Text 18

udarah sarva evaite
jnani tv atmaiva me matam
asthitah sa hi yuktatma
mam evanuttamam gatim

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.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

It is not that devotees who are less complete in knowledge are not dear to the Lord. The Lord says that all are magnanimous because anyone who comes to the Lord for any purpose is called a mahatma, or great soul. The devotees who want some benefit out of devotional service are accepted by the Lord because there is an exchange of affection. Out of affection they ask the Lord for some material benefit, and when they get it they become so satisfied that they also advance in devotional service. But the devotee in full knowledge is considered to be very dear to the Lord because his only purpose is to serve the Supreme Lord with love and devotion. Such a devotee cannot live a second without contacting or serving the Supreme Lord. Similarly, the Supreme Lord is very fond of His devotee and cannot be separated from him.

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.68), the Lord says:

sadhavo hridayam mahyam
sadhunam hridayam tv aham
mad-anyat te na jananti
naham tebhyo manag api

“The devotees are always in My heart, and I am always in the hearts of the devotees. The devotee does not know anything beyond Me, and I also cannot forget the devotee. There is a very intimate relationship between Me and the pure devotees. Pure devotees in full knowledge are never out of spiritual touch, and therefore they are very much dear to Me.”

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

"Then, that means that the other three are not dear to you?"

No  they are all dear to me. Those who worship me, accepting things they have desired, but which I wanted to give, are certainly  dear  to  me,  who  have  affection  for my devotees, because I give generously to them. But the jnani is myself. He worships me and does not desire anything at all from me, either svarga or moksa. Thus I am dependent on him: he is my soul. This is my opinion. This is because he is firmly fixed (asthitah) in having attained the highest goal (anuttamam gatim), me in my form as Syamasundara alone (eva), not my impersonal aspect as brahma nirvana. The jnani, who has a predominance of bhakti and no material desires, is considered by the affectionate Lord as his own self.  But  the  kevala bhakta,  the pure devotee,  is considered by the Lord to be dearer than his very self.

na tatha me priyatama atma-yonir na sankarah
na ca sankarsano na srir naivatma ca yatha bhavan

My dear Uddhava, neither Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Lord Sankarsana, the goddess of fortune nor indeed My own self are as dear to Me as you are. SB 11.14.15

naham atmanam asase mad-bhaktaih sadhubhir vina

O best of the brahmanas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences. SB 9.4.64

atmaramo 'py ariramat

Smiling upon hearing these despondent words from the gopis, Lord Krishna, the supreme master of all masters of mystic yoga, mercifully enjoyed with them, although He is self-satisfied. SB 10.29.42