ye tu dharmamritam idam
yathoktam paryupasate
sraddadhana mat-parama
bhaktas te ’tiva me priyah

"Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me."

Te bhakta = those devotees, ativa priya = excessively or very dear, me = to Me [Sri Krishna]. He praises the glory of His devotees. This sloka reveals His love for His devotees. Up to sloka 12, Sri Krishna mentioned Four stages of devotion or Bhakti. In fact, in sloka 2 itself, He told Arjuna that one should concentrate on Him and devote. When Arjuna expressed difficulties to follow, the Lord suggested an easier way of meditating on His auspicious qualities. When this was also difficult for Arjuna, He suggested a simpler way of doing service to the Lord in temples, etc. When Arjuna found doing any service for others was difficult, the Lord advised to meditate on one's own Atman and perform Karma-Yoga. Such a Karma-Yogi has to develop certain qualities and these were elaborated in slokas from 13 to 19. Thus simplifying the efforts of a devotee to, at least, do Karma Yoga and in the last Seven slokas, the qualities to be nurtured were told by the Lord. Thus with sloka 19, that subject was over. But, in sloka 20, the Lord praises the glory of the devotee mentioned in sloka 2. Therefore, the subjects in sloka 19 and in sloka 20 are not the same and have no connection. Seven slokas up to sloka 19 deal with a person in Karma Yoga. This sloka, 20, is about Bhakti-Yogi. Is there any confusion? No. Bhakti Yoga results from Karma Yoga. Without doing one's own duties how Bhakti can spring? In the Seven slokas up to sloka 19, the Lord explained the good qualities that were to be cultivated to get atman sakshatkaram by a Karma Yogi. Now He describes the greatness of devotees mentioned in sloka 2. Ye tu = for such persons, idam = this [Bhakti marg], [which is] dharma = dharma, amritam = [and] amrut, yatoktam = as told [earlier in sloka 2], paryupasate = is amply followed, sraddadhana = well devoted, that is those who are enthusiastic about it as it was told by Sri Krishna. We can expect results in an action in which we are enthusiastic about it. Without such a liking, an action will never be completed. If we do actions just because others have told us to do and without enthusiasm, such actions will never be complete. Nothing should be done under compulsion. We should do with involvement. Going to temples or chanting His names should not be mechanical. We should have shraddha or involvement and desire to do. Mat parama = desiring to be always with Me [Sri Krishna]. Such Bhaktas are very, very dear to the Lord. Two words are mentioned - dharma and amrutam. Amrutam is prapyam or purushartam or the objective. Dharma is upaya or means. We have thus means and destination. To be with the Lord in Vaikuntam is purushartam or prapyam. To obtain that we have to practice Bhakti yoga. Sadhana, upaya or prapagam all denote the means to achieve an objective. Bhakti yoga, the Lord says would be both means and objective. Swami Ramanuja says that performing Bhakti yoga is so pleasant that it is as pleasant as the objective. Bhakti is thus very sweet to practice and will give the same satisfaction as the result. Only a devotee can say about its pleasure. They are totally insulated from all others. They do not care about their health nor worry about disputes. It is as though they were dwelling in a separate world! Their only aim is to be with the Lord. Such devotees are very dear to the Lord.
                                                                                                              (continued)