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The Devotee Dear to the Lord

At the end of chapter 12 the Lord draws the person who is dear to Him: free of hatred, friendly and compassionate, level in pain and pleasure, skilful and steady. Three readings of Gita 12.13-20, and what 'dear' means.

In brief

  • The Lord's dear devotee is known by how the person lives, not by rites: no hatred, friendliness and compassion toward all, level in pain and pleasure (12.13-14).
  • All the marks come from one centre, mind and intellect offered to the Lord (12.14); such a person neither shakes others nor is shaken by them (12.15).
  • Praise and blame, honour and dishonour, friend and foe leave the person level, because the hold on things is light (12.18-19).
  • The portrait is a direction, not an exam: those who live it as taught, with faith, are 'exceedingly dear' (12.20).

At the start of chapter 12 Arjuna asked who the best yogi is. The last part of the answer comes not as a rule but as a portrait. In eight verses the Lord says what the person who is dear to Him is like with people, with moods, with events and with work, and again and again He says: such a one is dear to Me.

This is the tenth stop on The Path of Devotion. The step before it, The Ladder of Devotion, gave steps for the person whose mind will not stay; here we see the person who grows by walking them.

There are three readings of this topic. The simple reading begins with an everyday situation. The detailed reading takes the eight verses in order. The deeper reading goes into what "dear" means, how marks that seem to pull against each other fit together, and how commentators read the passage. Two words return all through: friendliness and compassion, the warm side of having no hatred.

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Simple New to this topic. Plain words, one idea at a time. I Pray Every Day, Yet I Still Get Angry: What the Lord Looks for in a Devotee The Lord knows His dear devotee not by rites but by how the person lives: no hatred for anyone, friendly and compassionate toward all, level in pain and pleasure (12.13). 6 min · Read → In Depth Know the basics. Verse by verse, with reasons. The Devotee Dear to the Lord: Gita 12.13-20, Verse by Verse Chapter 12 closes with a person, not a rule: one who hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, and has offered mind and intellect to the Lord (12.13-14). 13 min · Read → Deeper Want the text itself: Sanskrit terms, commentary, close reading. Gita 12.13-20: The Devotee Dear to the Lord, a Close Reading The eight closing verses of chapter 12 draw one person: the centre is mind and intellect offered to the Lord (12.14), and the marks are what that centre looks like in dealing with beings, feelings, events and work (12.13-19). 18 min · Read → Quick summary Short on time. The whole topic in a few minutes. The Devotee Dear to the Lord: Quick Summary The devotee dear to the Lord is known not by rituals but by a way of living: no hatred, friendliness and compassion to all, evenness in pleasure and pain (12.13-14). 12 min · Read →

Key shlokas

Concepts

Common misreadings

  • If you are devoted, bad conduct does not matter

Part of these learning paths

Related topics