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← Chapter 12: The Yoga of Devotion

Verse 12.14

Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit

सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः | मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ||१४||

Transliteration (IAST)

santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛḍha-niścayaḥ | mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||14||

Word-by-Word Meanings

santuṣṭaḥ-contented
satatam-always
yogī-the yogin
yata-ātmā-self-controlled
dṛḍha-niścayaḥ-of firm resolve
arpita-mano-buddhiḥ-mind and intellect offered
mad-bhaktaḥ-My devotee
priyaḥ-dear

Translation

Always contented, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessed of firm conviction, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me - such a devotee of Mine is dear to Me.

Commentary

The refrain 'sa me priyaḥ' (he is dear to Me) appears for the first time here and recurs through verse 20, creating a literary structure unique in the Gita. Madhva notes that 'dṛḍha-niścaya' (firm conviction) distinguishes the mature devotee from the wavering seeker. The combination of contentment (santuṣṭa) and firm resolve shows that devotion is not passive but dynamically stable.

Themes

bhaktiyogasurrender