यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः || १७ ||
yo na hṛṣyati na dveṣṭi na śocati na kāṅkṣati śubhāśubha-parityāgī bhaktimān yaḥ sa me priyaḥ
yaḥ—who; na—never; hṛṣyati—rejoices; na—never; dveṣṭi—grieves; na—never; śocati—laments; na—never; kāṅkṣati—desires; śubha-aśubha—of good and evil; parityāgī—renouncer; bhaktimān—devotee; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that person; me—to Me; priyaḥ—dear.
“One who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, who has relinquished both good and evil, and is full of devotion — such a person is dear to Me.”
The phrase 'shubhashubha-parityagi' — one who has renounced both the auspicious and inauspicious — is profound. This does not mean the devotee has abandoned ethical discernment, but that they are no longer bound by the results of actions classified as 'good' or 'bad.' They act rightly not out of fear of bad outcomes or desire for good ones, but out of pure love for the Lord. This is the maturity of devotion beyond spiritual self-interest.
Observe how much of your spiritual practice is still motivated by getting 'good karma' or avoiding 'bad karma.' The verse points beyond this transactional approach to a love of the Divine that needs no reward. The goal of practice is to move from 'I do good things to be blessed' to 'I am an instrument of goodness because that is my nature.'