FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 8.14

అనన్యచేతా: సతతం యో మాం స్మరతి నిత్యశ: । తస్యాహం సులభ: పార్థ నిత్యయుక్తస్య యోగిన: ॥ ౧౪ ॥
ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ
[ananya-chetaah satatam]
yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ
[yo maam smarati nityashah]
tasyāhaṁ su-labhaḥ pārtha
[tasyaaham su-labhah paartha]
nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ
[nitya-yuktasya yoginah]
Word-for-word
ananya - cetāḥ — without deviation of the mind satatam — always yaḥ — anyone who mām — Me (Kṛṣṇa) smarati — remembers nityaśaḥ — regularly tasya — to him aham — I am su - labhaḥ — very easy to achieve pārtha — O son of Pṛthā nitya — regularly yuktasya — engaged yoginaḥ — for the devotee .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ
ananya - cetāḥ
without deviation of the mind
satatam
always
yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ
yaḥ
anyone who
mām
Me (Kṛṣṇa)
smarati
remembers
tasyāhaṁ su-labhaḥ pārtha
nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ
nityaśaḥ
regularly
tasya
to him
aham
I am
su - labhaḥ
very easy to achieve
pārtha
O son of Pṛthā
nitya
regularly
yuktasya
engaged
yoginaḥ
for the devotee .
Important Words
  • ananya - cetāḥ — without deviation of the mind
    An (not) + anya (other) + cetas (consciousness). 'No-other-consciousness'. The deepest test in the Gītā's devotional vocabulary: not just that one remembers Kṛṣṇa, but that there is no other content competing for the seat. Ananya is a high bar.
  • satatam — always
    From sat-tata — 'truly extended', continuous. Stronger than sadā (always) — satatam implies unbroken extension, not just frequent recurrence. The mind's remembrance is to be a line, not a series of points.
  • nityaśaḥ — regularly
    Adverb from nitya (eternal, regular). With satatam, the verse stacks redundancy: always, regularly. Kṛṣṇa is closing every gap where 'mostly' or 'usually' might creep in. The grammar is jealous.
  • su - labhaḥ — very easy to achieve
    Su (easily, well) + labha (obtainable). The single word the chapter turns on: He who is otherwise unobtainable is 'easy-got' to the constantly remembering one. The promise inverts the difficulty of the path described in 8.11–13 for those who simply remember Him without break.
  • nitya - yuktasya — regularly engaged
    Nitya (regular, eternal) + yukta (yoked). Genitive — 'of the one regularly yoked'. Yuj is the root of yoga itself; nitya-yukta is therefore the perfect yogi — the one whose yoga is unbroken in time.
  • yoginaḥ — for the devotee
    Genitive of yogin. Kṛṣṇa uses yogin and bhakta as overlapping terms here — the constant-rememberer is named both as yogi and devotee. The chapter refuses to split bhakti from yoga; the highest yoga is bhakti.
For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pṛthā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service.
Purport

