Chapter 9 · Verse 20 · Raja Vidya Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 9.20
Sanskrit
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते। ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्।।9.20।।
Transliteration
trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpā yajñair iṣhṭvā svar-gatiṁ prārthayante te puṇyam āsādya surendra-lokam aśhnanti divyān divi deva-bhogān
In plain words
You are exhausted from chasing what you think will fix everything—the promotion, the money, the perfect outcome, the proof that you matter. Krishna says: the trap isn't in striving; it's in believing that external wins will finally make you feel whole. What if the peace you're looking for isn't waiting at the finish line, but in releasing your grip on needing to reach it?
Word by Word
Krishna speaks here of those bound to the three Vedas—the ritualists who perform sacrifices seeking heavenly rewards, their sins washed away by sacred rites and soma juice. They attain the celestial realms and taste the divine pleasures of the gods, yet this too is a journey within the cycle of becoming, not the final return home.
When you chase external rewards—success, recognition, comfort—you are like these seekers: purified by effort, elevated by discipline, yet still orbiting the wheel rather than recognizing yourself as the center.
Listen
Bhagavad Gita 9.20 — BG 9.20
Your Mantra Prescription
This mantra is prescribed for clarity and purpose. Is that what you're going through?
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