Chapter 9, Verse 20 (Bhagavad Gita 9.20)
Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yog – Yoga through the King of Sciences
Sanskrit Shloka
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते। ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्
Transliteration
trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpā yajñair iṣhṭvā svar-gatiṁ prārthayante te puṇyam āsādya surendra-lokam aśhnanti divyān divi deva-bhogān
Word Meanings
trai-vidyāḥ—the science of karm kāṇḍ (Vedic Rituals); mām—me; soma-pāḥ—drinkers of the Soma juice; pūta—purified; pāpāḥ—sins; yajñaiḥ—through sacrifices; iṣhṭvā—worship; svaḥ-gatim—way to the abode of the king of heaven; prārthayante—seek; te—they; puṇyam—pious; āsādya—attain; sura-indra—of Indra; lokam—abode; aśhnanti—enjoy; divyān—celestial; divi—in heaven; deva-bhogān—the pleasures of the celestial gods
Translation
Those who are well-versed in the three Vedas, who drink the Soma juice, and who are purified of sin, worship Lord Krishna through sacrifices, seeking the attainment of heaven. Having reached the holy world of the King of gods, they partake of the divine enjoyments of the celestials.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals that even those who strictly perform Vedic rituals often remain bound by desire for material rewards. While they worship the Supreme Lord through these sacrifices, their goal is limited to the temporary pleasures of the heavenly realms rather than eternal liberation. Shri Krishna explains that once the merit of their good deeds is exhausted, these souls must return to the mortal world. True devotion, as taught by Yogeshwar Krishna, transcends the desire for celestial gratification and seeks direct union with the Supreme Divine. By shifting one's focus from heavenly rewards to the grace of Lord Krishna, a seeker attains the eternal abode of Vaikuntha, far beyond the cycle of birth and death.