Bhagavad Gita 9.20

Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga · English Translation

Bhagavad Gita 9.20 — "The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, purified of all sins, worshipping Me by sacrif"
Bhagavad Gita 9.20 — Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
Sanskrit

त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते | ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक- मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ||९-२०||

Transliteration

traividyā māṃ somapāḥ pūtapāpā yajñairiṣṭvā svargatiṃ prārthayante . te puṇyamāsādya surendralokaṃ aśnanti divyāndivi devabhogān ||9-20||

What Does This Verse Mean?

In this verse, Lord Krishna describes the cycle of devotion where people who study the Vedas and perform rituals to please God are rewarded with a temporary stay in heaven after they pass away from Earth. These individuals purify themselves through sacrifices and drink sacred offerings like Soma, but their ultimate goal remains focused on gaining entry into heavenly realms rather than returning to Krishna directly. The key teaching is that while such pious actions lead to beautiful rewards, these heavens are not permanent; once the merit of good deeds is exhausted, one must return to Earth.

The Teaching Behind It

This verse belongs primarily to the framework of Karma Yoga (the yoga of action) and Bhakti Yoga, illustrating how ritualistic worship with desire leads to Karmic rewards. It develops the concept that actions performed for material gain or heavenly enjoyment result in temporary fruits (Phala), distinguishing them from Nishkama Karma (action without desire) which leads to liberation.

Word by Word
त्रैविद्याः the knowers of the three Vedas, माम् Me, सोमपाः the drinkers of Soma, पूतपापाः purified from sin, यज्ञैः by sacrifices, इष्ट्वा worshipping, स्वर्गतिम् way to heaven, प्रार्थयन्ते pray, ते they, पुण्यम् holy, आसाद्य having reached, सुरेन्द्रलोकम् the world of the Lord of gods, अश्नन्ति eat (enjoy), दिव्यान् divine, दिवि in heaven, देवभोगान् the divine pleasures
Classical Commentary
May aspirants climb up to a certain height on the ladder of Yoga. They are irresistibly swept away by the temptation of the higher planes (the heaven, and the plane of the celestial beings, etc.). They lose their power of discrimination and right understanding and thery lose themselves in heavenly enjoyments. The dwellers of the higher planes, the shining ones, tempt the aspirants in a variety of ways. They say unto them? O Yogi, we are very much pleased with your austerities and dispassion, spiritual practices and divine alities. This is the plane for your final resting which you have obtained through your merit and your austerities. We are all your servants to obey your orders and carry out your ?nds or behests. Here is the celestial car for you. You can move about anywhere you like. Here are the celestial damsels to attend on you. They will please you with their celestial music. Here is the wishfulfilling ree which will give you whatever you want. Here is the celestial nectar in the golden cup, which will make you immortal. Here is the celestial lake of supreme joy. You can swim freely in this lake. The uncautious Yogi is easily carried away by the invitations of the gods and the sweet flowery speeches. He gets false satisfaction or contentment. He thinks that he has reached the highest goal of Yoga. He yields to the templations and his energy is dissipated in various directions. As soon as his merits are exhausted he comes down to this earthplane. He will have to start his upward climb on the spiritual lader once more. But that dispassionate Yogi who is endowed with strong discrimination rejects ruthlessly these invitations from the gods, marches boldly on his spiritual path and stops not till he attains the highest rung on the ladder of Yoga or the highest summit on the hill of knowledge or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. He is fully conscious that enjoyments in heaven are as much worthless as those of this illusory world. The pleasures of heaven are subtle, exceedingly intense and extremely intoxicating. That is the reason why the uncautious, nonvigilant and less dispassionate aspirant yields easily to the temptations of the higher planes. Even in this physical plane, in the West and in America where there is abundance of wealth, plenty of dollars and gold, people enjoy subtle and intense sensual pleasures. Every day scientists bring out new inventions, new forms of sensual pleasures for the gratification of the mischievous and revolting senses. Even an abstemious man of simple habits of India becomes a changed man when he lives in America or Europe for some time. He yields to the temptations. Such is the power of Maya. Such is the influence of temptation. Such is the strength of the senses. That man who is endowed with strong discrimination, sustained dispassion, good selfanalytic power, and burning yearning for liberation, can resist temptations and he aloen can be really happy. He alone can attain the highest goal of life, the final beatitude or the sublime vision of the Infinite. Those who drink the Soma juice are purified from sin. Sacrifices Such as the Agnistoma? Jyotistoma. They worship Me as the Vasus and other deities (Rudras and Adityas) by sacrifices such as the Agnistoma. Indra is the Lord of the gods. He is called Satakratu because he had performed a hundred sacrifices. The divine pleasures are the supernatural pleasures of the heaven. DivyaBhoga An enjoyment that is beyond the reach of man or an enjoyment that can be had only by the celestial body of the gods or an enjoyment given by the gods in the heaven. The term Bhoga indicates sensual pleasures. Though the heavenly pleasuresare of a very subtle nature, yet,they are sensual pleasures only. (Cf. II.45)

