.

Gīta Bhāshya 12.05

'gatī' - path; The words 'paryupāste', i.e. excessive worship, 'sanniyamya', i.e. with control, 'adhikataraḥ', i.e. more difficult, indicate the path taken towards worship of the Unmanifest is more difficult to fructify, compared to direct worship of the Lord. The worship of the Unmanifest goddess as lord's concert removes the hurdles in the path towards lord's worship.

कथं तर्हि त्वदुपासकानां उत्तमत्वं इत्यत आह - क्लेश इति।

How, then, did he speak of the superiority of His, the Lords' devotees? He responded with 'kleśa', i.e. "Suffering" verse.

अव्यक्ता गतिः दुःखं ह्यवाप्यते। गतिः मार्गः। अव्यक्तोपासनद्वारकः मार्गः दुःखः अवाप्यते इत्यर्थः।

The unmanifest path is attained through suffering. The word 'gatī' in the context means the path. The path of Unmanifest worship is attained with suffering - is the meaning.

अतिशयोपासन सर्वेंद्रियातिनियमन सर्वसमबुद्धि - सर्वभूतहितकरत्व अतिसुष्ठ्वाचार सम्यग्विष्णुभक्त्यादिसाधन सन्दर्भं ऋते नाव्यक्तापरोक्ष्यम्। तद्रुते च न विष्णुप्रसादः। सत्यपि तस्मिन् न सम्यग् भगवदुपासनं ऋते। नर्ते च तं मोक्षः। विना अव्यक्तोपासनं भवत्येव भगवदुपासकानां मोक्ष इति क्लेशिष्टोयं मार्ग इति भावः।

The path involves - excessive worship, control of all senses, acquiring complete intelligence, excellent conduct resulting in beneficence to all beings, proper worship, and devotion to lord Vishnu. By indirect worship of the Unmanifest alone, one cannot receive Vishnu’s grace. Indeed, it is not the proper way to worship the Lord. It doesn't result in liberation. Freedom and liberation tied to the worship of Unmanifest alone without the worship of the Lord is the most difficult path for the devotees, is the expressed thought.

तथापिअपरोक्षी कृताव्यक्तानां सुकरं भगवदुपासनं इत्येताव प्रयोजनम्। तत्रापि यः अव्यक्तापरोक्षे प्रयासः तावता प्रयासेन यदि भगवन्तं उपास्ते ऊनेन वा तदा भगवदापरोक्ष्यमेव भवति इति द्वितीयं अधिकम्।

However, for those engaged in worship of the Unmanifest, the direct worship of the Lord becomes easier. Even there, compared to the Unmanifest, with similar effort or even less effort, direct perception of the Lord becomes possible. This is the secondary and greater purport.

इंद्रियसंयमाद्यूनभावे अत्युपासकस्यापि देवी नातिप्रसादमेति। देवस्तु तानि साधनानि भक्तिमतः स्वयमेव प्रयत्नेन ददातीति सौकर्यं इति भक्तानां भगवदुपासने। इतरत्र तु क्लेशोऽधिकतरः। तदेतत् सर्वं "पर्युपासते", "सन्नियम्य", "अधिकतरः" इति परि-सम्-तरप् शब्दैः प्रतीयते।

Through even an excessive control of the senses or worship, one does not attain excessive grace from the goddess. However, the Lord gives means, through his own effort and reciprocal devotion, thus making it easier for the devotees in the worship of the God. However, in other paths, there is much greater suffering. All of this is understood through words like 'paryupāste', i.e. excessive worship, 'sanniyamya', i.e. with control, 'adhikataraḥ', i.e. more difficult.

सामवेदे माधुच्छन्दसशाखायां चोक्तम्-

It is stated in the Madhuchchhanda branch of the Sama Veda:

"भक्ताश्च योऽतीव विष्णावतीव जितेंद्रियाः सम्यगाचारयुक्ताः। उपासते तां समबुद्धयश्च तेषां देवी द्रुश्यते नेतरेषाम्॥ द्रुष्टा च सा भक्तिमतीव विष्णौ दत्वोपास्तौ सर्वविघ्नांन् छिन्नत्ति। उपास्य तं वासुदेवं विदित्वा ततस्ततः शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति॥"

"Those devotees who are deeply devoted to lord Vishnu, who have conquered their senses and follow proper conduct, and worship her with a unified mind; for them the goddess becomes visible. She, who is intensely devoted to Vishnu, destroys all obstacles by giving them worship. Worshipping Vasudeva with knowledge, they attain ultimate peace from that point onwards."

इति।

- stated thus.