This verse especially describes the final destination attained by the unalloyed devotees who serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead in bhakti-yoga. Previous verses have mentioned four different kinds of devotees – the distressed, the inquisitive, those who seek material gain, and the speculative philosophers. Different processes of liberation have also been described: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga and haṭha-yoga. The principles of these yoga systems have some bhakti added, but this verse particularly mentions pure bhakti-yoga, without any mixture of jñāna, karma or haṭha. As indicated by the word ananya-cetāḥ, in pure bhakti-yoga the devotee desires nothing but Kṛṣṇa. A pure devotee does not desire promotion to heavenly planets, nor does he seek oneness with the brahma-jyotir or salvation or liberation from material entanglement. A pure devotee does not desire anything. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta the pure devotee is called niṣkāma, which means he has no desire for self-interest. Perfect peace belongs to him alone, not to them who strive for personal gain. Whereas a jñāna-yogī, karma-yogī or haṭha-yogī has his own selfish interests, a perfect devotee has no desire other than to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord says that for anyone who is unflinchingly devoted to Him, He is easy to attain. A pure devotee always engages in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa in one of His various personal features. Kṛṣṇa has various plenary expansions and incarnations, such as Rāma and Nṛsiṁha, and a devotee can choose to fix his mind in loving service to any of these transcendental forms of the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee meets with none of the problems that plague the practitioners of other yogas. Bhakti-yoga is very simple and pure and easy to perform. One can begin simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. The Lord is merciful to all, but as we have already explained, He is especially inclined toward those who always serve Him without deviation. The Lord helps such devotees in various ways. As stated in the Vedas ( Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23), yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas/ tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām: one who is fully surrendered and engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord can understand the Supreme Lord as He is. And as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10) , dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam: the Lord gives such a devotee sufficient intelligence so that ultimately the devotee can attain Him in His spiritual kingdom. The special qualification of the pure devotee is that he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa without deviation and without considering the time or place. There should be no impediments. He should be able to carry out his service anywhere and at any time. Some say that the devotee should remain in holy places like Vṛndāvana or some holy town where the Lord lived, but a pure devotee can live anywhere and create the atmosphere of Vṛndāvana by his devotional service. It was Śrī Advaita who told Lord Caitanya, “Wherever You are, O Lord – there is Vṛndāvana.” As indicated by the words satatam and nityaśaḥ, which mean “always,” “regularly,” or “every day,” a pure devotee constantly remembers Kṛṣṇa and meditates upon Him. These are qualifications of the pure devotee, for whom the Lord is most easily attainable. Bhakti-yoga is the system that the Gītā recommends above all others. Generally, the bhakti-yogīs are engaged in five different ways: (1) śānta-bhakta, engaged in devotional service in neutrality; (2) dāsya-bhakta, engaged in devotional service as servant; (3) sakhya-bhakta, engaged as friend; (4) vātsalya-bhakta, engaged as parent; and (5) mādhurya-bhakta, engaged as conjugal lover of the Supreme Lord. In any of these ways, the pure devotee is always constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and cannot forget the Supreme Lord, and so for him the Lord is easily attained. A pure devotee cannot forget the Supreme Lord for a moment, and similarly the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee for a moment. This is the great blessing of the Kṛṣṇa conscious process of chanting the mahā-mantra – Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
14. The devotee who remembers Me daily, at all times, without deviation to other processes, persons or goals, and who desires association with Me, easily attains Me.
Commentary

Having spoken of pradhānī bhūtā bhakti, bhakti mixed with karma, mentioned in ārto jijṣāsur arthārthī (BG 7.16), and with desire for liberation in jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya (BG 7.29), and also bhakti mixed with yoga in this chapter (verse 9-13), now the Lord speaks of kevalā bhakti, the best bhakti, devoid of any material tinge. The mind of that devotee is free from performing other processes such as karma-yoga or jṣāna-yoga, [Note: The jṣāna-miśra-bhakta, referred to as the jṣānī in the enumeration of the four types does not have a desire for material results nor for liberation. Therefore he has not been mentioned in the previous sentence. However, the jṣāna-miśra-bhakta retains some elements of the jṣāna process while practicing bhakti and is thus distinguished from the kevala-bhakta who performs only bhakti.] free from worship of other persons or devatās, and free from other goals, such as attainment of Svarga or mokṣa. Thus he is called ananya-cetāḥ, with mind not thinking anything else except the Lord. He remembers Me every day, (nityaśaḥ), constantly (satatam), not depending upon appropriate time, place, person, or purity. I can be easily attained (sulabhaḥ) by that person, by that bhakti. It is not mixed with the difficulties encountered in practicing yoga, jṣāna or other processes. He constantly desires association with Me (nity-yuktasya). This grammatical form expresses desire in the future as well as the past. Yoginaḥ here refers to the person doing bhakti-yoga. Or it can mean a person who has a relationship (yoga) with the Lord, in dāsya, sākhya or other relationships.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
14. The devotee who remembers Me daily, at all times, without deviation to other processes or goals, who desires association with Me in one of the primary relationships, easily attains Me.
Commentary

