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Chapter 9 • Verse 21
The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret
MEANING & CONTEXT
Krishna reveals the limitation of seeking heavenly rewards: 'Te tam bhuktvā svarga-lokam viśālam kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokam viśanti'—they (te), having enjoyed (bhuktvā) that vast (viśālam) heavenly world (svarga-lokam), when their merit is exhausted (kṣīṇe puṇye), return (viśanti) to the mortal world (martya-lokam). 'Evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā gatāgatam kāmakāmā labhante'—thus (evam), those who follow (anuprapannāḥ) the path of the three Vedas (trayī-dharmam), desiring pleasures (kāmakāmāḥ), obtain (labhante) coming and going (gatāgatam). This is the cycle of material worship: enjoy heavenly pleasures, exhaust merit, return to mortal world. The cycle repeats—coming and going, never ending. This is the limitation of seeking temporary rewards: you get what you seek, but it's temporary. You return to the cycle, never free. This is why devotion is superior: it leads to liberation, not temporary pleasures.
Explore Human Experiences
How this ancient wisdom applies to your daily life
Key Takeaway
After enjoying temporary heavenly pleasures, when merit is exhausted, you return to the mortal world. This is the cycle of material worship: enjoy, exhaust, return. The cycle repeats—coming and going, never ending. This is the limitation of seeking temporary rewards: you get what you seek, but it's temporary. You return to the cycle, never free. This is why devotion is superior: it leads to liberation, not temporary pleasures. Understanding this transforms your perspective: you're not in a cycle of temporary rewards—you're seeking liberation. Devotion breaks the cycle—it leads to freedom, not repeated return.
Personal Reflection
Are you in a cycle of temporary rewards, or are you seeking liberation? Do you understand that temporary pleasures are temporary, and you return to the cycle? What is the difference between temporary rewards and eternal liberation?
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