Verse 14.26
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते | स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ||२६||
Transliteration (IAST)
māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate | sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate ||26||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
And he who serves Me with unswerving devotion, transcending these gunas, is fit for becoming Brahman.
Commentary
This is one of the most important verses in the Gita, declaring bhakti as the means to transcend the gunas. Shankaracharya explains that 'avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena' means exclusive, unwavering devotion that does not deviate toward any other goal. Ramanuja considers this the culminating teaching of the chapter - jñāna reveals the nature of bondage, but bhakti is the actual means of liberation. Madhva emphasizes that devotion to the Lord is both the means and the end, and 'brahma-bhūyāya' means attaining the Lord's eternal service.