Having taught the process of bhakti mixed with yoga for those desiring liberation alone, the Lord now teaches pure bhakti, which was previously mentioned as eka bhakti in relation to the jṣāni with knowledge of the Lord who desired only the Lord. [Note: Baladeva seems to consider the jṣānī, and even the other three types of sakāma devotees as pariniṣtḥita, since they worship only the Lord through direct methods such as hearing and chanting about the Lord, whereas the saniṣṭha performs varṇāśrama activities and offers them to the Lord. However the jṇānī is the best of those and is equivalent to the ananya devotee mentioned in this verse. Viśvanātha however distinguishes the jṣānī among the four types from the ananya bhakta. The ananya bhakta is superior to all the four types. The nirapekṣa devotee does the same activities of bhakti as the parniṣthita devotee, but unlike the pariniṣṭḥita devotee, does not perform varnāśrama actions at all. The pariniṣṭhita devotee performs varnāśrama to set an example for others.] (BG 7.17) The person whose consciousness is in Me alone (ananya cetāḥ), not in any other method such karma or aṣṭāṅga yoga and not with any other goal such as svarga loka or liberation; who desires only Me; who through such processes of japa and deity worship, continually (satatam), every day (nityaśaḥ), without regard for time, place or purity, remembers Me, the Supreme Lord, who drinks the breast milk of Yaśodā, who appear in this world in many forms such as Nrsiṁha and Rāma, the only dear object—such a person easily attains Me, who am aware of his affection for Me. He attains Me easily, not encountering the difficulties in karma, aṣṭāṅga yoga or other processes. Tasya, in the genitive case, does not indicate that such a person is the agent or doer (tasya aham sulabhah: I am attained by that person) because of the forbiddance of genitive case being used to express an agent for certain words according to the rule na lokāvyaya.(Pāṇini 2.3.69) The implication of the genitive case in this verse is that though he attains Me, I am the cause or doer of his attainment (he is not the agent): I cannot tolerate separation from him, and thus I will show Myself to him. I am easy to attain for him, because I destroy the obstacles, and I perfect his sādhana. Śruti confirms this: yam evaiṣa vṛnute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām The Lord is attained by that person alone whom the Lord chooses. He reveals His own form to that person. Mundaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3. Kṛṣṇa himself will say: dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te I give the devotee the means by which he attains Me. BG 10.10 What type of person is this? He always desires future union with Me (nitya yuktasya). This is understood from the sūtra āśaṁsāyāṁ bhūtavac ca: desire for a future event can be expressed using the past tense. (Pāṇini 3.3.132) He is a person related to Me (yoga) in dāsya, sakhya or other rasas (yoginaḥ). [Note: This is distinct from the yoga miśra bhakta described in the previous verse, who attains sālokya.]

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: " This verse especially describes the final destination attained by the unalloyed devotees who serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead in bhakti‑ yoga. Previous verses have mentioned four different kinds of devotees‑‑the distressed, the inquisitive, those who seek material gain, and the speculative philosophers. Different processes of liberation have also been described: karma‑yoga, jnana‑yoga and hatha‑yoga. The principles of these yoga systems have some bhakti added, but this verse particularly mentions pure bhakti‑yoga, without any mixture of jnana, karma or hatha. As indicated by the word ananya‑cetah, in pure bhakti‑yoga the devotee desires nothing but Krsna. A pure devotee doe desire promotion to heavenly planets, nor does he seek on with the brahmajyoti or salvation or liberation from material entanglement. A pure devotee does not desire anything. I Caitanya‑caritamrta the pure devotee is called niskama, which means he has no desire for self‑ interest. Perfect peace belongs to him alone, not to them who strive for personal gain. Whereas a jnana‑yogi, karma‑yogi or hatha‑yogi has his own selfish interests, a perfect devotee has no desire other than to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord says for anyone who is unflinchingly devoted to Him, He is ea attain." The devotee has no desires and because of that he is the only one who is peaceful. We think, in our illusion, that if we satisfy our desires we will be peaceful. But that is not the fact ‑ they are actually the cause of our misery and we shoul very eagerly weed them out. We view them as the cause of our pleasure but they are actually the cause of our misery. Only when we desire to serve Krsna, then we will attain real peace. Desireless means to have only desire to please Krsna. 'Ananya bhakti'. 'Ananya', without anything added, without deviation. 'Satatam', continuously, without breaking. 'Nitya', eternally, without deviation. 'Su‑labhah', this is the definition of pure devotional service: "Krsna is easy to obtain." One may then ask: "What is the result of always remember Krsna?" ‑ Because we don't come back to this material world.

