Verse 9.25

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 9.25:

यान्ति देव-व्रता देवान् पितॄन् यान्ति पितृ-व्रताः ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्-याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥ २५ ॥

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ |
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino'pi mām || 25 ||

yānti–go; deva-vratāḥ–those who worship the demigods; devān–to the demigods; pitṝn–to the forefathers; yānti–go; pitṛ-vratāḥ–those who worship the forefathers; bhūtāni–to the spirits; yānti–go; bhūta-ijyāḥ–the worshippers of the ghosts and spirits; yānti–go; mat-yājinaḥ–My worshippers; api–indeed; mām–to Me.

Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, those who worship the forefathers go to the planets of the forefathers, those who worship the spirits go to the planets of the spirits, and those who worship Me will surely come to Me.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Various rules and regulations have been pre-scribed for the worship of the different demigods, and the Vaiṣṇavas worship Śrī Viṣṇu by a similar process, according to the injunctions of scripture. One may question, “What is the defect in this demigod worship?” To clear up this doubt, Śrī Bhagavān says, “It is true that as a result of their worship, the devotees of the demigods achieve those demigods. This is the principle.” To explain this point, Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with yānti deva. “If those demigods themselves are perishable, how can their devotees become imperishable? But I am imperishable and eternal, and therefore, My devotees are also the same.”

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.3.25) also verifies this point: “bhavān ekaḥ śiṣyate’śeṣa-saṃjñaḥ–after the devastation only You remain; therefore, You are called Ananta.” Moreover, the Śrutis state, “eko nārāyaṇa evāsīn na brahmā na ca śaṅkaraḥ–in the beginning there was only Nārāyaṇa, not Brahmā or Śiva.”

Also in the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said, “parārdhānte so ’budhyata gopa-rūpā me purastād āvirbabhūva–at the end of the first half of Brahmā’s life, Brahmā understood that I had appeared before him in the form of a cowherd boy.”

The Śrutis also state, “na cyavante ca mad-bhaktā mahatyāṃ pralayād api–My devotees continue to exist even at the time of the great dissolution. In other words, they do not take birth again.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Here, Śrī Bhagavān is showing the difference between those who worship the demigods and those who worship Him. He is also showing the difference in the results attained by both. Some may say, “Just as the Vaiṣṇavas worship Viṣṇu according to the process described in the scriptures, we are worshipping the demigods according to the rules of scripture. How, then, is our worship considered incorrect?”

In answer to this Bhagavān says, “One achieves whom one worships, according to the process described in the scriptures. This is just. The worshippers of the demigods therefore attain the planets of the demigods. Because both the demigods and their planets are perishable, their worshippers achieve perishable results. On the contrary, both My abode and I Myself are sac-cid-ānanda, eternal, cognizant and blissful; therefore, those who worship Me achieve blissful service to Me in My eternal abode. It is also said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.27), sama-śīlā bhajanti, that those who worship the demigods (such as Indra) perform sacrifices such as daśa-paurṇamāsya-yajña, which are in the mode of goodness, sāttva-guṇa. Those who worship the forefathers do so by ceremonies such as śrāddha, which are in the mode of passion, rajo-guṇa. And those who worship spirits, Yakṣas (ghosts), Rākṣasas and Vināyakas (entities that create obstacles for others) worship by the process of animal sacrifice, which is in the mode of ignorance, tamo-guṇa. My devotees, who are beyond these three modes, worship Me with devotion, using natural and easily available objects.”

Someone may say, “Those who worship the demigods also have faith in You, because the worship of all the demigods also includes the worship of Nārāyaṇa.” Bhagavān says in response, “The purpose of worshipping Nārāyaṇa in this manner is simply so that the worshippers can achieve their goals. Factually, it cannot be called śraddhā, or faith, in Nārāyaṇa. Those who worship the demigods think, ‘I am a worshipper of Indra and other demigods. They are my venerable gods and it is they who, being satisfied with my worship, will fulfil my desires.’ Contrary to this, My devotees think, ‘I am a worshipper of Śrī Vāsudeva, the omnipotent Supreme Controller. He alone is my worshipable Lord, and only for His pleasure am I worshipping Him with various offerings, according to His liking. Being pleased, He will fulfil my desires.’ Externally, both types of worship appear to be equal, but, because those who worship the demigods are averse to bhakti to Me, they only attain the limited enjoyment on the planets of those demigods. After enjoying there, they again fall to this earthly plane of existence. My exclusive devotees, however, the ananya-bhaktas, attain service to My eternal, cognizant and blissful form in My eternal abode and do not return to this material world again. They remain absorbed in My loving pastimes, experiencing unlimited happiness in My association.”