Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 17

Chapter 7 – Jnana Vijnana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते ।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः ॥

Transliteration

teṣāṃ jñānī nityayukta ekabhaktirviśiṣyate .
priyo hi jñānino.atyarthamahaṃ sa ca mama priyaḥ ॥

Meaning

Of them, the wise one, ever united with Me and devoted to Me alone, excels; for I am exceedingly dear to the wise, and he is dear to Me.

Word meanings

तेषाम् – of them
ज्ञानी – the wise one
नित्ययुक्तः – ever united (with Me)
एकभक्तिः – devoted to the One alone
विशिष्यते – excels, is distinguished
प्रियः – dear
हि – for
ज्ञानिनः – to the wise one
अत्यर्थम् – exceedingly
अहम् – I
सः – he
च – and
मम – to Me

Anvaya (word order)

तेषां नित्ययुक्तः एकभक्तिः ज्ञानी विशिष्यते; हि अहं ज्ञानिनः अत्यर्थं प्रियः, सः च मम प्रियः ।

Explanation

Among the four kinds of devotees Krishna declares the wise one supreme, and gives two reasons. First, nitya-yuktah — he is ever united with the Lord. The distressed devotee may forget God once the crisis passes, and the seeker of wealth once the desire is fulfilled; the inquirer's connection too may last only until an answer is found. But the wise one's connection rests on no condition; he remains joined to the Lord in every circumstance.

Second, eka-bhaktih — his devotion is directed to the One alone. He wants nothing else from the Lord; the Lord is both his goal and his means. Other devotees ask God for something; the wise one wants only God.

Then Krishna says something very sweet: priyo hi jnanino 'tyartham aham sa cha mama priyah — I am exceedingly dear to the wise one, and he is dear to Me. This is not a one-sided relationship but mutual love. Shankara says that for the wise one the Lord is his very Self, and nothing is dearer than the Self; therefore the Lord is exceedingly dear to him. Ramanuja sees in this verse the Lord's tender affection for His devotee — the Lord implies that even He cannot fully repay the love of such a devotee, so dear is he.

The verse does not mean that the other devotees are not dear to the Lord. In the next verse He calls them all noble. But selfless love is the highest, because it involves no bargaining.

Context

Verse 7.16 named four kinds of devotees. This verse declares the excellence of the wise one and the mutual love between him and the Lord. In the next verse (7.18) Krishna says that all devotees are noble, but the wise one is His very Self.

Life lesson

The depth of any relationship is known by how selfless it is. Build a relationship with God — and with people too — that rests not only on 'getting something' but on love and understanding.

Key terms

Nitya-yukta: ever united (with the Lord)
Eka-bhakti: undivided devotion to the Lord alone
Vishishyate: excels, stands out
Atyartha priya: exceedingly dear