In Bhagavad Gita verse 9.22, Shree Krishna assures that those who fully surrender to Him will have their needs taken care of personally. He guarantees the provision of both spiritual and material support, offering protection and care to His devoted followers. This verse emphasizes the significance of complete trust and devotion to God, reassuring that such dedication will lead to divine care and preservation of what one already possesses. Ultimately, it encourages individuals to surrender wholeheartedly as a pathway to receiving God's grace and support.
This can be understood by an analogy of a surrendered soul and God. God can be likened to a mother's care for her dependent child. Just as a mother nurtures her newborn, God commits to personally overseeing the well-being of His devotees. He promises to provide spiritual assets (yog) and to safeguard what they already possess (kṣhem) as long as they surrender exclusively to Him.
The analogy illustrates how a mother's responsibilities diminish as her child grows more independent. Initially, she is deeply concerned when her young child is late because he is vulnerable and entirely dependent. However, as the child matures, her anxiety lessens, reflecting her understanding that he can manage on his own.
Similarly, when people rely on their own abilities and willpower, God does not intervene fully. But when individuals surrender completely to God, without relying on anything else, they can receive His full divine grace. In this state, God assumes total responsibility for their spiritual needs, preserving what they have and providing what they lack.
Gita 9.23
येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विता: |
तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् || 23||
ye ’pyanya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śhraddhayānvitāḥ
te ’pi mām eva kaunteya yajantyavidhi-pūrvakam
Having discussed the position of those who worship the Supreme Lord, Shree Krishna now addresses the situation of those who worship lesser gods for material gains. These individuals possess faith and may receive answers to their prayers from celestial beings, but their understanding is limited. They fail to realize that the powers of these celestial gods derive from the Supreme Lord.
An analogy can be drawn here:
When a government officer addresses a citizen’s complaint, he is not seen as inherently benevolent; he is merely using the authority granted to him by the government. Similarly, the celestial gods operate under powers given by the Supreme Lord. Those with a deeper understanding choose to worship the source of all power—God Himself—rather than going through intermediaries.
This concept can be further understood through the analogy of a tree:
Worshipping the Supreme Lord nourishes all of creation, just as watering the root of a tree benefits its entire structure, including its trunk, branches, and leaves. Similarly, eating nourishes not just the mouth but also the life forces and senses. Conversely, if one merely waters the leaves while neglecting the roots, the tree will wither.
Although worship of celestial gods reaches the Supreme Lord, devotees who focus solely on them do not attain spiritual benefits. This idea will be further explained in the next verse.
Gita 9.24
अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च |
न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते || 24||
ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā cha prabhureva cha
na tu mām abhijānanti tattvenātaśh chyavanti te
Shree Krishna now highlights the limitation of worshipping celestial gods. Although they possess the power to grant material benefits, bestowed upon them by the Supreme Lord, they are incapable of liberating their devotees from the cycle of birth and death. The celestial gods can only bestow upon others what they themselves possess, and since they are not liberated from the cycle of samsara, they cannot release their devotees from it either.
In contrast, those who possess a deeper understanding direct their worship and devotion to the Supreme Lord Himself. As their devotion reaches the stage of perfection, they transcend the mortal world and attain the divine Abode, going beyond the cycle of life and death. By worshipping the ultimate source of liberation, they are able to achieve what the celestial gods cannot provide, namely, true freedom from the cycle of samsara.
Gita 9.25
यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄ न्यान्ति पितृव्रता: |
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ||25||
yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝīn yānti pitṛi-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām
In this passage, Shree Krishna emphasizes that devotees can only be elevated to the level of the entity they worship, similar to how water in a pipe can only rise to the level of its connected reservoir. He explains the destinations attained by worshipping various celestial beings, guiding us to the conclusion that true spiritual evolution requires worshipping the Supreme.
Worshippers of deities like Indra, Kuber, and Agni attain celestial abodes but eventually return to Earth when their good karmas are exhausted. While it is good to express gratitude toward ancestors, excessive focus on their welfare through ancestor worship leads to residing in their abodes after death. Those who are in the mode of ignorance often engage with ghosts and spirits, risking rebirth among them in their next life.
The highest devotees are those who devote their minds to the Supreme Divine Personality. The term "vrata" signifies a firm resolve to worship God. Those fortunate souls who are steadfast in their devotion ultimately attain the Supremes’ divine Abode after death.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 25.1.2025
