Verse 12.16
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥
Transliteration
anapekṣaḥ śucirdakṣa udāsīno gatavyathaḥ |
sarvārambhaparityāgī yo madbhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · @indic-transliteration/sanscript 1.3.3
Translation
He who is free from wants, pure, expert, unconcerned, and free from pain, renouncing all undertakings or commencements he who is (thus) devoted to Me, is dear to Me.
From the owner's sheet · +1 more
One who expects nothing, is pure, capable, unconcerned and untroubled, and has given up every self-serving undertaking: such a devotee of mine is dear to me.
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08 · +1 more
Word by word
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08
Explanation
The devotee dear to Krishna expects nothing, is pure and capable, unconcerned and free from distress. He has given up every self-serving undertaking, sarvārambha-parityāgī. The word dakṣa, capable or skilful, is noteworthy: devotion does not make a person ineffective in the world. Giving up self-serving undertakings means acting without personal ambition, not ceasing to act. The verse combines competence with detachment, a combination the Gita repeatedly recommends.
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08