BG 12.17 — Bhakti-Yoga — Sūtrakṛt-Gītā

Bhagavad Gītā 12.17Chapter 12 · Bhakti-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।

शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान् यः स मे प्रियः ॥

yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati

śubhāśubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

One who neither rejoices nor resents, neither grieves nor craves, who has left behind both the good and the bad, that devotee is dear to me.

ekras · bhāṣya

One who does not exult, does not hate; does not grieve, does not crave; relinquishing both shubha and ashubha — that bhakta is dear to Me. Four affect-pairs and the relinquishment of moral duality. The verse names the bhakta's freedom from the four basic affective movements.

Shankara reads each precisely. Na hrishyati — does not exult at gain. Na dveshti — does not hate. Na shochati — does not grieve at loss. Na kankshati — does not crave the not-yet-attained. Shubha-ashubha-parityagi — having relinquished even the moral duality. The four affects bracket the inner life into four corners; the bhakta has stepped out of all four.

Madhusudana reads with characteristic precision: the four-fold absence is structurally significant. Hrishya-dvesha name the present-tense reactions; shoka-kanksha name the temporal reactions toward past loss and future gain. The bhakta has dropped all four. Shubha-ashubha-parityaga is the deeper move — relinquishing even the categories of good and bad as personal claim, while continuing to act dharmically.

Ramanuja reads with characteristic warmth: Bhagavan names the bhakta whose inner field has settled.

Madhva reads on the bheda-frame: the eternally distinct jiva, surrendered to svatantra Hari, no longer reacts in the four affective registers.

Vallabha reads through pushti-marga: the four-fold absence is prasada's signature.

Shridhara reads cleanly: no exult, no hate, no grief, no craving; both shubha and ashubha relinquished.

Context

where

Chapter 12 · Bhakti-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 12.16

He wants nothing, stays clean and capable, stands apart from every side, is free of distress, and drops every self-willed undertaking, that devotee of mine is dear to me.

What's going on

One who neither rejoices nor resents, neither grieves nor craves, who has left behind both the good and the bad, that devotee is dear to me.

Sūtras through this verse (51)

AbhinavaguptaclassicalG

Saṃvit: one referent under many namesbetween

12.5Every 'Me' from Krishna is Śiva-consciousness speaking.───→here12.17───→18.62Three names yoked — one referent sealed.

MadhusūdanaclassicalA

Three groups of six: you, the Lord, the joiningbetween

7.1First six unfold 'you,' middle six unfold 'that.'───→here12.17───→12.20The middle six are sealed and finished.

ĀnandagiriclassicalB

Three hexads = tat tvam asibetween

7.1Middle hexad named: tat-padārtha begins.───→here12.17───→12.20Middle hexad closes; tat-pada sealed.

show all 51

Madhusūdanaclassicalmadhusudan_bhagavad_arpana

Madhusudan Bhagavad Arpanabetween · other

11.55Five offering-clauses───→here12.17───→12.20Mat-paramāḥ as upasaṃhāra

MadhusūdanaclassicalB

Different students need different teachingsbetween

12.1Saguṇa or nirguṇa? Depends on who's asking.───→here12.17───→17.1A third class: faith without textual training.

MadhusūdanaclassicalD

Offer the act to the Lord and it stops bindingbetween

11.55The whole Gītā distilled to five offering-clauses.───→here12.17───→12.20Holding-Me-supreme seals the bhakti chapter.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesbetween

11.55The five-clause crystal is bhakti named whole.───→here12.17───→12.20Saguṇa worship ripens into nirguṇa knowing.

MadhusūdanaclassicalF

Every middle chapter opens with a bow to the teacherbetween

11.55With awe I praise him, Kāśirāja, my teacher.───→here12.17───→12.20Therefore I praise him, Kāśirāja, my own.

MadhusūdanaclassicalI

Liberation while alive — the body finishes its runbetween

9.22The undivided devotee is already complete.───→here12.17───→12.20The middle six closes on the fearless ripened one.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalH

Bhakti as non-dual recognitionbetween

12.2Two paths reconciled — one gracious face.───→here12.17───→18.65Four parallel ways of saying one thing.

JayatīrthaclassicalB

Pañcabheda — the five distinctions enforced verse by versebetween

12.3Avyakta worshippers stay plural, distinct.───→here12.17───→15.16Bhūta is not inert; ranges over jīvas.

JayatīrthaclassicalD

Saṅgati declared at the head of every adhyāyabetween

12.1Avyakta follows the manifest rūpa.───→here12.17───→15.1World-tree rooted up; Viṣṇu is ūrdhva.

JayatīrthaclassicalE

Vishnu-sarvottamatva read into apparently neutral wordsbetween

12.1Beyond avyakta is puruṣa, and Viṣṇu.───→here12.17───→15.1World-tree rooted up; Viṣṇu is ūrdhva-mūla.

JayatīrthaclassicalF

Bhakti-tāratamya: gradation among devotees, gradation in fruitbetween

12.5Avyakta-path costs greater toil.───→here12.17───→12.20Dear devotee is at the apex.

