Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya

Now Sri Krishna will describe that actually all these people are dear to Him

Bg 7.18

udārāḥ sarva evaite
jñānī tv ātmaiva me matam
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā
mām evānuttamāṁ gatim

Word for word: 

udārāḥ — magnanimous; sarve — all; eva — certainly; ete — these; jñānī— one who is in knowledge; tu — but; ātmā eva — just like Myself; me— My; matam — opinion; āsthitaḥ — situated; saḥ — he; hi — certainly;yukta–ātmā — engaged in devotional service; mām — in Me; eva — certainly; anuttamām — the highest; gatim — destination.

Translation: 

All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.

 

Now Sri Krishna is saying 

udārāḥ sarva evaite

Actually Sri Krishna is saying that even others are good Sri Krishna is saying a very interesting word udārāḥ, now the word udārāḥ often means charitable so why is the word charitable is used here? Ramanujacharya explains in his commentary over here that Lord is so hungry for devotion, for example if we are desperate for something and somebody gives something then we will say you are so kind you are so charitable so the Lord is so hungry for devotion that if somebody comes and offers devotion to Him even if the devotion is mixed or motivated it doesn’t matter I am so happy that you are offering your devotion to Me and He says, you are so charitable udārāḥ, actually this is large heartedness of Lord that He calls these devotees large hearted. They are mixed devotees but He calls them sarva evaite, all the four are udārāḥ because when they are in trouble instead of going to somewhere else they are coming to Sri Krishna. But He is saying jñānī tv ātmaiva me matam, ātmaiva but the Gyanis are just like Me, ātmaiva, it is a very deep glorification, just like Me.

āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā

āsthitaḥ, such a person is situated in Me, and understand that I am the Supreme Goal, 

mām evānuttamāṁ gatim

attain Me understand Me to be the Supreme goal and attain Me, the categories of people has not understood Krishna to be Supreme Goal, they have their own goals of removing distress, gaining wealth like that but either way all of them will come to Krishna eventually that will be described in next verse but important point over here is sa hi yuktātmā, Srila Visvanath Chakraverti Thakur commentary explains that Sri Krishna tells the Gyani are equal to Me, but Krishna talks about the pure devotees when He describes to Udhava in SB that actually Pure devotees are more dear to Me than Myself, so Gyanis as dear as Me, but Krishna says pure devotees are more dear to Me than Me Myself, so we can see here Sri Krishna is slowly and slowly revealing His heart about how He loves those who chose to Love Him

End of transcription.