Bhagavad Gita 7.17
Jnana Vijnana Yoga · English Translation
Sanskrit
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते | प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः ||७-१७||
Transliteration
teṣāṃ jñānī nityayukta ekabhaktirviśiṣyate . priyo hi jñānino.atyarthamahaṃ sa ca mama priyaḥ ||7-17||
Of them the wise, ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excels (is the best); for I am exceedingly dear to the wise and he is dear to Me.
Word by Word
तेषाम् of them, ज्ञानी the wise, नित्ययुक्तः ever steadfast, एकभक्तिः whose devotion is to the One, विशिष्यते excels, प्रियः dear, हि verily, ज्ञानिनः of the wise, अत्यर्थम् exceedingly, अहम् I, सः he, च and, मम of Me, प्रियः dear
Classical Commentary
Ekabhaktih means unswerving, singleminded devotion to the Supreme Being. The JnaniBhakta is beyond all cults or creeds or formal religion or rules of society. As the wise man is constantly harmonised and as he is devoted to the One, he is regarded as superior to all the other devotees. As I am his very Self or Antaratma? I am extremely dear to him. Everybody loves his own Self most. The Self is very dear to everybody. The wise man is My very Self and he is ear to Me also. (Cf. II.49IX.29XII.14?17and19)