Hinduism · Compare this tradition with another
By Loving God, You Ascend to the Divine - Bhagavad Gita XVIII 57
Sukadev Bretz ·
Yoga Vidya – Tägliche Inspirationen ·
2026-10-09
· Horn-Bad Meinberg
· Source
Humility · main message
Knowledge · carrying
The simplest and most effective path to the experience of the Divine is the mental surrender of all actions and of the mind to God, combined with the discernment between the Eternal and the Transient.
The text analyzes verse 57 from the 18th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, in which Krishna describes the path of Bhakti Yoga. The speaker explains that the listener should mentally offer all actions and karma to God. God is defined as the highest goal and the object of devotion. It is emphasized that this path of love and devotion is simpler than the strict control of speech, body, and mind through Jnana or Raja Yoga. The text calls on the listeners to express their longing for God and to direct their thinking and feeling (Chitta) toward God. In addition, the Yoga of Discernment (Bodhi Yoga) is mentioned as a complementary practice for steering the mind. Finally, the listeners are invited to an inner exercise in which they offer God their love and their will.
- What, according to this text, is the root of the evil?
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Clinging, desire, the inability to let go
- Where does the evil reside?
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in the heart, the will, or the soul of the individual
- What helps against it?
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personal experience, testimony, encounter with God or with people; insight, learning, enlightenment, right understanding
- What is human being according to this text?
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entangled in deception or desire, but capable of being set free
- Where is history heading?
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the message stands outside of history
- What does the text base its claim on?
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on the holy scripture of its own tradition
- To whom does the text's call for devotion apply?
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to every human being, regardless of faith (inferred)
- Where is the text's criticism directed?
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the text does not criticise
Related texts from other traditions
by similarity of the analysis, one text per tradition
What the text calls for
- Geistig alle Handlungen und das Karma Gott darbringen (inward)
- Den Geist und das Fühlen auf Gott richten (inward)
- Dem Yoga der Unterscheidung zuwenden (inward)
Passages cited
Bhagavad Gita 18,57
Measured
- Basic stance
- 1 from -2 to 2
- Insistence
- 2 of 3
- Reach
- 1 of 5
- Concreteness
- 2 of 3
- Boundary
- 0 of 3
- Time
- past 1, present 3, future 1
Analysed with qwen/qwen3.8-27b, version v3.
The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.
Full text in English
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, verse 57. Chetasa Sarva Karma Ni Ma-i-Sanyasya Madh-Paraha Bodhe-Yoga-Upa-Shrittya Madh-Chetasa Tatham-Bhava-Ha Renounce mentally all actions and all karma in me. See me as your highest goal. Turn to the Yoga of Discrimination and fix your mind always on me. Here Krishna describes Bhakti Yoga. He has described how you come to the Highest. He has previously given high ideals, what one should all do. Master language, master the body, master the mind, become independent of desires and affection, aversion, etc. Now he comes to Bhakti Yoga, as almost always in the Bhagavad Gita. Whenever he gives you tips from Jnana and Raja Yoga that may be difficult to attain, he says, you can have it more easily by surrendering yourself to God. And here he says, do what needs to be done, but offer it entirely to God. So renounce mentally all actions and all karma in me. This also means, all tasks you have to do, all experiences, that is karma. Karma are tasks, karma are experiences, karma are actions. Offer all that to God and see God as your highest goal. Be aware, yes, the highest goal is to experience God. You can do that with Bhakti, with love. In this moment perhaps feel God's love. In this moment feel your heart. In this moment give expression to your longing to experience God. In this moment say, oh God, I want to experience you. Please, let me experience you. Let your heart speak. Let your soul speak. Feel God's grace. Do this again and again. Do this now and again and again. See God as the highest goal. Fix your mind on God. Your mind is also called heart. In Sanskrit it says Chitta here. Chitta, that also means Bhava, Bhava with feeling. Fix your thinking and feeling. Chitta is thinking and feeling with Bhava, with love, on God. Again and again. Then turn to the Yoga of Discrimination. So not only surrender, not only love for God, but also the Yoga of Discrimination, Bodhi Yoga. So learn to control your mind. Learn to control your thinking and feeling. Your language and your actions. And all of that becomes easier the more you turn yourself entirely to God. Now a few moments again. Feel God. Feel God with your heart. Feel the love for God. Feel joy from your heart. And say deep within, oh God, your will be done. Oh God, I offer you everything. Oh God, please, let me realize you.
