Live the nectar of dharma with faith.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते |श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ||१२-२०||
ye tu dharmyāmṛtamidaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate . śraddadhānā matparamā bhaktāste.atīva me priyāḥ ||12-20||
Use this verse as Chapter 12 completion reflection.
Meaning
Those faithful devotees who follow this nectar of dharma as taught, regarding Me as supreme, are exceedingly dear to Me.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Faithful devotees who live this nectar of dharma are very dear to Krishna.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Chapter 12 ends by summarizing Bhakti Yoga as lived dharma. The dear devotee is not defined by ritual alone, but by faith, Krishna-centeredness, compassion, steadiness, humility, and action aligned with dharma.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna seals the chapter by calling the whole teaching dharmya-amṛtam — the immortal nectar of righteousness. To live the qualities just described is not a dry discipline but to drink something life-giving and deathless. Those who follow it faithfully (śraddadhānāḥ), holding Him as their supreme goal (mat-paramāḥ), are not merely "dear" as in the earlier verses, but atīva priyāḥ — exceedingly dear to Him.
The intensifying word atīva is significant. Through the passage Krishna has repeated "dear to Me"; now He raises it to its height, revealing how deeply the Lord cherishes the loving devotee. The chapter that began by weighing two paths ends in this tender assurance: faith and devotion, lived out in character, draw the soul into God's most intimate love.
In daily life
Turn Chapter 12 qualities into a daily character practice.
A person can track one quality daily: compassion, steadiness, non-hatred, contentment, or surrender.
Try this today
Choose one Chapter 12 quality and live it today.
I live Bhakti Yoga with faith and love for Krishna.Reflect
Which dear-devotee quality will I practice today?
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Quick check
What does ‘mat-paramāḥ’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on love, in other chapters
- Verse 6.47The highest of all yogis is the one who worships the Divine with faith and a heart wholly given in love.
- Verse 11.44 · ArjunaThe Supreme Lord can be loved as father, friend, and beloved — infinite greatness and tender intimacy are one.
- Verse 18.65Turn your whole heart to the Divine in remembrance, love, and reverence, and you will surely reach it.
- Verse 7.1Knowledge of the Divine ripens not from argument but from a mind anchored in Him, steady practice, and wholehearted refuge.
Swipe left for 13.1 · Spiritual growth begins by asking who am I and what is this body-mind field.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 12.20
Who says Bhagavad Gita 12.20, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 12.20, in Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga (Bhakti Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 12.20 mean?
Those faithful devotees who follow this nectar of dharma as taught, regarding Me as supreme, are exceedingly dear to Me. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 12.20 for daily life?
Turn Chapter 12 qualities into a daily character practice. A person can track one quality daily: compassion, steadiness, non-hatred, contentment, or surrender.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 12.20 mean?
ye — those who; tu — but, indeed; dharmya-amṛtam — this immortal essence of righteousness, nectar of dharma; idam — this; yathā-uktam — as described above.
Where does verse 12.20 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 20 of 20 in Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga. It closes the chapter; Chapter 13 begins with verse 13.1.