JayatīrthaclassicalH

Pūrva-pakṣa explicit — nanu / iti cet / ity ata āhabetween

12.5Avyakta-rival raised, then answered.───→here12.17───→18.3Three pakṣas staged at the chapter head.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

9.34Bind your mind to Me, the only safe tie.───→here12.17───→12.20The devotee holds this teaching dearest.

RamsukhdasclassicalF

Surrender — the single shelterbetween

12.6Surrender every act, and He lifts you out.───→here12.17───→18.62Take refuge whole; grace is the road.

RamsukhdasclassicalG

Equanimity in everythingbetween

12.13Friend to all, equal in cold and in heat.───→here12.17───→14.24Past the modes, equal in praise and blame.

RamsukhdasclassicalH

All paths arrive at the same roombetween

12.12Even devotion holds its own gradient.───→here12.17───→18.66Devotion's flagship, and the closing door.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here12.17───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalE

Field and field-knower as Parameśvaraapproach

───→here12.17───→13.1One knower in every field — Parameśvara.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalA

Knowing and acting are one powerexit

11.34Already slain — the question is finally retired.───→here12.17───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalC

Vision is the structural centerexit

11.49Cosmic returns to gracious; ananya means non-dual.───→here12.17───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departureexit

11.46Cosmic and gracious one self-luminous.───→here12.17───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalC

Adhikāra: seeker vs. fulfilledbetween

12.12Bhakti's gradient is jijñāsu-relative.───→here12.17───→18.66Arjuna lacks formal saṃnyāsa-fitness.

ĀnandagiriclassicalG

Anūdyate, na vidhīyatebetween

12.12Bhakta's gradient read as description.───→here12.17───→13.7Twenty jñāna-qualities: still description.

ĀnandagiriclassicalI

Bhakti carries jñāna, never parallelbetween

12.12Bhakti's gradient ends in jñāna.───→here12.17───→12.20Closing the bhakti hexad on jñāna.

ĀnandagiriclassicalK

Upasaṃhāra — recap as instrumentbetween

6.46Dhyāna section sealed: yogin is supreme.───→here12.17───→12.20Bhakti hexad sealed at the close.

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)between

12.1Sa-guṇa or nir-guṇa, which path wins?───→here12.17───→13.1Open the third ṣaṭka: field and knower.

RāmānujaclassicalE

Bhakti as continuous recollectionbetween

12.7I lift them across.───→here12.17───→18.65Recollection like sight: the final command.

RāmānujaclassicalJ

Śeṣa-śeṣī · pati-vrata similebetween

12.7I lift him across.───→here12.17───→18.65You are dear to Me — I promise.

MadhvaclassicalT4

Liberation is bliss in body — not absorptionbetween

12.5The formless route is hard for a reason.───→here12.17───→14.2At creation's reissue the released remain free.

MadhvaclassicalT6

Citation is the spine — texts carry the loadbetween

12.6Saukarāyaṇa-śruti ranks the personal route.───→here12.17───→14.3Kāṣāyaṇa-śruti gives three goddesses one job each.

MadhvaclassicalT8

Direct vision — the only proximate causebetween

12.12Anabhimlāna-śruti names every rung in order.───→here12.17───→13.25Three classes, one ladder, each class on a different rung.

MadhvaclassicalT9

Devotion and grace — what knowledge cannot do alonebetween

12.5The personal route is easier — by design.───→here12.17───→18.66Drop every refuge, take the One refuge.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homebetween

12.2Such are dearest to Me of all yogis.───→here12.17───→12.20These devotees are exceedingly dear.

ŚrīdharaclassicalH

The grammar of single-pointednessbetween

12.6Single-aim devotion draws the lifting hand.───→here12.17───→14.26Unswerving devotion crosses the modes.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinebetween

12.1Form or formless: which is the better road?───→here12.17───→13.2I lift my devotees, so I now teach truth.

RāmānujaclassicalK

Tri-guṇa diagnostic for the bhaktaapproach

───→here12.17───→13.20Both natures cause the body's binding.

ŚrīdharaclassicalG

Soul as His portion, neither cut nor identicalapproach

───→here12.17───→14.26Fit for the state of brahman, not fused.

VallabhaclassicalA

Two paths — rule-bound and grace-onlybetween

11.55Grace-soul acts only when the Lord wills.───→here12.17───→12.20The dear devotee holds the teaching fast.

VallabhaclassicalG

The Lord plays — calf-affection, not contractbetween

12.1The object of love is the puruṣottama himself.───→here12.17───→18.65The chariot-driving Lord is the calf-affection ocean.

VallabhaclassicalH

Stilling the mind — into the Lordbetween

12.14Steady, restrained, mind and intellect bound to Me.───→here12.17───→18.66The avatāra exists for the sake of total mind-rest.

