Bhagavad Gita · 12.17 · The Yoga of Devotion·17 of 20
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति।शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्ितमान्यः स मे प्रियः ॥
yo na hṛiṣhyati na dveṣhṭi na śhochati na
kāṅkṣhati śhubhāśhubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Sanskrit recitation
The devotee’s everyday virtues · 12.13–12.20 · Teaching
Translation
He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves nor desires, renouncing both good and evil, and who is full of devotion, is dear to Me.
Meaning
What is described in verse 13 is dealt with at length in this.He does not rejoice when he attains the desirable objects. He does not hate when he gets the undesirable objects. He does not grieve when he parts with his beloved objects. He does not desire the unattained.Subhasubhaparityagi Here is a further description of Sarvarambhaparityagi of verse 16. He who has renounced good and evil actions which produce pleasure and pain is a devotee of the Lord.Such a devotee or knower of Brahman, who is My own Self, is dear to Me. (Cf.VII.17IX.29)
After Swami Sivananda
The devotee’s everyday virtues· 12.13–12.20→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 12.13He who hates no creature, is friendly and compassionate to all, is free from attachment and egoism, is balanced in pleasure and pain, and is forgiving.
- 12.14Ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessing firm conviction, with the mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear to Me.
- 12.15He whom the world does not agitate, and who cannot be agitated by the world, and who is freed from joy, anger, fear, and anxiety—he is dear to Me.
- 12.16He who is free from wants, pure, expert, unconcerned, and free from pain, renouncing all undertakings and commencements, he who is devoted to Me is dear to Me.
12.17He who neither rejoices nor hates, nor grieves nor desires, renouncing both good and evil, and who is full of devotion, is dear to Me.
- 12.18He who is the same to foe and friend, and also in honor and dishonor, who is the same in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and who is free from attachment.
- 12.19He to whom censure and praise are equal, who is silent, content with anything, homeless, of a steady mind, and full of devotion; that man is dear to me.
- 12.20They who follow this immortal Dharma, endowed with faith and regarding Me as their supreme goal, are exceedingly dear to Me.
Word-by-word→
- me
- to me
- na
- nor
- saḥ
- that person
- yaḥ
- who
- priyaḥ
- very dear
- śhochati
- lament
- bhakti-mān
- full of devotion
- dveṣhṭi
- despair
- hṛiṣhyati
- rejoice
- kāṅkṣhati
- hanker for gain
- śhubha-aśhubha-parityāgī
- who renounce both good and evil deeds
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