Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Verse 20

[bilva]

Chapter 9. The Most Confidential Knowledge

TEXT 20
trai-vidya mam soma-pah puta-papa
yajnair istva svar-gatim prarthayante
te punyam asadya surendra-lokam
asnanti divyan divi deva-bhogan

SYNONYMS
trai-vidyah--the knowers of the three Vedas; mam--unto Me; soma-pah--
drinkers of soma juice; puta--purified; papah--sins; yajnaih--with
sacrifices; istva--after worshiping; svah-gatim--passage to heaven;
prarthayante--pray; te--they; punyam--virtue; asadya--enjoying; sura-
indra--of Indra; lokam--the world; asnanti--enjoy; divyan--celestial;
divi--in heaven; deva-bhogan--pleasures of the gods.

TRANSLATION
Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking the
heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. They take birth on the planet
of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights.

EXPLANATION
The word trai-vidyah refers to the three Vedas, Sama, Yajur and Rg. A
brahmana who has studied these three Vedas is called a tri-vedi.
Anyone who is very much attached to knowledge derived from these three
Vedas is respected in society. Unfortunately, there are many great
scholars of the Vedas who do not know the ultimate purport of studying
them. Therefore Krsna herein declares Himself to be the ultimate goal
for the tri-vedis. Actual tri-vedis take shelter under the lotus feet
of Krsna and engage in pure devotional service to satisfy the Lord.
Devotional service begins with the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra
and side by side trying to understand Krsna in truth. Unfortunately
those who are simply official students of the Vedas become more
interested in offering sacrifices to the different demigods like
Indra, Candra, etc. By such endeavor, the worshipers of different
demigods are certainly purified of the contamination of the lower
qualities of nature and are thereby elevated to the higher planetary
systems or heavenly planets known as Maharloka, Janoloka, Tapoloka,
etc. Once situated on those higher planetary systems, one can satisfy
his senses hundreds of thousands of times better than on this planet.

Following is a quotation by Swami Gaurangapada:
"We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions;
We sow our actions, and we reap this present life;
We sow this life; and we reap the next life & our destiny."

Please chant Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, and
realize the merciful nature of Naam Prabhu.