Bhagavad Gita BG 9.25

Chapter 9, Verse 25 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation

यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः । भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥

yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah bhutani yanti bhutejya yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam

Meaning

The worshippers of the gods go to the gods; the worshippers of the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who sacrifice to spirits go to the spirits; but My worshippers come to Me.

Understanding

The precise correspondence between object of worship and destination. Deva-vrata (those vowed to/devoted to the gods) — yanti devan (go to the gods). Pitr-vrata (those devoted to the ancestors/pitrs) — yanti pitrn (go to the ancestors). Bhutejya (those who sacrifice to the bhutas — the spirits, elemental beings) — yanti bhutani (go to the spirits). Mad-yajinah api mam yanti (those who sacrifice to Me — even they — come to Me). The 'api' (even) is notable: even Krishna's worshippers — as if the others might expect that Krishna-worship leads to the same cycle. No: mad-yajinah come to the eternal, the Absolute. The destination matches the devotion — precisely, perfectly.

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