Full text in the original
Bhagavad Gita, 18. Kapitel 57 der Vers. Chetasa Sarva Karma Ni Ma-i-Sanyasya Madh-Paraha Bodhe-Yoga-Upa-Shrittya Madh-Chetasa Tatham-Bhava-Ha Entsage geistig allen Handlungen und allem Karma in mir. Seh mich als dein höchstes Ziel. Wendet dich dem Yoga der Unterscheidung zu und hefte dein Geist immer auf mich. Hier beschreibt Krishna Bakhti Yoga. Er hat ja beschrieben, wie kommst du zum Höchsten? Er hat vorher hohe Ideale gegeben, was man alles machen soll. Sprache beherrschen, Körper beherrschen, Geist beherrschen, unabhängig werden von Wünschen und Zuneigung, Abneigung usw. Jetzt kommt er zum Bakhti Yoga, wie fast immer in der Bhagavad Gita. Wann immer er aus Nyanar und Raja Yoga dir Tipps gibt, die vielleicht schwer zu erreichen sind, sagt er, du kannst doch einfacher haben, indem du dich Gott darbringst. Und hier sagt er, tu das, was zu tun ist, aber bring es ganz Gott dar. Also entsage geistig allen Handlungen und allen Karma in mir. Heißt auch, alle Aufgaben, die du zu tun hast, alle Erfahrungen, das ist ja Karma. Karma sind Aufgaben, Karma sind Erfahrungen, Karma sind Handlungen. Gib all das Gott dar und sie Gott als dein höchstes Ziel. Sei dir bewusst, ja, das höchste Ziel ist Gott zu erfahren. Das kannst du mit Bakhti machen, mit Liebe. In diesem Moment spüre vielleicht Liebe Gottes. In diesem Moment spüre dein Herz. In diesem Moment verleihe deiner Sehnsucht Gott zu erfahren Ausdruck. In diesem Moment sage, oh Gott, ich möchte dich erfahren. Bitte, lass mich dich erfahren. Lass dein Herz sprechen. Lass deine Seele sprechen. Spüre Gottes Gnade. Mache dies immer wieder. Mache dies jetzt und immer wieder. Sie so Gott als höchstes Ziel. Hefte dein Geist auf Gott. Dein Geist heißt auch Herz. Im Sanskrit steht hier Chitta. Chitta, das heißt auch noch Bawa, Bawa mit Gefühl. Heftet dein Denken und Fühlen. Chitta ist Denken und Fühlen mit Bawa, mit Liebe, auf Gott. Immer wieder. Dann wendet dich dem Yoga der Unterscheidung zu. Also nicht nur Hingabe, nicht nur Liebe zu Gott, sondern auch Yoga der Unterscheidung, Bodhi Yoga. Lerne also deinen Geist zu steuern. Lerne dein Denken und Fühlen zu steuern. Deine Sprache und dein Handeln. Und das geht alles umso leichter, wenn du dich ganz Gott zuwendest. Jetzt nochmals ein paar Momente. Spüre Gott. Spüre mit deinem Herzen Gott. Empfinde die Liebe zu Gott. Empfinde Freude von deinem Herzen. Und sage tief im Inneren, oh Gott, dein Wille geschieht. Oh Gott, ich bringe dir alles dar. Oh Gott, bitte, lass mich dich verwirklichen.