Where This Happens

This verse appears in Chapter 9 of the Bhagavad Gita during the intense dialogue on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna. At this point, Krishna has already begun revealing his Universal Form (Vishvarupa) conceptually to explain that he is the source of all existence. He speaks these words while explaining how different types of devotees approach him based on their desires and knowledge levels, specifically addressing those who follow Vedic rituals for material rewards.

Living It Out Today

Consider a professional who works tirelessly not out of passion or duty, but solely to secure a promotion that will buy them a bigger house and social status. Like the seekers in this verse, they may achieve their goal temporarily—enjoying wealth and comfort—but often find themselves still anxious when those rewards fade or new challenges arise. The lesson is to shift focus from seeking external validation for temporary gains to finding inner stability through purposeful action without attachment to specific outcomes.

Explained for Children

Imagine you work very hard doing nice things and following rules to earn 'good deed' stars on your chart. Because you did so well, a special ticket takes you to a magical theme park called Heaven where you get unlimited ice cream and play with all the gods for as long as the tickets last. However, just like any vacation or holiday at a fun place eventually ends when the time is up, this heavenly stay isn't your forever home; once those good stars are used up, it's time to come back to Earth to start learning again.

Daily Reflection

Today you might find yourself working hard not because it brings joy, but because you expect a reward or approval to follow; this verse gently reminds us that even such noble efforts are part of a cycle if they remain transactional. When we shift our focus from enjoying the fruits of heaven to simply being in the presence of the Divine, our hearts find a peace no external pleasure can match. You do not need to abandon your duties today, but you can offer them as an act of love rather than a strategy for gain.

A Practice for Today

Sit quietly and visualize offering your own desires for recognition or reward to the Divine, just as those who seek heavenly pleasures offer their sacrifices. Let go of the need for a specific result from your actions, trusting that the One who witnesses all is present in every moment.

Key Teachings

  1. The Limits of Ritualistic Piety
    This verse acknowledges that performing Vedic rituals and sacrifices can purify sins and lead to heavenly rewards, yet these are temporary destinations. The teaching highlights that even the highest spiritual efforts aimed at external gains cannot offer the permanent freedom found in direct devotion.
  2. The Cycle of Desire and Return
    Those who seek heaven for its divine pleasures inevitably return to earth once their merit is exhausted, remaining bound by desire. The verse suggests that true liberation requires moving beyond the exchange of worship for pleasure toward a selfless relationship with God.
  3. From Transactional Worship to Devotion
    The path described here serves as a stepping stone where worshippers are purified, preparing them to understand that Krishna Himself is the ultimate destination. It invites the seeker to transition from praying for rewards to realizing that the Divine is the source of all joy and fulfillment.

Themes

Karma and RebirthVedic RitualsHeavenly RealmsDevotion vs. DesireTemporary RewardsBhakti Yoga

Related Verses

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Read This Next

  1. 2.47 — Read this next to understand Krishna's instruction on performing duty without attachment to results, contrasting with seeking specific rewards.
  2. 3.30 — This verse offers the practical method of surrendering all actions and their fruits to God as a natural continuation of letting go of transactional worship.
  3. 12.15 — Read this final selection to discover how Krishna describes those who have transcended desire for heaven or hell, finding satisfaction in the Self alone.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does this verse suggest that Vedic sacrifices are useless?
No, it does not say they are useless. The verse acknowledges that these rituals and prayers do yield positive results in the form of heavenly pleasures for those who perform them with devotion.
Who are the 'drinkers of Soma' mentioned in this verse?
The term refers to people who follow the Vedic traditions and partake in specific sacrificial rituals that involve consuming a sacred drink called Soma as an offering.
What is the ultimate goal if heaven is not permanent?
The Gita suggests that while heavenly enjoyment is a pleasant reward for good karma, it is still part of the cycle of birth and death (Samsara).
How does this verse relate to the concept of Bhakti Yoga?
This verse illustrates a stage in spiritual development where devotion is mixed with specific desires for rewards (like heaven), which is distinct from pure, selfless love.
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