[ 2 . The result: Those pure souls do not return again to this temporary, miserable world of repeated birth and death. (15‑16) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study Key verse
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Bhakti Yoga is easier path: Although Yoga practice of Text 8.10 – 8.13 is genuine but it is easier and

more effective to remember the Lord through unalloyed love and devotion

The Lord is easy to be obtained by one:
Who remembers ‘Me’ without deviation
Constantly engaged in devotional service

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION IV

The practice of Pure Devotional Service is the qualification for one to attain Lord’s favour
By Lord’s mercy the pure devotee is promoted to spiritual realm
Focus of Learning

(a) Pratyahara – implies

Withdraw senses from sense objects
Control five jnanendriyas (Knowledge acquiring senses) fully
No sense gratification allowed
Mind focused fully on Supersoul
Life force on top of head

(b) For Modern Age

Above practices – impossible
Best process – Krishna consciousness
Somehow fix the mind on Krishna – immediately transcendence achieved
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
8.14 Partha, O son of Prtha, tasya yoginah, to that yogi; nitya-yuktasya, of constant concentration, who is ever absorbed (in God); and ananya-cetah, of single-minded attention, a yogi whose mind is not drawn to any other object; yah, who; smarati, remembers; mam, Me, the supreme God; satatam, uninteruptedly; and nityasah, for long-. By satatam, uninterrupteldy, is meant 'without any break'. By niryasah, is meant along duration. Not six months, nor even a year! What then? The meaning is: He who remembers Me for his whole life, continuously. To that yogi aham, I; am sulabhah, easy of attainment. Since this is so, therefore one should remain ever absorbed in Me, with mind given to nothing else. 'What follows from Your being easy of attainment?' This is being answered: 'Hear what follows from My being easy of attainment.'
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
8.14 I am easy to access to that Yogin who is 'ever integrated with Me,' i.e., who wants constant contact with Me, who recollects Me; and whose mind is not in 'anything else without break' (Nityasah), i.e., at the time of meditation and also during all other times (Satatam). As I am exceedingly dear to him, he is unable to sustain himself without remembering Me and cherishing My memory which is incomparably dear to him. I am the only object he wants to attain and not any mode of My being like sovereignty, etc. I Myself grant him the capacity to attain full maturity in devotional practice necessary for attaining Me - namely, the annulment of all obstacles and the establishment of the state of mind that renders Me exceedingly dear to oneself. The Sruti also says: 'He whom this (Self) chooses, by him He can be obtained' (Mun. U., 3.2.3 and Ka. U., 2.22). And Sri Krsna Himself will teach: "To those, ceaselessly united, who worship Me, I bestow that discernment by which they come to Me. Out of mercy for them, I, abiding in their heart, dispel the darkness born of ignorance, by the brilliant lamp of knowledge" (10.10;11). In the remaining part of this chapter, He teaches that the Jnanis and the aspirants after Kaivalya do not deturn, and that the seekers after power and prosperity return.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
8.12-14 Sarvadvarani etc., upto Yoginah. The gates : the sense organs, like the eyes and not the place of excrement etc. Restraining the mind in the heart : By this, only the absence of attachment towards the objects, and not any seat, is stated. One's own Prana : the driver of one's own Self (the vital air). So, the meaning is 'Fixing this Prana in the head i.e., the very Self with the Power-of-Will, lying beyond all categories. Thus the controlling of body [has been prescribed]. Reciting Om : This denotes the act of controlling the sense of speech. Meditating on Me : It signifies the non-wandering of the mind over other objects. Whosoever travels well : Whosoever travels day after day not to return back (i.e., for final emancipation). Therefore casting away the body i.e., longing 'How to avoid taking once again the body, a repository of all troubles', whosoever remembers Me always with his mind, that thinks nothingelse-he reaches Me i.e., he realises My state. Really the Sage (Vyasa) does not favour [the idea of] upward flight [of the Soul from the body] that may go against the pronounced intention of [attaining] total identity with the Absolute Brahman that admits no duality. Therefore it has been said : 'If the Siva-existence (the Absolute State) is Omnipresent, then the upward flight serves no purpose indeed. On the othe hand, if Siva (the Absolute) is not Omnipresent then the upward flight cannot yield Siva (the Auspicious one, the Absolute)'. Alternately [the Gita passage may be interpreted as :] If some persons have not undergone the process of constant practice, yet at the time of death there arises [in them] - due to some undefinable reason, like the Free Will of the Lord and the like-a condition, similar to the one mentioned above, then [in the case of those persons] this condition itself - characterised as 'the flight from the body' (getting oneself disassociated from the body) - is stated [by the Sage] as a means obstructing all the other potential mental impressions. That is why in the passage starting 'That unchanging one which the Veda-knowers speek of' and ending 'I shall tell you that', [the Sage] has made a solemn declaration in order to explain the astonishing nature of the reflection on the Bhagavat - even though it lasts only a moment - marked by the destruction of all the [other] potential mental impressions. Hence the great teachers also say : 'O Sambhu ! If You could set Your foot, atleast for the duration of a single winking of the eye, in [my] blemishless mind, what else would You not accomplish [for me]'. That is why, with a view to satisfy those who raise the estion 'But the breaking [of body of the wise] has been found without remembrance [of the Lord] at the time of departure', here it is said 'He who [remembers Me] constantly with the mind, not attached to any other thing.' The meaning of it is : 'He whose mind is not attached to any other result to be achieved.' For him I am easy to attain : For him there is no need to undertake the trouble of searching for a suitable time for departure; making pilgrimage to sacred places; [waiting for] the time of the summer solastice; taking shelter in the temples; augmenting the [Strand] Sattva; remaining absorbed in the thought [of the Lord]; [expecting] the auspicious moment of einox and of the day [time]; selecting a locality that is naturally pure; having body free from dirt of attachment (or unguent); wearing clean cloth; and similar other ones. Hence it has been stated earlier [under VIII, 5-7 above] 'Either in a sacred place or in the house of a dog-cooker' etc. But it has been declared that 'He attains My State.' Will there he rirth for him even after attaining that State ? Considering this doubt [the Lord] says :
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
8.14 I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who constantly and daily remembers Me (for a long time), not thinking of anything else (with a single mind or one-pointed mind), O Partha (Arjuna).
Commentary

