Chapter 7: Jñāna Vijñāna Yoga – Knowledge and its Actualization: Verse 17
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते ।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: ॥
teṣāṃ jñānī nitya-yukta
eka-bhaktir-viśiṣyate
priyo hi jñānino’ty-arthamahaṃ
sa ca mama priya: – 7.17
Of these four, the Knower with his singular devotion is unbrokenly united with Me. He verily excels. For the Knower I am extremely dear, and he too is extremely dear to Me.
Chapter 7: Jñāna Vijñāna Yoga – Knowledge and its Actualization - Verse 17
Ma Gurupriya
What is devotion, its true nature? How does it grow, where lies its fulfilment? All these questions, though very relevant to devotion and devotees, are seldom taken up for reflection. As a result, devotion remains constricted. And the fortune of fullness and abundance is denied to devotees. Hence Krishna’s analysis is invaluable.
Having listed the four kinds of devotees, he describes the Knower of truth as having the best place among them. A Knower does not indulge in formal worship, with flowers, garlands, milk, pudding and the like. Through his mind and intelligence, he is well connected to his object of worship.
God alone is; everyone as well as everything alike is God. Thus the Knower gains eka-bhaktiḥ, and excels in his singular devotion. Such a one is dear to Krishna, and Krishna is equally dear to him. Dearness graces him always, filling him to the full, even overflowing!
