yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi
na śocati na kāńkṣati
śubhāśubha-parityāgī
bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 12.17
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.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
A pure devotee is neither happy nor distressed over material gain and loss, nor is he very much anxious to get a son or disciple, nor is he distressed by not getting them. If he loses anything which is very dear to him, he does not lament. Similarly, if he does not get what he desires, he is not distressed. He is transcendental in the face of all kinds of auspicious, inauspicious and sinful activities. He is prepared to accept all kinds of risks for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Nothing is an impediment in the discharge of his devotional service. Such a devotee is very dear to Krishna.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
No commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
12.17 He who does not ‘rejoice’, i.e., that Karma Yogin, who, on obtaining things which cause joy to man, does not rejoice; who does not ‘hate’, does not hate on obtaining anything undesriable; who is not ‘grieved’ by common sorrows which cause grief among men, as the loss of wife, son, fortune etc.; who ‘does not desire’ anything like wife, son, fortune etc.; not already acquired by him; who ‘renounces good and evil,’ i.e., who renounces both merit and demerit because, like demert, merit also causes bondage, there being no difference between them in this respect — he who is like this and devoted to Me is dear to Me.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
The devotee of Lord Krishna who neither rejoices on receiving what is pleasant or laments at receiving what is displeasing, who neither grieves at that which is lost or hankers after that which is yet to be obtained, who habitually renounces the desire for rewards for all actions and who is full of bhakti or exclusive loving devotion for the Supreme Lord Krishna is very dear to Him.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
One who neither rejoices upon receiving something delightful nor despairs in receiving something that is not a delight, no laments when the delightful object is lost, nor desires to possess it again and who renounces both positive and negative actions which bind one to karma or reactions to actions with positive and negative consequenses; such a devotee of Lord Krishna is very dear to Him.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
12.17 Yah, he who; na hrsyati, does not rejoice on getting a coveted object; na dvesti, does not fret on getting an undesirable object; na socati, does not lament on the loss of a dear one; and na kanksati, does not hanker after an object not acquired; subha-asubha-parityogi, who gives up good and bad, who is apt to give up good and bad actions; bhaktiman, who is full of devotion-he is dear to Me.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
12.15-20 Yasmat etc. upto Me priyah. One who has no fixed thought : One who has no resolution, [in his mundane life] like ‘This alone must be done by me’. He, who enjoys, with contentment, both pleasure and pain as they come, and has his mind completely absorbed in Supreme Lord – that person happily (or easily) attains the Supreme Isolation (Emancipation)
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
yo na hrsyati na dvesti
na socati na kanksati
subhasubha-parityagi
bhaktiman yah sa me priyah
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
yaḥ — one who; na — never; hṛṣyati — takes pleasure; na — never; dveṣṭi — grieves; na — never; śocati — laments; na — never; kāńkṣati — desires; śubha — of the auspicious; aśubha — and the inauspicious; parityāgī — renouncer; bhakti-mān — devotee; yaḥ — one who; saḥ — he is; me — to Me; priyaḥ — dear.