8.14 अनन्यचेताः with the mind not thinking of any other object? सततम् constantly? यः who? माम् Me? स्मरति remembers? नित्यशः daily? तस्य of him? अहम् I? सुलभः easily attainable? पार्थ O Partha? नित्ययुक्तस्य eversteadfast? योगिनः of Yogi.Commentary I am easily attainable by that eversteadfast Yogi who constantly and daily remembers Me (for a long time)? not thinking of anything else (with a single mind or onepointed mind)? O Partha (Arjuna).Commentary Constantly remembering the Lord throughout the life is the most easy way of attaining Him.Ananyachetah He has no attachment for any other object. He will not think of any other object save his IshtaDevata or tutelary deity.Nityasah For a long time? i.e.? till the end of life.He who remembers the Lord by fits and starts or he who remembers Him for six montsh and then leaves the practice and then again remembers Him for six months and so on cannot attain Him. (Cf.IX.22?34)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
8.14 O son of Prtha, to that yogi of constant concentration and single-minded attention, who remembers Me uninterruptedly and for long, I am easy of attainment.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
8.14 To him who thinks constantly of Me, and of nothing else, to such an ever-faithful devotee, O Arjuna, am I ever accessible.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 9.22 BG 9.34 BG 12.6 SB 11.14.21 SB 1.7.10 SB 10.14.3 CC Madhya 22.50 CC Madhya 22.107 CC Antya 20.29 BRS 1.2.234 BRS 1.1.11
Concepts
Japa
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
For the one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to attain — because of his constant engagement.
Practical Applications
  • Believe Kṛṣṇa when He says He is easy to attain by constancy.
  • Cultivate constancy over intensity.
  • Don't be impressed by spiritual highs; respect the unbroken thread.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is my engagement broken?
  • What single practice could become unbroken?
Analogy

The undeviating devotee is like a child who has never let go of his mother's hand in a crowd — finding her again costs him nothing, because he never lost her. Kṛṣṇa says: I am su-labha, easily got, to that child. The verse is not for the spiritual prodigy; it is for the one who simply does not let go.

Stories
Prahlāda Mahārāja

Born into the family of the demon king Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda was tortured, poisoned, thrown from cliffs, trampled by elephants, hurled into fire — and none of it broke his thread of remembrance of Viṣṇu. Whatever the circumstance, the name remained on his tongue and the form remained in his heart.

When the moment finally came, the Lord did not appear from somewhere far away. He stepped out from the pillar Prahlāda was already gazing at, in a form ferocious enough to deal with the father but tender enough to receive the boy on His lap. 'Easy to attain' — su-labha — for the one whose mind is ananya, fixed on no other.

Mīrā

Mīrā's mind never moved from Giridhārī Kṛṣṇa, even through marriage into a royal family that had no use for her devotion, even through the cup of poison her brother-in-law sent her. The Gauḍīya hagiography records that the poison turned to amṛta on her lips because the Lord she had remembered without deviation made Himself su-labha in just that moment.

Her life is the verse in feminine form: nitya-yukta, regularly engaged; ananya-cetāḥ, with no other thought; and therefore, when she needed Him, su-labha — easy.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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