यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितृ़न्यान्ति पितृव्रताः ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
सकामभावसे देवताओंका पूजन करनेवाले शरीर छोड़नेपर देवताओंको प्राप्त होते हैं । पितरोंका पूजन करनेवाले पितरोंको प्राप्त होते हैं । भूतप्रेतोंका पूजन करनेवाले भूतप्रेतोंको प्राप्त होते हैं । परन्तु मेरा पूजन करनेवाले मुझे ही प्राप्त होते हैं ॥
English
Those devoted to the radiant beings reach the radiant beings. Those devoted to the ancestors reach the ancestors. Those devoted to spirits reach the spirits. But those devoted to me come to me.
What this verse means
People reach the object they devote themselves to. Worship directed toward Krishna leads to Krishna; other devotions lead elsewhere.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna is explaining how devotion works. After saying that all worship is ultimately aimed at him, Krishna adds that different kinds of worship lead to different ends. This verse sharpens the choice.
Why this verse still matters
You keep returning to the same feed, the same crowd, the same craving. Over time, you start arriving where your attention has been going all along.
The takeaway
What you repeatedly honor quietly shapes your destination.
Word-by-word translation
यान्ति (go/reach) / देवव्रताः (those devoted to radiant beings) / देवान् (the radiant beings) / पितॄन् (the ancestors) / यान्ति (go/reach) / पितृव्रताः (those devoted to the ancestors) / भूतानि (spirits/beings) / यान्ति (go/reach) / भूतेज्याः (those who worship spirits) / यान्ति (go/reach) / मद्याजिनः (those who worship me) / अपि (also) / माम् (me)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga — The Royal Knowledge, which contains 34 verses.
Explore related themes: bhakti (69 verses), krishna (31 verses)