The Yoga of Devotion
Verse 12.17
यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति।शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्ितमान्यः स मे प्रियः।।12.17।।
yo na hṛiṣhyati na dveṣhṭi na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati śhubhāśhubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Word Meanings
yaḥ—who; na—neither; hṛiṣhyati—rejoice; na—nor; dveṣhṭi—despair; na—neither; śhochati—lament; na—nor; kāṅkṣhati—hanker for gain; śhubha-aśhubha-parityāgī—who renounce both good and evil deeds; bhakti-mān—full of devotion; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that person; me—to me; priyaḥ—very dear
Translation · English
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.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna delineates the psychological architecture of a mature devotee. The seeker described here has transcended the dualities of worldly existence, which are driven by the fluctuations of the ego. By no longer rejoicing in pleasure or lamenting in pain, the devotee detaches themselves from the 'raga-dvesha' (attraction and repulsion) cycle that binds the soul to the material realm. This is not a state of cold indifference or emotional deadness, but rather a state of profound equilibrium born of divine surrender. When one stops craving the future (kankshati) or grieving the past (shochati), they enter the eternal 'Now,' where the Divine resides. By renouncing the fruits of both 'good' (shubha) and 'evil' (ashubha) actions, the devotee ceases to identify as the doer of karma. This is the stage where the individual ego dissolves into the oceanic presence of God, effectively turning every action into an offering rather than a personal endeavor. The 'bhaktiman' mentioned here is not merely one who follows rituals, but one whose very consciousness is saturated with the presence of the Lord, rendering the binaries of human judgment irrelevant. For such a soul, the only remaining reality is the Beloved, and thus, they become naturally dear to Krishna.
The truly dear devotee is one who has transcended the dualistic fluctuations of the ego, resting in a state of tranquil surrender where the concepts of gain, loss, and moral labels are fully dissolved in the Divine.
Connected Verses
The ultimate culmination of abandoning all varieties of dharma and surrendering exclusively to Krishna, mirroring the spirit of renouncing 'shubha' and 'ashubha'.
Immediately follows this verse, cementing the idea of equality toward friends, enemies, honor, and dishonor as the hallmark of a devotee.
Explains the act of performing duty without attachment, likening it to a lotus leaf that remains dry in water.
Describes the Sthitaprajna or person of steady wisdom who remains unmoved by favorable or unfavorable circumstances.
Community Insights
(0)Share your understanding of this verse with fellow seekers.
No insights yet. Be the first to share your understanding of this verse.