Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 25

Chapter 9 – Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥

Transliteration

yānti devavratā devānpitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ .
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti madyājino.api mām ॥

Meaning

Worshippers of the gods go to the gods; worshippers of the ancestors go to the ancestors; worshippers of spirits go to the spirits; but those who worship Me come to Me.

Word meanings

यान्ति – go to
देवव्रताः – those devoted to the gods
देवान् – to the gods
पितॄन् – to the ancestors
यान्ति – go
पितृव्रताः – those devoted to the ancestors
भूतानि – to the spirits
यान्ति – go
भूतेज्याः – worshippers of spirits
यान्ति – go
मद्याजिनः – My worshippers
अपि – but, indeed
माम् – to Me

Anvaya (word order)

देवव्रताः देवान् यान्ति, पितृव्रताः पितॄन् यान्ति, भूतेज्याः भूतानि यान्ति, मद्याजिनः अपि माम् यान्ति ।

Explanation

This verse states a basic law of worship: one reaches what one worships. As the aim, so the destination. The principle is as simple as the fact that a traveller arrives at the city for which he bought his ticket.

Four kinds of worshippers are named. Deva-vratah, those who keep vows to Indra, Varuna and other gods, reach the realms of the gods. Pitri-vratah, those devoted solely to the ancestors through shraddha rites and similar observances, reach the world of the ancestors. Bhutejyah, those who worship lower powers such as yakshas, rakshasas and spirits, attain to their level. And mad-yajinah, those who worship the Lord, come to the Lord Himself.

The significance lies in the context of the previous verses. The worlds of the gods and ancestors are temporary; even after reaching them one must return. But one who reaches the Lord does not come back, as 8.16 declared: ‘having come to Me, there is no rebirth.’ Shankara also remarks that though the effort involved may be similar, people out of ignorance turn away from the Lord towards limited fruits.

The word api carries a gentle irony: if the effort is much the same, why not aim at the highest? Worship of the Lord needs no grand materials, as the next verse will reveal.

Context

In verse 24 Krishna said He is the enjoyer of all sacrifices and that those who do not know this fall back. This verse states the general law that each worshipper reaches the object of worship. In the next verse He shows how simple His worship is, needing only a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water.

Life lesson

We become like what we set our mind and faith upon, so choose your goal with care. When the effort is much the same, make the highest, God Himself, your aim.

Key terms

Deva-vrata: one devoted to the worship of gods
Pitri-vrata: one devoted to the ancestors
Bhutejya: worshipper of spirits and lower beings
Mad-yaji: worshipper of the Lord