Ekrasmodernbhakti

Bhakti — devotion pathbetween · v2

12.13Dear-bhakta description begins───→here12.17───→18.66Take refuge in Me alone

Ekrasmodernforgiveness

Forgivenessbetween · other

12.14Steady, satisfied───→here12.17───→16.1Daivī-sampad opens

Gauravmodernheart_leadership

Heart Leadershipbetween

12.14'Santushtah satatam yogi yatatma dridha-nishchayah.' Always content, self-contro───→here12.17───→18.61'Ishvarah sarva-bhutanam hrid-deshe'rjuna tishthati.' The Lord stands in the hea

ŚaṅkaraclassicalI

The lover and the knower are one personbetween

12.2The form-devotee is most perfectly joined.───→here12.17───→12.20Living this teaching itself is the highest devotion.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalB

Prapatti — bhakti's access for those the long path defeatsbetween

12.7I lift them out of saṃsāra's ocean.───→here12.17───→18.66The phala-vilamba grief is what 18.66 closes.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionbetween

12.1Arjuna's question Krishna already answered.───→here12.17───→13.1The kṣetra-question resolves 12.20's hint.

Gauravmodernthree_yogas_braid

Three Yogas Braidexit

12.12'Shreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj jnanad dhyanam vishishyate, dhyanat karma-phala-tyaga───→here12.17───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingexit

11.55Acting for Me, holding Me supreme — that is the road.───→here12.17───→

Śabda · lemmas (13 unique · 17 occurrences)

हृष्यति √hṛṣ — to be glad, rejoice (verbal root) · present indicative 3rd person singular verb
द्वेष्टि √dviṣ — to hate (verbal root); enemy · present indicative 3rd person singular verb
शोचति √śuc — to grieve (verbal root) · present indicative 3rd person singular verb · also at 12.19, 18.54
काङ्क्षति √kāṅkṣ — to desire, long for (verbal root) · present indicative 3rd person singular verb
भक्तिमान् bhaktimat — endowed with devotion (bhakti + -mat 'possessor of') · nominative masculine singular noun · also at 12.19

show all 13

न na ×4 — not (negation particle)
यः yad ×2 — which, who (relative pronoun) · nominative masculine singular noun
शुभ śubha — auspicious, good · compound
अशुभ aśubha — inauspicious (a- + śubha 'auspicious') · compound
परित्यागी parityāgin — renunciant (pari- 'around' + √tyaj 'abandon' + -in 'possessor of') · nominative masculine singular noun
स tad — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · nominative masculine singular noun
मे mad — I, me (1st person pronoun stem); also: to rejoice (verbal root) · genitive singular noun
प्रियः priya — dear, beloved · nominative masculine singular noun

Praśna · so what (7)

01What is the difference between the equanimity described here and the numbness of someone who has suppressed their emotional responses through conditioning or trauma — how would a bhakta tell the two apart in themselves?
02Ramanuja insists that even punya (meritorious action) binds no less than papa — does this mean the verse is not about ethical improvement at all, but about a different axis entirely?

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03Vallabha reads non-anxiety as the child's trust in the parent's provision rather than philosophical detachment — what conditions make such trust available, and can it be cultivated or only received?
04Shankara treats shubha-ashubha-parityaga as the outward mark of one in whom doership has already been severed by jnana — is this verse then prescriptive (do this) or descriptive (this is what liberation looks like from the outside)?
05Madhusudana breaks the verse into a four-fold analysis of a single compound from the preceding verse — what does this method of vivritih (elaboration-as-unpacking) tell us about how the Gita's own internal architecture is organized?
06If hrishyati (elation) and dveshti (aversion) are symptoms of the same root — attachment to outcomes — does eliminating them require addressing the root once, or does each symptom require its own discipline?
07The verse lists four negative movements (na hrishyati, na dveshti, na shochati, na kanksati) and then a single positive characterization (bhaktiman) — is the bhakti that qualifies all four negations, or does bhakti arise only after all four are overcome?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When a professional receives news of promotion or failure, the Advaita practitioner uses the moment not to perform equanimity but to investigate: 'Who is it that would elate or despair?' The investigation itself is the practice — not suppression of the response but inquiry into the one who would respond.

Dvaita

In a business decision that goes against one's planning, the Dvaita practitioner rests in the conviction that Hari's sovereign will (svatantra-iccha) is operative — not as passive fatalism but as the ground from which the next action of dedicated service is taken, uncolored by resentment or self-pity.

show all 4

Bhakti

In a relationship where a loved one withdraws affection, Sridhara's devotee does not suppress the ache but redirects the psychological anchoring: the ache reveals where the heart was moored outside of the Lord. The practice is not to stop loving but to re-route the love toward its source (mad-bhaktiman), so that the beloved's shifting moods lose their power to destabilize.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusudana's synthesis applies in creative work: the artist who neither elates at praise (ishta-prapti) nor despairs at rejection (anishta-prapti), neither grieves the loss of an earlier inspired state (prapta-ishta-viyoga) nor grasps for its return (aprapta-ishta-samyoga) — this four-fold freedom is the condition under which genuine creative receptivity becomes possible, and it is sustained not by discipline alone but by devotion to the work as offering.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 12, Verse 17: Krishna to Arjuna — Bhakti-Yoga