Chapter 9, Verse 25 (Bhagavad Gita 9.25)
Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yog – Yoga through the King of Sciences
Sanskrit Shloka
यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितृ़न्यान्ति पितृव्रताः। भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम्
Transliteration
yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝīn yānti pitṛi-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
Word Meanings
yānti—go; deva-vratāḥ—worshipers of celestial gods; devān—amongst the celestial gods; pitṝīn—to the ancestors; yānti—go; pitṛi-vratā—worshippers of ancestors; bhūtāni—to the ghosts; yānti—go; bhūta-ijyāḥ—worshippers of ghosts; yānti—go; mat—my; yājinaḥ—devotees; api—and; mām—to me
Translation
Those who worship the gods go to the gods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship the spirits go to the spirits; but those who worship Me come to Me, declares Lord Krishna.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the law of consciousness: one attains that which one contemplates with devotion. While lesser worship leads to temporary realms within the material manifestation, the path of devotion to Shri Krishna leads to the eternal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Krishna emphasizes that He is the ultimate destination, transcending the cycles of birth and death that govern all other forms of worship. By choosing the path of surrender to Shri Krishna, the devotee breaks the chains of material conditioning and enters into a direct, eternal relationship with the Divine. This is the ultimate promise of liberation, where the seeker ceases to wander in the lower realms and finds rest in the infinite grace of Yogeshwar Krishna.