In Bhagavad Gita 12.5, Krishna says the difficulty is greater for those whose minds are set on the unmanifest, for the unmanifest goal is hard for embodied beings to reach.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषाम्
अव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम्
अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दुःखं
देहवद्भिरवाप्यते ॥ १२-५ ॥
kleśo’dhikatarasteṣām
avyaktāsaktacetasām
avyaktā hi gatirduḥkhaṃ
dehavadbhiravāpyate
English transliteration klesho’dhikatarasteshaam
avyaktaasaktachetasaam
avyaktaa hi gatirduhkham
dehavadbhiravaapyate ॥ 12.5 ॥
Translation / Meaning
The difficulty is greater for those whose minds are set on the Unmanifest, for the goal of the Unmanifest is reached with great difficulty by embodied beings.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| क्लेशः kleśaḥ | difficulty |
| अधिकतरः adhikataraḥ | greater |
| तेषाम् teṣām | for them |
| अव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् avyaktāsaktacetasām | whose minds are set on the Unmanifest avyakta (Unmanifest) + āsakta (set) + cetasām (minds) |
| अव्यक्ता avyaktā | of the Unmanifest |
| हि hi | for |
| गतिः gatiḥ | goal |
| दुःखम् duḥkham | with difficulty |
| देहवद्भिः dehavadbhiḥ | by embodied beings deha (body) + vadbhiḥ (having) |
| अवाप्यते avāpyate | is reached |
Word-wise Chanting
- kle–śo–‘dhi–ka–ta–ras–te–ṣām– 8 syllables kle-sho-‘dhi-ka-ta-ras-te-shaam-
- av–yak–tā–sak–ta–ce–ta–sām | 8 syllables av-yak-taa-sak-ta-che-ta-saam
- av–yak–tā hi ga–tir–duḥ–khaṃ 8 syllables av-yak-taa hi ga-tir-duh-kham
- de–ha–vad–bhi–ra–vāp–ya–te || 12-5 8 syllables de-ha-vad-bhi-ra-vaap-ya-te
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 5
Context
Krishna explains why devotion to him with form is preferable for most (12.5–12.7).
Meaning
The path of the formless involves kleśa, greater difficulty. Embodied beings, dehavat, naturally identify with form and find it hard to fix the mind on what has no form. The goal is the same, but the road is steeper.
This is compassionate realism. Krishna does not reject the path of the formless; he recognises that most people need a form to love.
In Practice
If abstract meditation feels hard, give yourself permission to use a form, an image, a name or a sacred symbol.
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.