12.5 - Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 12, Verse 5

In this verse, Krishna offers a candid and compassionate explanation of why the path of worshipping the unmanifest, impersonal Absolute is so arduous for most people. He uses strong, unambiguous terms to illustrate the sheer effort involved: the journey is filled with “excessive hardship” and “misery” for those who try to realize the formless, attribute-less aspect of the Divine. This is in stark contrast to other spiritual paths, and Krishna’s emphasis signals that he wants Arjuna—and us—to truly grasp the nature of this difficulty.

The essence of Krishna’s message is that living beings in the material world, being embodied, are naturally inclined to operate through the senses. Human experience is rooted in form: we interact, build relationships, and find meaning through names, shapes, emotions, and stories. For such a being, trying to shift their entire focus onto something utterly abstract—a Divine reality with no form, qualities, or pastimes—is thoroughly unnatural and exhausting. It is like expecting a person who has always known color and sound to suddenly become absorbed in emptiness, without anything tangible to hold on to.

The Sanskrit terms are especially vivid here. “Kleśa” means tribulation or struggle; “adhikatara” means excessive or overwhelming. Krishna is not simply saying that the impersonal path is hard—he is saying it is much more troublesome than the personal path of devotion. The phrase “avyaktā hi gatiḥ duḥkham” further intensifies this: the journey to the unmanifest is filled with suffering for embodied souls. The struggle is likened to swimming upstream against the current of one’s very nature.

For someone who identifies strongly with their body and mind, meditating on something that has no attributes or qualities is like trying to grasp the wind. The restless mind rebels; it grows fatigued when deprived of relationships, stories, and forms to connect with. This is why the process becomes dry, mechanical, and uninspiring. The aspirant may persevere, but the effort feels hollow, lacking the warmth and joy that come from loving engagement with a personal deity or a tangible object of meditation.

The difference becomes clear when comparing this with the path of bhakti, or devotion. When one has a personal relationship with the Divine, every moment—even those filled with challenges—can be infused with meaning, emotion, and sweetness. The heart is enlivened by memories, songs, rituals, and stories. In such a state, restraint or renunciation no longer feels like deprivation, but like an expression of love. The devotee finds joy even in austerity, because the mind is absorbed in a living, breathing presence.

Krishna’s analysis is incisive: while the impersonal path is not invalid—it can, over immense effort and time, lead to realization of the Absolute—it is unnecessarily difficult for the embodied soul. The process may yield results for some, but for most, the nature of the struggle is such that it often leads to frustration, stagnation, or a sense of dryness. The path requires a dissolution of everything that feels natural to the human heart.

At its core, this verse is not meant to criticize the impersonalist approach but to offer a compassionate warning. Krishna acknowledges that seekers may be drawn to different spiritual ideals, but he gently points out that for those who live in the world of names and forms, the heart craves a connection that is warm, personal, and vivid. The unmanifest may be the ultimate substratum, but the journey there, for most, is lined with excessive hardship precisely because it opposes the spontaneous tendencies of embodied life.

Thus, Krishna is guiding Arjuna—and all seekers—to recognize their own nature and inclinations. For most, striving for realization through the senses, the mind, and the heart is more harmonious and natural when the Divine is approached in a personal way. The journey of devotion is not just about reaching a destination; it is about finding fulfillment, joy, and connection on every step of the path. The loving relationship itself becomes the goal and the reward, making the entire spiritual endeavor a celebration rather than a burden.