Verse 18.65
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु | मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ||६५||
Transliteration (IAST)
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru | mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo 'si me ||65||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
Fix your mind on Me, be My devotee, worship Me, bow down to Me. You shall come to Me alone. Truly I promise you, for you are dear to Me.
Commentary
Krishna makes a personal promise of liberation to His devotee. Shankaracharya explains the four-fold instruction: mental devotion (man-manā), emotional devotion (mad-bhakta), ritual devotion (mad-yājī), and physical devotion (namaskuru). Ramanuja considers this verse the essence of the Gita's teaching on bhakti - a direct, personal assurance from God to the surrendered soul. The word 'pratijāne' (I promise) is unique in the Gita.