Bhagavad Gita — Bhakti Yoga, Shloka 20
Bhakti Yoga
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते । श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः ॥ १२.२० ॥
ye tu dharmyāmṛtam idaṃ yathoktaṃ paryupāsate | śraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ || 12.20 ||
But those devotees who, with faith, making Me their supreme goal, duly follow this dharma—this nectar-like teaching as declared—those are exceedingly dear to Me.
But those devotees who, with faith, making Me their supreme goal, follow this nectar-like teaching of dharma as declared—those are exceedingly dear to Me.
Those who, however, practice this ‘dharma-nectar’ as stated, with trust/faith, having Me as their highest aim—those devotees are exceedingly dear to Me.
‘Dharmyāmṛta’ is a compound often rendered as “nectar of dharma” or “dharma that is nectar-like.” ‘Paryupāsate’ can mean devotedly practice/attend upon. Traditional translations stress devotional exclusivity (“Me as supreme”); academic renderings keep the superlative orientation while noting it as part of the text’s theistic bhakti rhetoric.
FAQs
Faith and a clear highest aim can unify motivation and reduce ambivalence, supporting consistent practice and emotional coherence.
Calling the teaching “nectar” frames dharma as life-giving and enduring; the highest-aim orientation implies a theistic ultimate ground for value and liberation.
This verse closes the chapter’s description of the ideal devotee and affirms the value of practicing the preceding teaching as a coherent path.
Choose a stable guiding value or ultimate purpose, and cultivate consistent practice with reflective trust rather than constant doubt.