In Bhagavad Gita 12.13, Krishna begins describing his dear devotee: one who hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, even in pain and pleasure, and forgiving.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां
मैत्रः करुण एव च
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः
समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२-१३ ॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ
maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ
samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī
English transliteration adveshtaa sarvabhootaanaam
maitrah karuna eva cha
nirmamo nirahankaarah
samaduhkhasukhah kshamee ॥ 12.13 ॥
Translation / Meaning
One who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate to all, free from possessiveness and ego, equal in pain and pleasure, and forgiving,
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अद्वेष्टा adveṣṭā | one who hates not |
| सर्वभूतानाम् sarvabhūtānām | of all beings |
| मैत्रः maitraḥ | friendly |
| करुणः karuṇaḥ | compassionate |
| एव eva | indeed |
| च ca | and |
| निर्ममः nirmamaḥ | free from possessiveness |
| निरहङ्कारः nirahaṅkāraḥ | free from ego |
| समदुःखसुखः samaduḥkhasukhaḥ | equal in pain and pleasure sama (equal) + duḥkha (pain) + sukhaḥ (pleasure) |
| क्षमी kṣamī | forgiving |
Word-wise Chanting
- ad–veṣ–ṭā sar–va–bhū–tā–nāṃ 8 syllables ad-vesh-taa sar-va-bhoo-taa-naam
- mait–raḥ ka–ru–ṇa e–va ca | 8 syllables mait-rah ka-ru-na e-va cha
- nir–ma–mo ni–ra–haṅ–kā–raḥ 8 syllables nir-ma-mo ni-ra-han-kaa-rah
- sa–ma–duḥ–kha–su–khaḥ kṣa–mī || 12-13 8 syllables sa-ma-duh-kha-su-khah ksha-mee
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 12 Verse 13
Context
Krishna begins describing the qualities of his dear devotee (12.13–12.20); the sentence continues into 12.14.
Meaning
The devotee dear to the Divine is adveṣṭā, without hatred toward any being; maitra, friendly; karuṇa, compassionate. They are nirmama, free from “mine”, and nirahaṅkāra, free from “I”. They remain balanced in sorrow and joy, and are kṣamī, forgiving.
These verses are a portrait of a loving person. Devotion to God is shown not in rituals but in how one treats others.
In Practice
Practise one quality from this verse deliberately today: friendliness, compassion or forgiveness.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga (The Yoga of Devotion). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.