In plain words
One who works for Me, holds Me as the supreme goal, is My bhakta, free from attachment and without hostility toward any being—that person comes to Me, Pandava.
Word for word
He who does My work, has Me as the highest, is devoted to Me, free from attachment, without enmity towards all beings: he comes to Me, O son of Pāṇḍu.
मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितःनिर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव
Other commentaries
The commentators
▸Bhagavadgītābhāṣyam
अधुना सर्वस्य गीताशास्त्रस्य सारभूतः अर्थः निःश्रेयसार्थः अनुष्ठेयत्वेन समुच्चित्य उच्यते —
मत्कर्मकृत् मदर्थं कर्म मत्कर्म, तत् करोतीति मत्कर्मकृत् । मत्परमः — करोति भृत्यः स्वामिकर्म, न तु आत्मनः परमा प्रेत्य गन्तव्या गतिरिति स्वामिनं प्रतिपद्यते ; अयं तु मत्कर्मकृत् मामेव परमां गतिं प्रतिपद्यते इति मत्परमः, अहं परमः परा गतिः यस्य सोऽयं मत्परमः । तथा मद्भक्तः मामेव सर्वप्रकारैः सर्वात्मना सर्वोत्साहेन भजते इति मद्भक्तः । सङ्गवर्जितः धनपुत्रमित्रकलत्रबन्धुवर्गेषु सङ्गवर्जितः सङ्गः प्रीतिः स्नेहः तद्वर्जितः । निर्वैरः निर्गतवैरः सर्वभूतेषु शत्रुभावरहितः आत्मनः अत्यन्तापकारप्रवृत्तेष्वपि । यः ईदृशः मद्भक्तः सः माम् एति, अहमेव तस्य परा गतिः, न अन्या गतिः काचित् भवति । अयं तव उपदेशः इष्टः मया उपदिष्टः हे पाण्डव इति ॥ ५५ ॥
In plain words
Now the meaning that is the essence of the entire Gītā — the meaning whose whole aim is liberation — is gathered into one and stated, as something to be lived out, not just understood —
'One who does my work' simply means this: work offered for my sake is 'my work', and whoever does that work is 'one who does my work'. 'One for whom I am the highest' — picture an ordinary servant. He does his master's work, but he never actually believes his master is the ultimate destination of his life after death. This devotee is different: by doing my work, he reaches Me, truly, as his highest goal. That is what makes him 'one for whom I am the highest' — he holds, 'I am the supreme, the ultimate goal,' and whoever holds that is this. In the same way, 'my devotee' means someone who worships only Me, in every way, with his whole being, with everything he has got — nothing less makes him 'my devotee'. 'Free of attachment' means free of clinging to wealth, children, friends, a spouse, an entire circle of relatives — attachment here just means fondness, affection — and he has let go of it. 'Free of enmity' means hostility toward no living being has any place in him, not even toward someone actively doing him real harm. Whoever is a devotee of mine in this way reaches Me. I alone am his highest goal; there is no other destination for him, none at all. This, Arjuna, is my teaching, dear to me, and I have given it to you myself.
Close to the Sanskrit
Now the meaning which is the essence of the whole Gītā-śāstra, having liberation for its aim, is stated, having been gathered together under the aspect of what is to be practised —
'Matkarmakṛt' — work done for my sake is 'my work' (matkarma); one who does that is 'matkarmakṛt'. 'Matparamaḥ' — a servant does his master's work, but he does not hold the thought 'this [master] is the supreme goal to be attained after death, for myself'; but this one, the doer of my work, attains Me alone as the supreme goal — thus he is 'matparamaḥ': '[thinking] I am the supreme, the highest goal' — he for whom [that is so], he is this 'matparamaḥ'. Likewise, 'madbhaktaḥ' — worships Me alone, in every way, with his whole self, with all effort — thus he is 'madbhaktaḥ'. 'Saṅgavarjitaḥ' — devoid of attachment in regard to wealth, sons, friends, wife, and the circle of relatives; 'saṅga' means fondness, affection; devoid of that. 'Nirvairaḥ' — with enmity departed, devoid of a hostile disposition toward all beings, even toward those engaged in extreme harm to himself. He who is such a devotee of mine attains Me; I alone am his supreme goal; no other goal whatsoever exists [for him]. This is my teaching, dear [to me], taught by me, O son of Pāṇḍu — thus [it is said].