After getting an experiential realization of Krishna’s all-pervading and impersonal cosmic form and Krishna’s two-handed personal form in front of him, Arjuna now naturally wants to know which form of worship is most suitable. He wants to settle a classical dilemma every spiritual practitioner is faced with. Arjuna asks which (teṣāṁ ke) of the two is considered the best (vittamāḥ) situated for connecting with God (yoga) – those devotees (bhaktās) who always engage themselves (evaṁ satata-yuktā ye) in worshiping (paryupāsate) Krishna’s personal form (tvāṁ), or those (ye cāpy) who worship the indestructible and unmanifested impersonal (avyaktaṁ) aspect of Krishna. (BG 12.1)
Krishna gives a very clear and concise response to this pertinent question. Those (ye) who fix (āveśya) their minds (mano) on Krishna’s personal form (mayy) and are always engaged (nitya-yuktā) in worshiping (upāsate) Him (māṁ) with (upetās) transcendental (paraya) faith (śraddhayā), they (te) are considered (matāḥ) by Krishna (me) to be most perfect (yukta-tamā). (BG 12.2)
Then, Krishna presents a comparison between the worshipers of the personal and the worshipers of the impersonal aspect. But, those who (ye tv) fully worship (paryupāsate) the indestructible (akṣaram), indefinite (anirdeśyam), unmanifested (avyaktaṁ), all-pervading (sarvatra-gam ca), inconceivable (acintyaṁ), unchanging (kūṭa-stham), immovable (acalaṁ), and fixed (dhruvam) – the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth – by controlling the various senses (sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ), being equally disposed (sama-buddhayaḥ) everywhere (sarvatra) and engaged (ratāḥ) in the welfare of all (sarva-bhūta-hite) – they (te) achieve (prāpnuvanti) Krishna alone (mām eva). (BG 12.3-4) For those whose minds are attached (āsakta-cetasām) to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth (avyakta), there is far greater (adhika-taras ) trouble (kleśo) for them (teṣām). Pursuing the goal (gatir) of attaining the unmanifested impersonal (avyaktā) is certainly (hi) studded with (avāpyate) misery (duḥkhaṁ) for those who are embodied (dehavadbhir). (BG 12.5)
But, those who (ye tu) worship (upāsate) Krishna (māṁ), the Person, by meditating (dhyāyanta) with pure exclusive yoga (ananyenaiva yogena) – sacrificing (sannyasya) all their activities (sarvāṇi karmāṇi) unto Krishna (mayi), being devoted to Krishna (mat-parāḥ) and with their minds absorbed (āveśita-cetasām) in Krishna (mayy) – for them (teṣām), Krishna (ahaṁ) becomes (bhavāmi) the swift (na cirāt) deliverer (samuddhartā) from the ocean of birth and death (mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt). (BG 12.6-7)
Now, there should not be any doubt that the exclusive worship of Krishna – the personal feature of the Absolute Truth – is what is recommended by Krishna. Here is a summary based on the above description.
| Worship of the Impersonal feature | Worship of the Personal feature | |
| Krishna’s verdict | Troublesome | Most perfect |
| Method of worship | Conceiving the inconceivable, controlling the senses, and equipoised welfare activities | Fixing the mind on Krishna exclusively and sacrifice of all actions to Krishna with love and devotion |
| Experience (Difficulty level) | Unnatural and miserable process | Natural and easy process |
| Support | An independent struggle | Krishna is personally involved as a deliverer |
| Time taken | Long arduous path to the destination | One gets results swiftly |
| Destination | Krishna alone (but there is a high chance of straying away) | Krishna alone (and there is the certainty of reaching there) |
