Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 17

Gita 7.17

तेषाम्, ज्ञानी, नित्ययुक्तः, एकभक्तिः, विशिष्यते,
प्रियः, हि, ज्ञानिनः, अत्यर्थम्, अहम्, सः, च, मम, प्रियः।।17।।

Gita 7.17

Teshaam’, gyaani, nityayuktH, ekbhaktiH, vishishyate,
PriyaH, hi, gyaaninH, atyartham’, aham’, saH, ch, mm, priyaH ||17||

Translation: (Teshaam’) among those (nityayuktH) always fixed (ekbhaktiH) bhakti of one God (gyaani) Gyaani - learned (vishishyate) is the best (hi) because (gyaaninH) to the learned (aham’) I am (atyartham’) very (priyaH) dear (ch) and (saH) that leaned (mm) me (priyaH) is dear. (17)

Gita 7.17: Among those, the learned, who is always fixed in the bhakti of one God, is the best because I am very dear to the learned and that learned is very dear to me.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 17 - Meaning

The knowledge giver of Bhagavad Gita has mentioned in Gita 7.16 that four types of people worship him. In 7.17 he says that out of those four, the learned (Gyani) is very dear to me beacuse that learned soul is fixed on worshipping one God. In the next verse i.e. 7.18, the knowledge giver of Bhagavad Gita says that although that learned soul is noble as he is worshipping me (and no one lese) but despite that he is actually engrossed in my utterly useless salvation. He says so because he knows that whosoever worships him remains in the cycle of birth and death and cannot attain liberation. Therefore he calls his worship to be of inferior quality (anuttamaam) in Gita 7.18.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 17