|| 12.20 ||
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासते। श्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः।।
ye tu dharmyāmṛtam idaṁ yathoktaṁ paryupāsate śraddadhānā mat-paramā bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
Word by Word
ye (those who) tu (but) dharmya-amṛtam (nectar of Dharma) idam (this) yathā (as) uktam (spoken) paryupāsate (worship) śraddadhānāḥ (with faith) mat-paramāḥ (making Me the supreme) bhaktāḥ (devotees) te (they) atīva (extremely) me (to Me) priyāḥ (dear).
Translation
He who follows this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engages himself with faith, making Me the supreme goal, is very, very dear to Me.
Meaning
Kṛṣṇa concludes the 12th chapter by summarizing the path as ‘Dharmyāmṛtam’—the Nectar of Dharma. He declares that those who follow these instructions with faith, making Him their supreme goal, are ‘Atīva me priyāḥ’—extremely dear to Him. This is the ultimate destination of the yoga ladder.
While Kṛṣṇa loves all beings, He has a special place in His heart for those who consciously try to align their lives with His will. This nectar is not just a reward after death; it is the sweet experience of devotion right now. To live a life of selfless service and character is to taste immortality in every moment.
This final verse of the chapter is a powerful motivator. It reminds us that the goal of all spiritual rules and character building is simply to please the Supreme Lord. When we are ‘dear’ to Kṛṣṇa, we lack nothing. We have found the ultimate refuge and the highest happiness possible for the soul.