यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितृ़न्यान्ति पितृव्रताः।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम्।।9.25।।
9.25 Votaries of the gods reach the gods; the votarites of the manes go to the manes; the worshippers of the Beings reach the Beings; and those who worship Me reach Me.
9.25 The worshippers of the gods go to them; to the manes go the ancestor-worshippers; to the deities who preside over the elements go their worshippers; but My devotees come to Me.
9.25. The votaries of the gods attain the gods; the votaries of the manes attain the manes; performers of sacrifices for the goblins attain the goblins; also the performers of scrifices for Me attain Me.
9.25 यान्ति go? देवव्रताः worshippers of the gods? देवान् to the gods? पितृ़न् to the Pitris or ancestors? यान्ति go? पितृव्रताः worshippers of the Pitris? भूतानि to the Bhutas? यान्ति go? भूतेज्याः the worshippers of the Bhutas? यान्ति go? मद्याजिनः My worshippers? अपि also? माम् to Me.Commentary The worshippers of the manes such as the Agnisvattas who perform Sraaddha and other rites in devotion to their ancestors go to the manes. Those who worship the gods with devotion and vows go to them.Bhutas are elemental beings lower than the gods but higher than human beigns they are the Vinayakas? the hosts of Matris? the four Bhaginis and the like.Those who devote themselves to the gods attain the form of those gods at death. Similar is the fate of those who worship the manes (their own ancestors) or the Bhutas. The fruit of the worship is in accordance with the knowledge? faith? offering and nature of worship of the devotee.Though the exertion is the same? people do not worship Me on account of their ignorance. Conseently they get very little reward.My devotees obtain endless fruit. They do not come back to this mortal world. It is also easy for them to worship Me. How (Cf.VII.23)
9.25 Deva-vratah, votaries of the gods, those whose religious observances [Making offerings and presents, circumambulation, bowing down, etc.] and devotion are directed to the gods; yanti, reach, go to; devan, the gods. Pitr-vratah, the votaries of the manes, those who are occupied with such rites as obseies etc., who are devoted to the manes; go pitrn, to the manes such as Agnisvatta and others. Bhutejyah, the Beings such as Vinayaka, the group of Sixteen (divine) Mothers, the Four Sisters, and others. And madyajinah, those who worship Me, those who are given to worshipping Me, the devotees of Visnu; reach mam, Me alone. Although the effort (involved) is the same, still owing to ingorance they do not worship Me exclusively. Thery they attain lesser results. This is the meaning. Not only do My devotees get the everlasting result in the form of non-return (to this world), but My worship also is easy. How?
9.24 See Comment under 9.26
9.25 The term Vrata in the text denotes will, intention or motive. Those who intend to worship gods, like Indra and others with the resolution, Let us worship Indra and other gods by ceremonies like the new moon and full moon sacrifices - such worshippers go to Indra and other gods. Those who intend worshipping manes, resolving Let us worship the manes through sacrifices, - such worshippers go to the manes or others resolving - Let us worship the Yaksas, Raksasas, Pisacas and other evil spirits - they go to them. But those who, with the same rites of worship, worship Me with the intention, Let us worship Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Self, whose body is constituted of gods, the manes and the evil spirits - they are My worshippers and they reach Me only. Those who intend worshipping gods etc., attain gods etc. After sharing limited enjoyment with them, they are destroyed with them when the time comes for their destruction. But My worshippers attain Me, who has no beginning or end, who is omniscient, whose will is unfailingly effective, who is a great ocean of innumerable auspicious attributes of unlimited excellence and whose bliss too is of limitless excellence. They do not return to Samsara. Such is the meaning. Sri Krsna continues to say, There is also another distinguishing characteristic of My worshippers.
