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Chapter 12 · Devotional Service · 20 verses

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Character & ethicsChapter 12 · Devotional Service
12.1612.18

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 12.17

The qualities of a devotee dear to Krishna

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्‍क्षति ।

श‍ुभाश‍ुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्य: स मे प्रिय: ॥ १७ ॥

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

śubhāśubha-parityāgī

bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ

Translation

One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things – such a devotee is very dear to Me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Very Dear to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1A devotee who neither rejoices nor grieves, neither laments nor desires, and gives up both auspicious and inauspicious things is very dear to Kṛṣṇa.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that a pure devotee stays steady through material gain and loss and accepts risks to satisfy the Supreme Lord.
  3. 3Keep serving Kṛṣṇa even when you lose something dear or do not get what you want.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 12, Devotional Service: the qualities of a devotee dear to krishna.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Cultivate divine qualities in character.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: daivī-sampat, dharma.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 12.17 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?

Practice

Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.

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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 12.13Qualities of a devotee dear to KrishnaBG 12.14The qualities of a devotee dear to KrishnaBG 16.21Lust, anger and greed lead toward degradation.

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.