In plain words
One who is without expectation, pure, capable, impartial, free from fear, and who has relinquished all undertakings—such a bhakta is dear to Me.
Word for word
Without expectation, pure, capable, impartial, free from fear, letting go of all undertakings, who [is] My devotee, he [is] dear to Me.
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथःसर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः
Other commentaries
The commentators
▸Bhagavadgītābhāṣyam· bhāṣya
देहेन्द्रियविषयसम्बन्धादिषु अपेक्षाविषयेषु अनपेक्षः निःस्पृहः । शुचिः बाह्येन आभ्यन्तरेण च शौचेन सम्पन्नः । दक्षः प्रत्युत्पन्नेषु कार्येषु सद्यः यथावत् प्रतिपत्तुं समर्थः । उदासीनः न कस्यचित् मित्रादेः पक्षं भजते यः, सः उदासीनः यतिः । गतव्यथः गतभयः । सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी आरभ्यन्त इति आरम्भाः इहामुत्रफलभोगार्थानि कामहेतूनि कर्माणि सर्वारम्भाः, तान् परित्यक्तुं शीलम् अस्येति सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यः मद्भक्तः सः मे प्रियः ॥ १६ ॥
In plain words
He wants nothing from his ties to body, senses, or the objects of the senses — no craving clings to any of it. He is pure, clean both outside and in. He is capable — when something suddenly demands attention, he meets it at once and handles it exactly right. He is impartial: he never takes anyone's side, not even a friend's — that's the ascetic who stands apart from every faction. His distress has left him; his fear has left him. And he lets go of every undertaking — every action people begin only to enjoy some fruit, here or in some world to come, driven by desire; letting all of that go is simply who he is. Whoever loves me and lives this way is dear to me.
Close to the Sanskrit
Without expectation regarding connections with body, senses, sense-objects, and so forth, in things that are objects of expectation — free of longing. Pure — endowed with cleanliness, external and internal. Capable — able to deal properly and at once with matters that suddenly arise. Indifferent — he who does not take the side of anyone, a friend or the like, he is the indifferent ascetic. His distress is gone, his fear is gone. One who abandons all undertakings — 'undertakings' are so called because they are begun; actions motivated by desire, whose purpose is the enjoyment of fruit here and hereafter, are 'all undertakings'; to abandon these is his habit — that is one who abandons all undertakings. Whoever is my devotee, of this kind, he is dear to me.