“But they are just worshipping those particular devatas according to the rules established in the books describing the method of worshipping those devatas. The vaisnavas worship visnu according what is stated in the books dedicated to Visnu worship. What is wrong if those worshippers follow the instructions of those books?” That is true, but the rule is this: the devotees of those particular devatas will attain only those particular devatas. And because the devatas are destructible, how can the worshippers of those devatas become indestructible? But it is understood that the devotees of the Lord are eternal, like the Lord. aham tv anasvaro nityo mad-bhakta apy anasvarah I am indestructible, eternal, and my devotees are also indestructible. bhavan ekah sisyate sesa-samjnah At that time, You alone remain, and You are known as Ananta. SB 10.3.25 eko narayana evasin na brahma na ca sankarah Narayana alone existed, not Brahma or Siva. Maha Upanisad 1 parardhante so ‘budhyata gopa-rupo me purastad avirbabhuva At the end of Brahma’s night, he arose from yoga nidra and appeared before me as before in the form of a cowherd boy. Gopala Tapani Upanisad 1.27 na cyavante ca mad-bhakta mahati pralaye ‘pi My devotees are not destroyed even at the time of pralaya. Skanda Purana
Now Lord Krishna explains the destinations of worship according to the desires of the particular worshippers. Those who worship the demigods like Indra the raingod and Surya the sungod go to Swargaloka the heavenly planets. Those who perform sraddha or worship of the manes or ancestors go to Pitriloka the planet of the forefathers. Those who worship the spirits and the female demigods go to the realm of the spirit. But the devotees of the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as revealed in Vedic scriptures attain Him and the eternal spiritual worlds never to be born again.
Lord Krishna explains the results of worship according to the choice of the worshipper. It is up to each human being to exercise their gift of free will and use their discrimination. Since the Supreme Lord is the ultimate goal of all worship, His propitiation is encouraged by the result of attaining Him.
The word vrata means sacred resolve and undertaking. Those whose resolve and willingness to perform ceremonies to the demigods such as darsa purnamasa for the full moon etc. desiring entry in the heavenly planets worship Indra the celestial chief and join him there. Those who determine to offer profuse ritualistic ablations in honor of the ancestors go to Pitriloka the realm of the ancestors. Those who undertake to worship demons, ghosts and spirits go to the realms of the respective elemental spirits of those invoked. But those who with devotion judiciously offer all propitiation and worship to the Supreme Lord Krishna who exists inside as paramatma the supreme soul and whose transcendental body comprises all of the demigods attains the Supreme Lord eternally. The votaries of the demigods share the joys of the heavenly kingdoms for an allotted time and then they fall down but those who direct their rituals, ceremonies and worship to the Supreme Lord. Who is without beginning, without end. Who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and infallible. Who is a vast ocean of multitudinous attributes and infinite glories. Who is measureless bliss personified and from whom once attaining there is no return to the worlds of mortals. Next will be given another distinguishing characteristic of Lord Krishnas devotees.
The word vrata means sacred resolve and undertaking. Those whose resolve and willingness to perform ceremonies to the demigods such as darsa purnamasa for the full moon etc. desiring entry in the heavenly planets worship Indra the celestial chief and join him there. Those who determine to offer profuse ritualistic ablations in honor of the ancestors go to Pitriloka the realm of the ancestors. Those who undertake to worship demons, ghosts and spirits go to the realms of the respective elemental spirits of those invoked. But those who with devotion judiciously offer all propitiation and worship to the Supreme Lord Krishna who exists inside as paramatma the supreme soul and whose transcendental body comprises all of the demigods attains the Supreme Lord eternally. The votaries of the demigods share the joys of the heavenly kingdoms for an allotted time and then they fall down but those who direct their rituals, ceremonies and worship to the Supreme Lord. Who is without beginning, without end. Who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and infallible. Who is a vast ocean of multitudinous attributes and infinite glories. Who is measureless bliss personified and from whom once attaining there is no return to the worlds of mortals. Next will be given another distinguishing characteristic of Lord Krishnas devotees.
Yaanti devavrataa devaan pitreen yaanti pitrivrataah; Bhutaani yaanti bhutejyaa yaanti madyaajino’pi maam.
yānti—go; deva-vratāḥ—worshipers of celestial gods; devān—amongst the celestial gods; pitṝīn—to the ancestors; yānti—go; pitṛi-vratā—worshippers of ancestors; bhūtāni—to the ghosts; yānti—go; bhūta-ijyāḥ—worshippers of ghosts; yānti—go; mat—my; yājinaḥ—devotees; api—and; mām—to Me
