BhG 7.17

syntax

teṣāṁ [catur-vidhānāṁ] (of these four kinds) nitya-yuktaḥ (always engaged) eka-bhaktiḥ (whose devotion is in one) jñānī (man in knowledge) viśiṣyate (he is distinguished),
aham hi (indeed I) jñāninaḥ (to a man in knowledge) atyartham (exceedingly) priyaḥ (dear) [asmi] (I am),
sa ca (and he) mama (to me) priyaḥ (dear) [asti] (he is).

grammar

teṣām	–	tat sn. 6n.3 m. – of these;
jñānī	–	jñānin 1n.1 m. – wise man (from: √jñā – to know, to understand);
nitya-yuktaḥ	–	nitya-yukta 1n.1 m.; nityaṁ yukta iti – always engaged (from: av. nityam – constantly, eternally; √yuj – to yoke, to join, to engage, PP yukta – yoked, endowed with);
eka-bhaktiḥ	–	eka-bhakti 1n.1 m.; TP: yasya bhaktir ekasminn asti saḥ – whose devotion is in one (from: eka – one; √bhaj – to share, to love, to rejoice, to worship, bhakta – distributed, divided, loved; worshipper, devotee, loving; bhakti – devotion, love, fondness); or yasya bhaktir ekāsti saḥ – whose devotion is exclusive;
viśiṣyate	–	vi-√śiṣ (to distinguish) Praes. pass. 1v.1 – he is distinguished, he is the best;
priyaḥ	–	priya 1n.1 m. – liked, dear, pleasant (from: √prī – to please);
hi	–	av. – because, just, indeed, surely;
jñāninaḥ	–	jñānin 6n.1 m. – of a man in knowledge (from: √jñā – to know, to understand);
atyartham	–	av. – excessively, exceedingly (from: ati-artha – beyond the proper worth)
aham	–	asmat sn. 1n.1 – I;
saḥ	–	tat sn. 1n.1 m. – he;
ca	–	av. – and;
mama	–	asmat sn. 6n.1 – my;
priyaḥ	–	priya 1n.1 m. – liked, dear, pleasant (from: √prī – to please);

textual variants

eka-bhaktir → eka-bhakto (devotee of one);
viśiṣyate → viśiṣyati (he distinguishes);
mama → sa me (he me);

Śāṃkara

teṣāṃ caturṇāṃ madhye jñānī tattva-vit tattva-vittvān nitya-yukto bhavati | eka-bhaktiś ca, anyasya bhajanīyasyādarśanāt | ataḥ sa eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate viśeṣam ādhikyam āpadyate, atiricyata ity arthaḥ | priyo hi yasmād aham ātmā jñānino’tas tasyāham atyarthaṃ priyaḥ | prasiddhaṃ hi loke ātmā priyo bhavatīti | tasmāj jñānina ātmatvād vāsudevaḥ priyo bhavatīty arthaḥ | sa ca jñānī mama vāsudevasya ātmaiveti mamātyarthaṃ priyaḥ

Rāmānuja

teṣāṃ jñānī viśiṣyate / kutaḥ? nityayukta ekabhaktir iti ca / jñānino hi
madekaprāpyasya mayā yogo nityaḥ; itarayos tu yāvatsvābhilaṣitaprāpti mayā yogaḥ / tathā jñānino mayy ekasminn eva bhaktiḥ; itarayos tu svābhilaṣite tatsādhanatvena mayi ca / ataḥ sa eva viśiṣyate / kiñ ca, priyo hi jñānino ‚tyartham aham / arthaśabdo ‚bhidheyavacanaḥ; jñānino ‚haṃ yathā priyaḥ, tathā mayā sarvajñena sarvaśaktināpy abhidhātuṃ na śakyata ityarthaḥ; priyatvasyeyattārahitatvāt / yathā jñāninām agresarasya prahlādasya, „sa tv āsaktamatiḥ kṛṣṇe daśyamāno mahoragaiḥ / na vivedātmano gātraṃ tatsmṛtyāhlādasaṃsthitaḥ” iti / tathaiva so ‚pi mama priya

