ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति। एव त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते।।9.21।।
te tam bhuktva svargalokam vishalam ksine punye martyalokam vishanti eva trayidharmamanuprapanna gatagatam kamakamalabhante
Translation
When they have enjoyed the vast pleasures of heaven, the stock of their merits being exhausted, they return to the earthly plane. Thus, those who follow the Vedic rituals, desiring objects of enjoyment, repeatedly come and go in this world.
Word Meanings
te — they; tam — that; bhuktvā — having enjoyed; svarga‑lokam — heaven; viśālam — vast; kṣīṇe — being exhausted; puṇye — the results of their pious activities; martyalokaṁ — the mortal earth; viśanti — fall down; eva — thus; trayīdharmam — the three Vedas’ doctrines; anuprapannāḥ — following; gata‑āgatam — death and birth; kāma‑kāmāḥ — desiring sense enjoyments; labhante — attain
Understanding the Verse
The twenty‑first verse of Chapter 9 illustrates the cyclical nature of existence for those who are bound by desire and ritual. By "enjoying" the "vast" pleasures of heaven (svarga‑lokam), these beings experience the highest sensory and material gratifications that the universe can offer. However, the blessings of heaven are not eternal; they are sustained only by "pūṇya"—the merit accumulated through past righteous deeds. Once this merit is "exhausted" (kṣīṇe), the soul loses its foothold in the celestial realm and must descend back to the mortal world (martyaloka).
The verse emphasizes that this cycle is not incidental but is a direct outcome of following "trayīdharmam"—the doctrines of the three Vedas—without deeper spiritual insight. The term "anuprapannāḥ" indicates a mechanical adherence to ritualistic practices, where the practitioner is motivated primarily by the desire for sensory gratification (kāma‑kāmāḥ). Because the motivation remains self‑centered, the individual never transcends the dualities of pleasure and pain, birth and death.
Krishna’s teaching here serves as a cautionary reminder that even the most exalted worldly experiences are temporary. The material joys of heaven can become a subtle trap, reinforcing the illusion of permanence. When the karmic credit that supports such a state is depleted, the soul inevitably returns to the earthly plane, where the same cycle of desire and disappointment continues. This cyclicality underscores the futility of seeking ultimate fulfillment through external rites alone.
In a broader philosophical context, this verse illustrates the principle of "sankhara" (conditioned phenomena) and the law of causation (karma). The Vedic rites, when performed without self‑realization, become "trayi dharma"—a set of actions that merely perpetuate samsara. The only way to break this endless loop is to transcend desire, aligning one's consciousness with the Supreme (para‑Brahman) rather than remaining attached to ritualistic outcomes.
For the modern seeker, this teaching invites introspection: Are we pursuing spiritual practices for their own sake, or are we driven by the promise of future pleasure? True liberation arises not from accumulating merit to secure a brief visit to heaven, but from surrendering the ego‑driven motives that bind us to the cycle of birth and death. By recognizing the transitory nature of even the highest heavens, we are guided toward a path of self‑knowledge and devotion that leads beyond the confines of material existence.
