Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 9, Verse 20
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा
यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक
मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्।।
यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक
मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्।।
trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpā
yajñair iṣṭvā svar-gatiṁ prārthayante
te puṇyam āsādya surendra-lokam
aśnanti divyān divi deva-bhogān
also searched as "traividya mam somapah putapapa"
Translation
Those who are versed in the three Vedas, having been purified from sin by drinking the Soma juice, pray for passage to heaven and worship Me through sacrifices. Reaching the holy realm of the chief of the gods, they enjoy celestial pleasures in heaven.
Vāṇi's rendering
The ritualists, cleansed by rites, pray their way to heaven — and win the gods' world and its pleasures.
Word by word
| Sanskrit & transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|
| त्रैविद्याःtrai-vidyāḥ | those learned in the three Vedas; the ritualists (shown as trai-vidyā before the following m) |
| माम्mām | me |
| सोमपाःsoma-pāḥ | drinkers of the soma offered in sacrifice |
| पूतपापाःpūta-pāpāḥ | cleansed of wrongdoing (shown as pūta-pāpā before the following y) |
| यज्ञैःyajñaiḥ | by sacrifices (sandhi: yajñair before iṣṭvā) |
| इष्ट्वाiṣṭvā | having worshipped, having offered |
| स्वर्गतिम्svar-gatim | passage to heaven |
| प्रार्थयन्तेprārthayante | they ask for, they pray for |
| तेte | they |
| पुण्यम्puṇyam | the holy, merit-won |
| आसाद्यāsādya | having reached, having arrived at |
| सुरेन्द्रलोकम्surendra-lokam | the world of Indra, chief of the gods (sura-indra) |
| अश्नन्तिaśnanti | they eat, they enjoy |
| दिव्यान्divyān | celestial, shining |
| दिविdivi | in heaven |
| देवभोगान्deva-bhogān | the pleasures of the gods |
Frequently asked
What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Verse 20 mean?
Krishna describes those who master the Vedic rites, offer sacrifice, and pray for heaven. Their worship reaches him; their request reaches Indra's world. They receive precisely what they asked for — celestial pleasure, honestly earned. The verse does not condemn them. It measures them, and finds the measure was set by their own asking.
What does 'traividya mam somapah putapapa' mean?
Those versed in the three Vedas, drinkers of soma, cleansed of wrongdoing. Krishna names them with respect — they are not hypocrites but accomplished performers of yajña. The line matters because he says they worship mām, me. Even the heaven-seeker's offering arrives at Krishna. What differs is what the seeker wants back.
Is Krishna criticizing Vedic rituals in this verse?
No. He affirms that sacrifice purifies and that its promised reward is real. Heaven is granted, not denied. The next verse adds the one thing missing: what is entered must be exited. Krishna is not attacking the rite; he is pointing out where a rite performed for gain naturally stops.
If heaven is temporary, why would anyone pray for it?
Because it is beautiful and it is available. Krishna never pretends otherwise. But merit is a currency, and currency is spent. Whatever you buy with your worship, you will eventually finish. Ask for pleasure and you will hold pleasure until it runs out. Ask for Krishna, and there is nothing to run out.
Themes in this verse
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Commentary
They do worship Krishna — he says so plainly. The rites are correct, the soma drunk, the sin washed off; nothing here is fraud. And what they ask for is heaven, so heaven is what they get. Krishna is not withholding. He is answering, exactly. The prayer sets the ceiling, and the ceiling is a pleasure that ends when the merit runs out. Notice that the fault is not in the worship but in the request. Before you ask, listen to what you are actually asking for — because you may well be given it, and then have to live inside the size of your own wish.