भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः।
ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम्।।18.55।।
18.55 Through devotion he knows Me in reality, as to what and who I am. Then, having known Me in truth, he enters (into Me) immediately after that (Knowledge).
18.55 Through such devotion, he knows who I am, i.e., knows My own essence and My nature, and what I am, i.e., in My attributes and glory. Knowing Me truly, he rises to a higher level than this Bhakti, and aciring knowledge of the truth, enters into Me through devotion. The meaning is that he attains Me by means of infinite and unsurpassed Bhakti which develops subseent in time to the vision of the nature, attributes and glory of the Lord in reality. Here the term Tatah (through) denotes that devotion is the cause of attainment; for it has been stated to be the cause of entrance n the text, But by singel-minded devotion it is possible ৷৷. (11.54). In this way, the crowning development has been told starting from the disinterested performance of periodical and occasional rites suitable for the various stations and stages of life, which are to be performed to propitiate the Supreme Person. Sri Krsna now explains that even for actions meant for attaining desired objects (Kamya-karmas) the crowning stage is the same as for these described above, provided they too are done not for fulfilling ones desires but as offerings to propitiate the Supreme Person.
Bhaktyaa maamabhijaanaati yaavaanyashchaasmi tattwatah; Tato maam tattwato jnaatwaa vishate tadanantaram.
bhaktyā—by loving devotion; mām—me; abhijānāti—one comes to know; yāvān—as much as; yaḥ cha asmi—as I am; tattvataḥ—in truth; tataḥ—then; mām—me; tattvataḥ—in truth; jñātvā—having known; viśhate—enters; tat-anantaram—thereafter
