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TEXT 12 sreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj
SYNONYMS  sreyah--better;
hi--certainly; jnanam--knowledge; abhyasat--by practice;
jnanat--better than knowledge; dhyanam--meditation; visisyate--especially
considered; dhyanat--from meditation; karma-phala-tyagah--renunciation
of the results of fruitive action; tyagat--by such renunciation;
santih--peace; anantaram--thereafter.
TRANSLATION If you cannot
take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge.
Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation
is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can
attain peace of mind.
PURPORT As mentioned
in the previous verses, there are two kinds of devotional service: the
way of regulative principles, and the way of full attachment in love to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For those who are actually not able
to follow the principles of Krsna consciousness, it is better to cultivate
knowledge because by knowledge one can be able to understand his real position.
Gradually knowledge will develop to the point of meditation. By meditation
one can be able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by a gradual
process. There are processes which make one understand that one himself
is the Supreme, and that sort of meditation is preferred if one is unable
to engage in devotional service. If one is not able to meditate in such
a way, then there are prescribed duties, as enjoined in the Vedic literature,
for the brahmanas, vaisyas and sudras, which we shall find
in a later chapter of Bhagavad-gita. But in all cases, one should
give up the result or fruits of labor; this means to employ the result
of karma for some good cause.
In summary,
to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the highest goal, there are
two processes: one process is by gradual development, and the other process
is direct. Devotional service in Krsna consciousness is the direct method,
and the other method involves renouncing the fruits of one's activities.
Then one can come to the stage of knowledge, then to the stage of meditation,
then to the stage of understanding the Supersoul, and then to the stage
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One may either take the step by
step process or the direct path. The direct process is not possible for
everyone; therefore the indirect process is also good. It is, however,
to be understood that the indirect process is not recommended for Arjuna
because he is already at the stage of loving devotional service to the
Supreme Lord. It is for others who are not at this stage; for them the
gradual process of renunciation, knowledge, meditation and realization
of the Supersoul and Brahman should be followed. But as far as Bhagavad-gita
is concerned, it is the direct method that is stressed. Everyone is advised
to take to the direct method and surrender unto the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Krsna.
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