Bhakti Yoga · Verse 20

Bhagavad Gita 12.20

Faithful practice turns devotion into closeness.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते ।
श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो मेरेमें श्रद्धा रखनेवाले और मेरे परायण हुए भक्त पहले कहे हुए इस धर्ममय अमृतका अच्छी तरहसे सेवन करते हैं, वे मुझे अत्यन्त प्रिय हैं ॥
English
Those devotees who trust, take refuge in Me, and faithfully live this nectar-like teaching are exceedingly dear to Me.

What this verse means

People who trust Krishna, hold him as their highest aim, and faithfully practice this teaching are very dear to him.

Context & commentary

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, after Krishna has described the qualities of a beloved devotee, he closes the chapter with a direct promise: the person who trusts him, makes him the highest aim, and practices this teaching becomes especially dear to him.

Why this verse still matters

You keep returning to the same hard promise you made to yourself, even when no one applauds. That quiet loyalty changes your relationship to the thing you serve.

The takeaway

Devotion is not just feeling close; it is living the teaching with trust and steady love.

Word-by-word translation

ये (those who) / तु (indeed) / धर्म्यामृतम् (nectar of righteous living) / इदम् (this) / यथा उक्तम् (as spoken) / पर्युपासते (diligently practice) / श्रद्दधानाः (with trust) / मत्परमाः (having Me as the highest) / भक्ताः (devotees) / ते (they) / अतीव (very) / मे (to Me) / प्रियाः (dear)

Explore related themes: bhakti (69 verses), shraddha (34 verses)

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