Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
Swami Sivananda
12.5 क्लेशः the trouble? अधिकतरः (is) greater? तेषाम् of those? अव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् whose minds are set on the unmanifested? अव्यक्ता the unmanifested? हि for? गतिः goal? दुःखम् pain? देहवद्भिः by the embodied? अवाप्यते is reached.Commentary Worshippers of the Saguna (alified) and the Nirguna (unalified) Brahman reach the same goal. But the latter path is very hard and arduous? because the aspirant has to give up attachment to the body from the very beginning of his spiritual practice.The embodied Those who identify themselves with their bodies. Identification with the body is Dehabhimana. The imperishable Brahman is very hard to reach for those who are attached to their bodies. Further? it is extremely difficult to fix the resltess mind on the formless and attributeless Brahman. Contemplation on the imperishable? attributeless Brahman demands a very sharp? onepointed and subtle intellect. The Upanishad says Drisyate tu agraya buddhya sukshmaya sukshmadarsibhih -- It is seen by subtle seers through their subtle intellect.He who meditates on the unmanifested should possess the four means. Then he will have to approach a Guru who is well versed in the scriptures and who is also established in Brahman. He will have to hear the Truth from him? then reflect and meditate on It.He who realises the Nirguna (attributeless) Brahman attains eternal bliss or Selfrealisation or Kaivalya (Moksha) which is preceded by the destruction of ignorance with its effects. He who realises the Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes) goes to Brahmaloka and enjoys all the wealth and powers of the Lord. He then gets initiation into the mysteries of the Absolute from Hiranyagarbha and without any effort and without the practice of hearing? reflection and meditation attains? through the grace of the Lord alone? the same state as attained by those who have realised the Nirguna Brahman. Through the knowledge of the Self? ignorance and its effects,are destroyed in the case of the worshippers of the Saguna Brahman also.
Swami Chinmayananda
# BG 12.5 — Commentary on the Path of Worship
After declaring that the seekers of both the manifest and the unmanifest attain the same goal, Lord Sri Krishna now attempts to compare the two paths, though in truth they are incomparable and possess equal efficacy and virtue. The Lord states: Those who worship the unmanifest experience greater difficulty than those who worship the manifest with form and attributes.
If this statement alone is understood in isolation, it would appear to support worship of the manifest form exclusively and to condemn the worship of the formless unmanifest. Such erroneous and misleading interpretation would render the Gita a scripture that contradicts the eternal wisdom expounded by the Upanishads. Certain verbose advocates of the path of devotion, seeking to deceive the faithful and righteous people, cite this very verse meaning for their purpose. Yet the Lord Himself clarifies the intent of the first line in the second line of the verse.
Why do those who worship the unmanifest experience greater hardship? The Lord explains: The path of the unmanifest is difficult to attain for those dwelling in bodies. The critical word in this verse is "dehadbhih"—meaning "by those dwelling in bodies." This word is commonly interpreted in this literal sense. Yet if we examine the natural counterpart of such interpretation, the inconsistency becomes evident. If all embodied humans can worship only the manifest form with attributes and qualities, then it would mean that meditation upon the formless is possible only after abandoning the body. Therefore, Sri Shankaracharya clarifies that "dehadbhih" means "dehaabhimaanvadbhih"—those identified with the body. Those who regard the body as their very nature, who are attached to it, perpetually live a life of sensory indulgence. For such desire-bound persons, meditation upon the infinite, formless, and all-pervading principle is nearly impossible. Just as an elderly person with dim vision and trembling hands would find it exceedingly difficult to thread a needle, so too one whose mind and intellect are agitated, restless, and craving sensory pleasures cannot possibly attain the infinite glory of the Self that transcends all names and forms.
The true meaning is this: The difficulty does not lie in the worship of the unmanifest itself, but rather it appears difficult for those identified with the body. In brief, for the majority of seekers, meditation upon the manifest, form-endowed Lord revealed in the world is simpler and more beneficial. If a person performs service to the world understanding it as worship of the Divine, then gradually attachment to the body and craving for sensory enjoyment dissolve. The mind becomes so purified and refined that one becomes capable of meditating upon the formless, unmanifest, and imperishable principle.
The manner of living for those who worship the imperishable will be described in the final section of this chapter. Nevertheless, now the beneficial practices for those who worship the manifest with attributes are being expounded.
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.