यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः ।
हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः ।। १२.१५ ।।

yasmān-nodvijate loko lokān-nodvijate ca yaḥ |
harṣāmarṣa-bhayodvegair-mukto yaḥ sa ca me priyaḥ || 12.15 ||

Devotion and behavioural refinement

The succeeding propositions Krishna makes have great relevance in the interactional life of the devotee:

One by whom the world is not troubled and who does not feel troubled by the world, who is freed from the clutches of delight and hatred, fear and anxiety, is very dear to the Supreme.

A devotee is supposed to be an excellent individual. Sadhakas should not forget this basic fact. In the name of devotion, none has the freedom or right to lead a haphazard, uncivilized or unrefined life, unmindful of all righteous norms. In fact, devotion should enrich one with adequate goodness, elegance and refinement, which are otherwise hard to acquire. The devotee should excel in character, behaviour and interactions with others. Only then devotional life will shine and be worthy of emulation by others.

Krishna thus insists that the world, despite all its complexities and contradictions, should not the least disturb or agitate the devotee. The devotee too should not prove harmful or troublesome to the society. The devotee will be able to imbibe and display this kind of spiritual elegance and charm only when his mind is freed from the conventional agitations, namely harsha (delight), amarsha (resentment) and bhaya (fear). It is the mind’s own swinging and swerving that result in harmful, displeasing or painful reactions. From a moderated, refined and expanded mind, whatever interactions follow will be quite endearing and enriching. This is what should transpire in the case of a devotee, says Krishna.

See how effectively Krishna incorporates true spiritual disciplines and sublimation in devotional life and pursuit! To make the pronouncement most effective, he states that only a devotee with such inner sublimity and enrichment will become dear to the Lord. What greater motivation, inspiration or compulsion can be there for any devotional seeker to look into his mind and bring about these refinements that represent true sadhana?