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← Chapter 12: The Yoga of Devotion

Verse 12.17

Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ||१७||

Transliteration (IAST)

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati | śubhāśubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||17||

Word-by-Word Meanings

na hṛṣyati-does not rejoice
na dveṣṭi-does not hate
na śocati-does not grieve
na kāṅkṣati-does not desire
śubha-aśubha-parityāgī-renouncing good and evil
bhaktimān-full of devotion

Translation

One who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, who renounces both good and evil, and who is full of devotion - such a one is dear to Me.

Commentary

Shankaracharya explains 'śubhāśubha-parityāgī' as transcending the duality of puṇya and pāpa - the devotee has moved beyond the moral calculus of merit and demerit into pure love. This does not mean moral indifference but rather that action flows from devotion rather than from desire for reward or fear of punishment.

Themes

bhaktimokshasurrender