Chapter XII · Śloka 1
Arjuna uvāca
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते ।
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥
ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥
evaṃ satata-yuktā ye bhaktās tvāṃ paryupāsate |
ye cāpy akṣaram avyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yoga-vittamāḥ ||
ye cāpy akṣaram avyaktaṃ teṣāṃ ke yoga-vittamāḥ ||
Those devotees who are ever steadfast and worship You with devotion, and those who worship the imperishable and unmanifest — which of them is better versed in yoga?
Arjuna poses the classic question of the Gita's devotional climax: is it better to worship the personal form of the Lord or the formless Absolute? This verse sets up Krishna's decisive answer in favour of personal devotion.