Bhagavad-gītā 12.16
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः।सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः।।12.16।।
anapekṣhaḥ śhuchir dakṣha udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
He who is free from dependence, who is pure, prompt, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing every undertaking,:he who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me.
English rendering by Swami Swarupananda. Public domain first edition, 1909.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| anapekṣhaḥ | indifferent to worldly gain |
| śhuchiḥ | pure |
| dakṣhaḥ | skillful |
| udāsīnaḥ | without cares |
| gata-vyathaḥ | untroubled |
| sarva-ārambha | of all undertakings |
| parityāgī | renouncer |
| saḥ | who |
| mat-bhaktaḥ | my devotee |
| saḥ | he |
| me | to ne |
| priyaḥ | very dear |
Begin with the verse itself, then trace its movement through anapekṣhaḥ (indifferent to worldly gain), parityāgī (renouncer), and priyaḥ (very dear). Ask what changes between the first and last term, and how that movement contributes to loving devotion and the qualities of a devotee. State the connection in your own words, then check it against Bhagavad-gita 12.16.
Original school explanation. Written independently from the Sanskrit word map. It is not a quotation, translation, or summary of a named modern commentary. Chapter lens: Compare approaches to worship and study the concrete qualities of a devotee across the chapter’s compact sequence.
Five careful reading routes
The cards below are reading references, not claims about what an acharya says in this verse. Modern wording stays inside authorized editions. Classical commentary will appear only after an independent translation has passed scholarly and rights review.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
He who is free from dependence, who is pure, prompt, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing every undertaking,
- 2
he who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me
- 3
anapekṣhaḥ: indifferent to worldly gain
Look, link, cover, teach
Look
Picture the path of devotion.
Link
Use the line starts: anapekṣhaḥ śhuchir / sarvārambha-parityāgī yo.
Cover
Hide the verse and rebuild one line at a time.
Teach
Explain the flow to another person without looking.
Turn this reading into a study record
Save it, return from memory, and write one idea in your own words. Your record stays in this browser unless you export it.
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavad-gita As It IsFor Bhagavad-gita 12.16, consult the authorized BBT edition. No purport, translation, or author-attributed summary is reproduced here.
Find the authorized editionBhaktivinoda Thakura
Rasika-ranjanaA verified independent rendering for Bhagavad-gita 12.16 has not yet passed scholarly and rights review. Modern translations are not copied here.
Independent rendering pending reviewBaladeva Vidyabhushana
Gita-bhushana-bhashyaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 12.16 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewVishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Sarartha-varshini-tikaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 12.16 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewOther Gaudiya acharyas
Authorized Gaudiya editionsFor Bhagavad-gita 12.16, later teachers remain a further-reading route. Their wording and distinctive teaching structures require permission or a separate rights review.
Use an authorized edition