Śrīdhara

teṣāṃ madhye jñānī śreṣṭha ity āha teṣām iti | teṣāṃ madhye jñānī viśiṣṭaḥ | atra hetavaḥ — nitya-yuktaḥ sadā man-niṣṭhaḥ | ekasmin mayy eva bhaktir yasya saḥ | jñānino dehādy-abhimānābhāvena citta-vikṣepābhāvān nitya-yuktatvam ekānta-bhaktitvaṃ ca sambhavati | nānyasya | ataeva hi tasyāhaṃ atyantaṃ priyaḥ | sa ca mama | tasmād etair nitya-yuktatvādibhiś caturbhir hetubhiḥ sa uttama ity arthaḥ

Madhusūdana

nanu na māṃ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamā ity anena tad-vilakṣaṇāḥ sukṛtino māṃ bhajanta ity arthāt prāpte ‚pi teṣāṃ cāturvidhyaṃ catur-vidhā bhajante mām ity anena darśitāḥ tatas te sarve sukṛtina eva nirviśeṣād iti cet tatrāha ca | caturvidhānām api sukṛtitve niyate ‚pi sukṛtādhikyena niṣkāmatayā premādhikyāt tata iti |

caturvidhānāṃ teṣāṃ madhye jñānī tattva-jñānavān nivṛtta-sarva-kāmo viśiṣyate sarvato ‚tiricyate sarvotkṛṣṭa ity arthaḥ | yato nitya-yukto bhagavati pratyag-abhinne sadā samāhita-cetā vikṣepakābhāvāt | ataevaika-bhaktir ekasmin bhagavaty eva bhaktir anuraktir yasya sa tathā, tasyānurakti-viṣayāntarābhāvāt | hi yasmāt | priyo nirupādhi-premāspadam atyartham atyantātiśayena jñānino ‚haṃ pratyag-abhinnaḥ paramātmā ca tasmād ayarthaṃ sa mama parameśvarasya priyaḥ | ātmā priyo ‚tiśayena bhavatīti śruti-lokayoḥ prasiddham evety arthaḥ

Viśvanātha

caturṇāṃ bhakty-adhikāriṇāṃ madhye kaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ ity apekṣāyām āha | teṣāṃ madhye jñānī viśiṣyate śreṣṭhaḥ | nitya-yukto nityaṃ mayi yujyata iti saḥ | jñānābhyāsa-vaśīkṛta-cittatvān manasy aikāgra-citta ity arthaḥ | ārtādyās trayas tu naivambhūtā iti bhāvaḥ |

nanu sarvo ‚pi jñānī jñāna-vaiyarthya-bhayāt tvāṃ bhajata eva ? tatrāha ekā mukhyā pradhānībhūtaṃ yasya saḥ | yad vā, ekā bhaktir eva tathaivāsaktimattvāt yasya sa nāma-mātreṇaiva jñānīti bhāvaḥ | evambhūtasya jñānino ‚haṃ śyāmasundarākāro ‚tyartham atiśayena priyaḥ sādhana-sādhya-daśayoḥ parihātum aśakyaḥ | ye yathā māṃ prapadyante [Gītā 4.11] iti nyāyena mamāpi sa priyaḥ

Baladeva

caturṣu jñāninaḥ śraiṣṭhyam āha teṣām iti | jñānī viśiṣyate śreṣṭho bhavati | yad asau nitya-yukta eka-bhaktiś ca | ārta-vināśādi-kāmanā-virahān nityaṃ mayā yogavān | ārtādeśa tu yāvat-kāmita-prāptir mad-yoga ekasmin mayy eva jñānino bhaktir ārtādes tu sva-kāmite tat-pradātṛtvena mayi cāto jñānī tataḥ śreṣṭhaḥ |

atṛpyann āha priyo hīti | jñānino hy aham atyarthaṃ priyaḥ premāspadam | sa hi mat-priyatā-sudhā-sindhu-nimagno nānyat kiñcid anusandhatte tasya mat-priyatā-parimiteti bodhayitum atyartha-śabdaḥ | sarvajño ‚nanta-śaktiś cāhaṃ yāṃ vaktuṃ na śaknotīty arthaḥ | sa ca jñānī ye yathā mām [Gītā 4.11] ity ādi-nyāyena tathaiva mama priyaḥ | mamāpi tat-priyatā tadvad parimitety arthaḥ