Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥१६॥
anapekṣaḥ śucir dakṣa
udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī
yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Word for word (synonyms)
- anapekṣaḥ
- neutral
- śuciḥ
- pure
- dakṣaḥ
- expert
- udāsīnaḥ
- free from care
- gata-vyathaḥ
- freed from all distress
- sarva-ārambha
- all endeavors
- parityāgī
- renouncer
- yaḥ
- anyone
- mat-bhaktaḥ
- My devotee
- saḥ
- he
- me
- Me
- priyaḥ
- very dear
Translation
A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very dear to Me.
Defined in the Gītā
Dear to Kṛṣṇa
Who is dear to Kṛṣṇa?
One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me—he is very dear to Me.
Purport
Money may be offered to a devotee, but he should not struggle to acquire it. If automatically, by the grace of the Supreme, money comes to him, he is not agītāted. Naturally a devotee takes bath at least twice in a day and rises early in the morning for devotional service. Thus he is naturally clean both inwardly and outwardly. A devotee is always expert because he fully knows the sense of all activities of life, and he is convinced of the authoritative scriptures. A devotee never takes the part of a particular party; therefore he is carefree. He is never pained because he is free from all designations; he knows that his body is a designation, so if there are some bodily pains, he is free. The pure devotee does not endeavor for anything which is against the principles of devotional service. For example, constructing a big building requires great energy, and a devotee does not take to such business if it does not benefit him by advancing his devotional service. He may construct a temple for the Lord, and for that he may take all kinds of anxiety, but he does not construct a big house for his personal relations.
What this verse teaches
The study note for this verse is in editorial review.
Qualities in this verse
Qualities of a devotee dear to Kṛṣṇa
- not dependent on the ordinary course of activities
- pure
- expert
- without cares
- free from all pains
- does not strive for some result
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.