In the previous verse, we heard about the life of the bhaktas; in this verse, we hear how Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with them. Their loving absorption in Him draws a response from Him: He gives them the intelligence by which they can navigate their way back to Him.
Readings
Bg. 10.10
तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ।
ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥ १० ॥
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te
Synonyms
teṣām — unto them;
satata-yuktānām — always engaged;
bhajatām — in rendering devotional service;
prīti-pūrvakam — in loving ecstasy;
dadāmi— I give;
buddhi-yogam — real intelligence;
tam — that;
yena — by which;
mām — unto Me;
upayānti — come;
te — they.
Translation
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
Purport
In this verse the word buddhi-yogam is very significant. We may remember that in the Second Chapter the Lord, instructing Arjuna, said that He had spoken to him of many things and that He would instruct him in the way of buddhi-yoga. Now buddhi-yoga is explained. Buddhi-yoga itself is action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; that is the highest intelligence. Buddhi means intelligence, and yoga means mystic activities or mystic elevation. When one tries to go back home, back to Godhead, and takes fully to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, his action is called buddhi-yoga. In other words, buddhi-yoga is the process by which one gets out of the entanglement of this material world. The ultimate goal of progress is Kṛṣṇa. People do not know this; therefore the association of devotees and a bona fide spiritual master are important. One should know that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, and when the goal is assigned, then the path is slowly but progressively traversed, and the ultimate goal is achieved.
When a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga. When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga. This complete yoga is the highest perfectional stage of life.
A person may have a bona fide spiritual master and may be attached to a spiritual organization, but if he is still not intelligent enough to make progress, then Kṛṣṇa from within gives him instructions so that he may ultimately come to Him without difficulty. The qualification is that a person always engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and with love and devotion render all kinds of services. He should perform some sort of work for Kṛṣṇa, and that work should be with love. If a devotee is not intelligent enough to make progress on the path of self-realization but is sincere and devoted to the activities of devotional service, the Lord gives him a chance to make progress and ultimately attain to Him.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura - Sārārtha Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā
10. I appear within the hearts of those who constantly desire to be with me and worship me with great love. By this appearance in their heart, they attain my direct association.
“It is understood that the joy of the devotee described in the previous verse is spiritual bliss beyond the modes. But by which method do the devotees gain direct contact with you? Who gives them the method of realizing you?” Anticipating such a question, the Lord speaks this verse.
I give buddhi-yoga (bhakti) to those who are constantly desirous of association with me (satata-yuktānām). This means that the Lord alone causes buddhi-yoga (bhakti-yoga)—I alone appear within the functions of their minds. This buddhi-yoga cannot be obtained at all from any other source and it does not appear on its own. The statement means that realization of me is given only by me and received only by the devotee. By this bhakti, they attain me; they attain direct association with me (upayānti—they come near me).
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa- Gītā Bhūṣaṇa
To those who constantly desire to be with Me and worship Me with great love, I give the intelligence by which they attain My direct association.
“But how is it possible for them to realize You as being endowed with infinite forms, qualities and powers just through the teachings of a guru?”
For those who desire constant association with Me (satata-yuktānām) and who worship Me with pleasure (prīti-pūrvakam) which arises from understanding Me as I really am,[1] I, relishing their devotion to Me, offer to them intelligence (buddhi-yogam). I produce in them the intelligence by which they can understand Me, endowed with infinite qualities and powers (guṇas and vibhūtis), and by which they can then worship Me and attain Me.
Vocabulary quiz
After the devotee accepts the position of the Lord and begins devotional worship, the Lord then bestows intelligence by which the devotee can appreciate His guṇas and vibhūtis.