Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 20 (BG 9.20) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

9.20 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.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)