Gita 9.18
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभु: साक्षी निवास: शरणं सुहृत् |
प्रभव: प्रलय: स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् || 18||
gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣhī nivāsaḥ śharaṇaṁ suhṛit
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam
This verse explains the nature of relationships between souls and God, contrasting them with worldly attachments. It describes that the soul, as a fragment of God, has an inherent relationship with Him. However, in our earthly existence, we often form attachments to our physical relatives—parents, spouses, children, and friends—leading to emotional entanglements that are rooted in material illusion.
There are two fundamental problems with these worldly relationships. First, they are temporary; life inevitably leads to separation, whether through death or other circumstances. Second, these ties are often based on selfishness and fluctuate according to our personal interests. Consequently, love in familial or social contexts can be inconsistent, swaying with our perceptions and experiences.
In contrast, God is the ultimate relative who has been with each soul through countless lifetimes, residing in the heart and fostering a relationship that transcends time and circumstance. God’s love is characterized as eternal and selfless, aimed solely at the well-being of the soul without any self-interest. This divine relationship is portrayed as perfect, unlike those based on human emotions, which change over time and depend on external factors.
We can understand the temporary nature of worldly relationships through an analogy of the ocean and its waves. These waves, while they may seem connected, ultimately arise from and return to the ocean, symbolizing the transient nature of worldly interactions. The true relationship lies not between the waves themselves but with the ocean, just as the ultimate connection for souls exists with God.
In a spiritual context, beyond bodily consciousness, God embodies all relationships. He is portrayed as the sole Father, Mother, Friend, and Beloved to the soul. This perspective is supported by Vedic scriptures that reinforce the idea of God as the singular source of love and support.
divyo deva eko nārāyaṇo mātā pitā bhrātā suhṛit gatiḥ
nivāsaḥ śharaṇaṁ suhṛit gatirnārāyaṇa iti
(Subāl Śhruti, mantra 6)
“Lord Narayan alone is the Mother, Father, Beloved, and destination of the soul.”
more sabai eka tumha swāmī, dīnabhandhu ura antarajāmī.
(Ramayan)
“O Lord Ram, You alone are my Master, the Savior of the destitute, and the Knower of the heart.”
This verse urges individuals to detach from worldly ties and instead cultivate a connection with God, which leads to the purification of the mind and prepares the soul for surrendering to God’s grace. The Ramayana is cited to reinforce the message that the strings of worldly attachment should be severed and repurposed to bind oneself to God. By doing so, one can achieve a state of single-minded devotion, ultimately recognizing that all true relationships are rooted in God alone.
Gita 9.19
तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णम्युत्सृजामि च |
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन || 19||
tapāmyaham ahaṁ varṣhaṁ nigṛihṇāmyutsṛijāmi cha
amṛitaṁ chaiva mṛityuśh cha sad asach chāham arjuna
The Puranas explain that when God initially created the universe, He manifested Brahma and entrusted him with the task of further creation. Bewildered by this responsibility, Brahma received divine knowledge known as the Chatuḥśhlokī Bhāgavat (the four-versed Bhagavatam), which guided him in his creative endeavors. Its first verse emphasizes that God is everything: prior to creation, only He existed, and everything in the manifested world is a reflection of His essence. After dissolution, He remains as the sole existence, reinforcing that nothing exists apart from Him.
ahamevāsamevāgre nānyadyatsadasat param
paśhchādahaṁ yadetachcha yo ’vaśhiṣhyeta so ’smyaham
(Bhagavatam 2.9.32)
This understanding implies that the materials used for worship are also manifestations of God.
For instance, when devotees venerate the Ganges, they immerse themselves in it and use its water for worship, highlighting that the worship materials are non-different from God. Krishna reveals that He embodies all elements of worship, including the Vedas, sacrificial fire, the syllable "Om," clarified butter, and the act of offering. Ultimately, it is not the material offering that matters, but the sentiment of love behind the devotion that truly pleases God.
Gita 9.20
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपा: पूतपापा
यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते |
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक
मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् || 20||
trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpā
yajñair iṣhṭvā svar-gatiṁ prārthayante
te puṇyam āsādya surendra-lokam
aśhnanti divyān divi deva-bhogān
In this verse, Shree Krishna discusses those who engage in ritualistic worship as outlined in the Vedas, known as trai-vidyā. These individuals, while not atheistic, do not embrace true devotion to God. Instead, they perform yajñas and rituals to worship celestial deities like Indra, seeking material rewards. Although such rituals yield positive results and lead practitioners to higher realms of existence, they fail to provide liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Krishna highlights that these pleasures in celestial abodes, though greater than earthly delights, are ultimately temporary and do not constitute genuine devotion.
The key takeaway is that while ritualistic practices may lead to elevated experiences, they do not equate to the true path of devotion to the Supreme Lord.
Gita 9.21
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति |
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते || 21||
te taṁ bhuktvā swarga-lokaṁ viśhālaṁ
kṣhīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśhanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante
In this verse, Shree Krishna emphasizes the temporary nature of celestial delights in heavenly abodes. Once individuals exhaust their accumulated merits from rituals, they are sent back to earthly life, unable to fulfill the soul's eternal quest for infinite bliss. Vedic scriptures, such as Bhagavatam and Ramayana, support this perspective, explaining that the enjoyment of heavenly pleasures is followed by eventual hardship.
tāvat pramodate swarge yāvat puṇyaṁ samāpyate
kṣhīṇa puṇyaḥ patatyarvāganichchhan kāla-chālitaḥ
(Bhagavatam 11.10.26)
“Residents of heaven enjoy the celestial delights until their merits have been exhausted. Then they are reluctantly forced to fall back to the lower abodes by the passage of time.”
swargahu swalpa anta dukhadāī
(Ramayan)
“The attainment of heaven is temporary, and is followed by miseries.”
The analogy of a football being kicked around illustrates the soul's erratic journey through various forms and realms—sometimes higher, sometimes lower—without lasting satisfaction. Among these forms, only the human experience offers the opportunity for God-realization, prompting even heavenly beings to desire rebirth as humans to rectify their past pursuits. The Nārad Purāṇ highlights the rarity of human birth, and Shree Ram reinforces this sentiment, calling humans fortunate for their opportunity to seek God, which celestial beings covet. Therefore, rather than aspiring for elevation to celestial realms, the focus should be on achieving devotion to the Supreme Lord for true fulfillment.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 18.1.2025
