In plain words
But those faithful bhaktas who take Me as supreme and follow this nectar of dharma exactly as taught—they are exceedingly dear to Me.
Word for word
But those who follow this nectar that accords with dharma, as stated, having faith, having Me as the highest, devotees, they [are] exceedingly dear to Me.
ये तु धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तं पर्युपासतेश्रद्दधाना मत्परमा भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः
Other commentaries
The commentators
▸Bhagavadgītābhāṣyam
‘अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानाम्’(भ. गी. १२ । १३) , इत्यादिना अक्षरोपासकानां निवृत्तसर्वैषणानां सन्यासिनां परमार्थज्ञाननिष्ठानां धर्मजातं प्रक्रान्तम् उपसंह्रियते —
ये तु संन्यासिनः धर्म्यामृतं धर्मादनपेतं धर्म्यं च तत् अमृतं च तत् , अमृतत्वहेतुत्वात् , इदं यथोक्तम् ‘अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानाम्’(भ. गी. १२ । १३) इत्यादिना पर्युपासते अनुतिष्ठन्ति श्रद्दधानाः सन्तः मत्परमाः यथोक्तः अहं अक्षरात्मा परमः निरतिशया गतिः येषां ते मत्परमाः, मद्भक्ताः च उत्तमां परमार्थज्ञानलक्षणां भक्तिमाश्रिताः, ते अतीव मे प्रियाः । ‘प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थम्’(भ. गी. ७ । १७) इति यत् सूचितं तत् व्याख्याय इह उपसंहृतम् ‘भक्तास्तेऽतीव मे प्रियाः’ इति । यस्मात् धर्म्यामृतमिदं यथोक्तमनुतिष्ठन् भगवतः विष्णोः परमेश्वरस्य अतीव प्रियः भवति, तस्मात् इदं धर्म्यामृतं मुमुक्षुणा यत्नतः अनुष्ठेयं विष्णोः प्रियं परं धाम जिगमिषुणा इति वाक्यार्थः ॥ २० ॥
In plain words
With the line 'He hates no creature that lives' and the verses after it, the whole way of life of those who worship the Imperishable — sannyāsins in whom every craving has fallen away, who stand rooted in the knowledge of what is finally real — was taken up. That is what is now gathered together and brought to a close —
Those renunciates who, in full faith, devotedly live out this nectar of dharma — righteous, never straying from dharma, and itself immortal, because it is the very cause of immortality — exactly as I said before, 'one who hates no being' and all that follows — who hold me as their highest, since I, as already described, am the Imperishable itself, the highest, the goal beyond which nothing lies — such people hold me as the highest. And my devotees, resting in that supreme devotion born of knowing the highest reality, are exceedingly dear to me. I said long ago, 'exceedingly dear to the knower am I' — what was only hinted there, I have now unfolded fully, and brought it home here: 'my devotees are exceedingly dear to me.' Because anyone who lives out this nectar of dharma just as described becomes exceedingly dear to the Blessed Lord Viṣṇu himself, the Supreme Lord, that is why anyone seeking freedom should practice this dharma-nectar with real effort, longing to reach Viṣṇu's own beloved, supreme abode. That is the meaning of the verse.
Close to the Sanskrit
By 'He is no hater of all beings' and what follows, the whole body of dharma belonging to the worshippers of the Imperishable — to the sannyāsins in whom all cravings have ceased, who stand established in the knowledge of the ultimate reality — which was begun there, is now brought to a close —
Those renunciates who, with faith, devotedly practice and observe this dharma-nectar — righteous and not deviating from dharma, and that is immortal, that, because it is the cause of immortality — this, as previously stated by 'one who hates no being' (BG 12.13) and so forth, [and] who have Me as the highest, [I] as previously described, having as My essence the Imperishable, supreme, the unsurpassed goal — those for whom [this is so] have Me as the highest; and My devotees, resorting to the highest devotion characterized by knowledge of the highest reality — they are exceedingly dear to me. 'Dear indeed, exceedingly, to the knower' (BG 7.17) — what was there hinted, having explained that, is here brought to a close: 'my devotees are exceedingly dear to me' — thus. Because one who practices this dharma-nectar as described becomes exceedingly dear to the Blessed Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord, therefore this dharma-nectar is to be practiced diligently by the seeker of liberation, desiring to attain Viṣṇu's dear, supreme abode — such is the meaning of the verse.