Chapter 9, Verse 24 (Bhagavad Gita 9.24)
Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yog – Yoga through the King of Sciences
Sanskrit Shloka
अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च। न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते
Transliteration
ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā cha prabhureva cha na tu mām abhijānanti tattvenātaśh chyavanti te
Word Meanings
aham—I; hi—verily; sarva—of all; yajñānām—sacrifices; bhoktā—the enjoyer; cha—and; prabhuḥ—the Lord; eva—only; cha—and; na—not; tu—but; mām—me; abhijānanti—realize; tattvena—divine nature; ataḥ—therefore; chyavanti—fall down (wander in samsara); te—they
Translation
For I alone am the enjoyer and the Lord of all sacrifices; but those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall away from the path of liberation.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Lord Krishna reveals His supreme position as the ultimate recipient and proprietor of all sacrificial offerings and spiritual endeavors. Many perform rituals seeking temporary results, failing to recognize that Lord Krishna is the soul of every sacrifice. Because they lack this realization of His divinity, they remain bound by the fruits of their actions, causing them to cycle repeatedly through birth and death. By shifting one's focus from the ritual to the Lord of the ritual, a seeker transcends worldly entanglement. True devotion lies in understanding that Shri Krishna is the origin and the final goal of every soul's existence.