उक्तं च सामवेदे आयास्यशाखायाम्-

It is also said in the Sama Veda in the Āyāsya branch:

"प्रसन्नो भविता देवः सोऽव्यक्तेन सहैव तु। यावता तत्प्रसादो हि तावतैव न संशयः। न तत्प्रसादमात्रेण प्रीयते स महेश्वरः। तस्मिन् प्रीते तु सर्वस्य प्रीतिस्तु भवति ध्रुवम्॥ यद्यप्युपासनाधिक्यं तथापि गुणदो हि सः। मुक्तिदश्च स एवैको नाव्यक्तादेस्तु कश्चन॥"

"Indeed, the Lord will be pleased when worshipped along with the Unmanifest, and by her grace, there is no doubt. But the great Lord is not pleased by the grace of the Unmanifest alone. In him being pleased, devotion to all becomes firm. Whom so ever is superior in worship, he grants them good qualities. He, the One, alone grants liberation and not the Unmanifest."

इति।

- stated thus.

"ममात्मभावमिच्छन्तो यतन्ते परमात्मने॥"

"Desiring to be in tune with my essence, they strive for the Supreme being."

इति च मोक्षधर्मे श्रीवचनम्।

- stated thus by Goddess Srī herself in the Mokṣadharma (section of the Mahabharata).

"धर्मनित्ये महाबुद्धौ ब्रह्मण्ये सत्यवादिनि। प्रश्रिते दानशीले च सदैव निवसाम्यहम्॥"

"In eternal righteousness, with great wisdom, devoted to Brahman, speaking truth, humble, charitable, I always dwell."

इति च।

- stated thus as well.

महतः परं तु ब्रह्मैव। तथा हि भगवता सयुक्तिकं अभिहितम्-

The supreme principle is only the Brahman. Indeed, thus only the Lord (Vyāsa) justifies:

"वदतीति चेन्न प्राज्ञोहि", "त्रयाणामेव चैव मुपन्यासः प्रश्नश्च"

"If it be said (that the Sruti) does state (that the Avyakta has to be known and therefore it is the Pradhana); (we say) no, for (it is) the intelligent (Supreme) Self (which is meant), since that is the topic." - (Brahmasutra 1.4.5)

“And thus there are statement as well as question about three alone”. - (Brahmasutra 1.4.6)

इत्यादि।

- stated thus, and so on.

तं इति पुल्लिङ्गा च्चैतत्सिद्धिः। महतः परत्वं तु अव्यक्तपरस्य भवत्येव। तथाच आग्निवेश्यशाखायाम्-

The word 'taṁ', i.e. him, is clearly the masculine gender. The superiority over the Unmanifest certainly belongs to the great Lord.

"अनाद्यनन्तं महतः परं ध्रुवं इति परो देवो पुरुहोतो महत्तः"

"The Supreme deity, in comparison to the Mahat, is supreme, eternal, infinite, steady, and ancient."

इति।

- stated thus.

न च अव्यक्तरूपं भगवता निषिद्धम्। भारतादौ साधितत्वात्। "शरीररूपकविन्यस्तगृहीतेः" इत्यादौ तु साङ्ख्यप्रसिद्धं निषिद्ध्य वैदिकमव्यक्तमेवोक्तम्। तथा च सौकरायणश्रुतिः-

Indeed, the unmanifest form is not forbidden by the Lord. It is well reasoned in the Mahabharata and such texts. The statement "taken the form of the body" refers to the well-known Sankhya teaching, rejecting the vedic ritualistic understanding of the Unmanifest. Indeed, the same is also stated in the Saukaraayaṇa vedic testimonial:

"शरीररूपिका साऽशरीरस्य विष्णोर्यतः प्रिया सा जगतः प्रसूतिः॥"

"The body form is she, beloved of the formless Vishnu, from whom the creation of the world comes."

इति।

- stated thus.

सुव्रतानां क्षिप्रं महदैश्वर्यं ददाति देवी, न देव इति विशेषः -

The goddess grants great wealth quickly to the vow keepers, which is a distinction compared to the God.

"सुवर्णवर्णां पद्मकरां च देवीं सर्वेश्वरीं व्याप्तजडां च बुद्ध्वा। सैवेति वै सुव्रतानां तु मासान्महाभूतिं श्रीस्तु दद्यान्न देवः॥"

"Indeed, for those vow keepers who know and worship the goddess with golden colour, with lotus hands, the queen of all deities, all-pervading and inert, who remains the same; she grants the great fortune and prosperity, but it is not the same with God."

इति ऋग्वेदखिलेषु ॥५॥

-stated thus in the Rig Veda.