B.G 12.05

kleśo'adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām। avyakta hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhiḥ avāpyate ॥5॥

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.

kathaṁ tarhi tvad-upāsakānāṁ uttamatvaṁ ityat āha - kleśa iti।

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

avyaktā gatīḥ duḥkhaṁ hyavāpyate। gatīḥ mārgaḥ। avyakto-pāsanadvārakaḥ mārgaḥ duḥkhaḥ avāpyate ityarthaḥ।

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.

atiśayo-pāsana sarveṇriyatiniyamaṇa sarvasamabuddhi - sarvabhūtahitakaratva atisuṣṭhvācāra samyag-viṣṇu-bhaktyādi-sādhana-sandarbhaṁ ṛte nāvyakta-parokṣyam। tadrute ca na viṣṇu-prasādaḥ। satyapi tasmin na samyag bhagavad-upāsanaṁ ṛte। nṛte ca taṁ mokṣaḥ। vinā avyakto-pāsanaṁ bhavatyeva bhagavad-upāsakānāṁ mokṣa iti kleśiṣṭoyaṁ mārga iti bhāvaḥ।

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.

tathāpi aparokṣī kṛtāvyaktānāṁ sukaraṁ bhagavad-upāsanaṁ ityetāva prayojanam। tatrāpi yaḥ avyakto-parokṣe prayāsaḥ tāvatā prayāseṇa yadi bhagavantaṁ upāste ūnena vā tadā bhagavad-aparokṣyam eva bhavati iti dvitīyaṁ adhikam।

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.

indriya-saṁyamād-yūnabhāve atyupāsakasya-api devī nātiprasādameti। devastu tāni sādhānāni bhaktimataḥ svayameva prayatnena dadātīti saukaryaṁ iti bhaktānāṁ bhagavad-upāsane। itaratra tu kleśo 'dhikataraḥ। tadetat sarvaṁ "paryupāste", "sanniyamya", "adhikataraḥ" iti pari-sam-tarap śabdaḥ prātiyate।

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.

sāma-vede mādhucchandas-aśākhāyāṁ coktam-

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

"bhaktāśca yo'ṭīva viṣṇāvatīva jitenḍriyāḥ samyag-ācārya-yuktāḥ। upāsate tāṁ samabuddhayaśca teṣāṁ devī dṛśyate netareṣām॥ dṛṣṭā ca sā bhaktim-ātīva viṣṇau datvopāstau sarva-vighnān chinnatti। upāsya taṁ vāsudevaṁ viditvā tataḥ tataḥ śāntim atyantam eti॥"

"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."

iti.

- stated thus.

uktaṁ ca sāma-vede āyāsya-śākhāyām-

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

"prasanno bhavitā devaḥ so'vyaktena sahaiva tu। yāvatā tat-prasādo hi tāvatāiva na sanśayaḥ। na tat-prasādamātreṇa prīyate sa maheśvaraḥ। tasmin prīte tu sarvasya prītiḥ tu bhavati dhruvam॥ yadyapyupāsanādhikyaṁ tathāpi guṇado hi saḥ। mukti-daśca sa evāiko nāvyaktādestu kaścana॥"

"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."

iti.

- stated thus.

"mamātmabhāvamicchanto yatante paramātmane॥"

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

iti ca mokṣadharme śrīvacanam.

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

"dharmanityē mahābuddhau brahmaṇyē satyavādini। praśritē dānaśīlē ca sadaiva nivasāmyaham॥"

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

iti ca.

- stated thus as well.

mahatḥ paraṁ tu brahmaiva। tathā hi bhagavatā sayuktikaṁ abhiḥitam-

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

"vadatīti cēnna prājñōhi", "trayāṇāmēva caiva mupanyāsaḥ praśnaśca"

"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)

ityādi.

- stated thus, and so on.

taṁ iti pulliṅgā caitatsiddhiḥ। mahatḥ paratvaṁ tu avyaktaparasya bhavatyeva। tathāca āgniveśya-śākhāyām-

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

"anādyanantaṁ mahaḥ paraṁ dhruvaṁ iti paro devo puruḥoto mahattaḥ"

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

iti.

- stated thus.

na ca avyaktarūpaṁ bhagavatā niṣiddham। bhārātādau sādhitatvāt। "śarīrarūpakavinyastagṛhīteḥ" ityādau tu sāṅkhyaprasiddhaṁ niṣidhya vaidikamavyaktam eva uktam। tathā ca saukaraayaṇa-śrutiḥ-

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:

"śarīrarūpikā sā'śarīrasya viṣṇoryataḥ priyā sā jagataḥ prasūtiḥ॥"

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

iti.

- stated thus.

suvratānāṁ kṣipraṁ mahadaiśvaryaṁ dadāti devī, na deva iti viśeṣaḥ -

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

"suvarṇavarṇāṁ padmakarāṁ ca devīṁ sarveśvarīṁ vyāptajaḍāṁ ca budhvā। saiveti vai suvratānāṁ tu māsān mahābhūtiṁ śrīstu dadyānna devaḥ॥"

"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."

iti ṛgvedakhileṣu ॥5॥

-stated thus in the Rig Veda.