Gita 09.22 – Seek spiritual security not just in the soul but in Krishna
Thank you. अनन्याश्चिन्तयं तोमां येजनः परिपासते तेशाम् नित्यावि युक्तानाम् योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् अनन्याश्चिन्तयं तोमां Those who contemplate without distraction, those who meditate on them, अनन्याश्चिन्तयं तोमां येजनः परिपासते Those people who do thorough worship, तेशाम् नित्यावि युक्तानाम् They are constantly engaged as योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् योग and क्षेम वहाम्यहम् I will do योगक्षेम and क्षेम I will protect what they have and I will provide what they lack The 9th chapter discussion on Karmakandha is very similar to the 2nd chapter discussion on Karmakandha except that the 2nd chapter talked about shifting one's focus from the attainment of heavens to self-realization whereas the 9th chapter focuses on shifting the attention from attainment of heaven to devotional service So Krishna had also told over there that in 2.42-43 that पुष्पितां वाचु These are flowery words Now flowers, they blossom but not for long So like that, the flowery words, the promises that come from those flowery words they do not last for long One goes to heaven but one falls back and therefore one who strives to do the Vedic rituals and rise to heaven, that person is not very intelligent Krishna states अविपश्चितः he uses in 2.42-43 and 44 he says how such a thing distracts one from Atma Gyan from focusing on spiritual cultivation spiritual realization Then 45 he uses the same word योगक्षेम as he has used in 9.22 There it is, 2.45 is त्रईगुञ्यविशयावेदानिस् त्रईगुञ्योभवार्जुन निर्द्वन्दो नित्यसत्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेमात्मवान So he says that there the Vedas talk about subjects within three modes therefore Arjuna rise beyond the three modes and निर्द्वन्दो नित्यसत्वस्थो go beyond duality be situated in pure goodness and then निर्योगक्षेमात्मवान become निर्योगक्षेमा that means free from worry about provision and protection and focus on आत्मवान understand that the आत्म is real wealth and don't worry about protection or provision of material things, just focus on आत्मवान वान means possessor धन्वान is a person who has wealth आत्मवान is one who has possession of the soul, that means such a person is aware of one's identity as soul and keeps one's consciousness in that awareness in contrast to that where Krishna is saying योगक्षेमा आत्मवान निर्योगक्षेमात्मवान be not concerned about योगक्षेमा here Krishna says that actually if you are concerned about योगक्षेमा योगक्षेमा वहाम्यः I will provide for your needs वहाम्यः this means that Krishna is promising here that it's not just a negative instruction, a prohibition that the lord is giving but he is giving a positive assurance that enables us to see the positive amidst whatever negative has happened so here Krishna doesn't say आत्मवान, he says अनन्यास्चिन्तयंतोमाम् so to the extent we meditate on Krishna constantly to that extent it is Krishna who sees and appreciates our sincere and focused devotion and reciprocates by taking care of that which will distract us from devotion Krishna's provision is in reciprocation to our intention and our determination why can't Krishna protect and provide even when we are not consistently focused on him he can and he does ultimately we cannot do anything without Krishna's will so he does help us at all times but as long as we want to be controllers we want to be doers and that comprises a distraction, that intention itself comprises a distraction and because we want the sense of doership and controllership so Krishna allows us to do that by withdrawing his intervention in our actions or in our plans but when we focus on Krishna that does not mean that we become neglectful of our worldly responsibilities but rather we don't neglect our focus on Krishna because of our worldly responsibilities, we balance the two, we don't see the two as separate, this is the time for Krishna this is time for my worldly responsibilities we see this is the time for Krishna this is also the time for Krishna even my worldly responsibilities are also meant for Krishna and we see more Krishna connection of those responsibilities than the world connection of those responsibilities.
So Ananya, now the word Ananya Krishna has used earlier in 9.13 when he has said Mahatma Anasthamaam Partha, Daivam Prakriti Maashitha Bhajanthi Ananya Manaso Gyaatva Bhootaathi Mauvaiyam So he said Bhajanthi Ananya Manaso, they worship me without any distraction and here it is Ananya Shintayanto Maam. So Krishna is talking about the same level of people over here. So 9.11.12 contrasted with 13.14. Well, 11.12 were those who offended Krishna by considering his form to be material and 13.14 were those who devoted themselves to Krishna.
That contrast was between two extremes in one sense. Now here the contrast is subtler. Both are dharmic but there is aparadharma and there is paradharma.
So Krishna says that in the previous verse those who become, those who worship him through the Vedic rituals, they go to the heavens and they fall back from there. But so here Ananya Shintayanto Maam means that they are not distracted through the Vedic rituals. They worship Krishna directly by the practice of bhakti and by such practice, when they move onwards towards Krishna, they are taken care of by Krishna.
So Ananya refers, in general it refers to no distraction from anything. Specifically here if we look at the verses coming before as well as after this, we will see that Ananya refers to not being distracted by worship of the devtas, those people who are constantly engaged. Krishna says yogakshemam vahamyaham.
So provision and protection I will do personally. And there is of course the famous story of Arjunacharya, when he was such a great saint and devotee that he had, that he did not bother about taking care of his needs. And once the Lord himself came to his house, carrying an abandoned stockpile of grains.
Lord Chaitanya also told Srivastakar that the goddess of fortune may go begging, but you will not, there will be no shortage in your house, Srivastakar. So as sadhakas, this verse we can see as a very strong proclamation of Krishna's protection. And thus we can, we can reject distraction.
We can ensure that by meditating on this promise of Krishna, the reassurance that is implicit in this verse, we can avoid getting distracted towards the world and its many temptations, tribulations, all of which are ultimately distractions. Now in India, there's a life insurance corporation which has misappropriated the slogan, they say yogakshemam vahamyaham. We will provide what you, we will do this, but actually no one can protect us as properly.
No, Krishna is the ultimate insurance. No other insurance can protect us the way Krishna can, because even when we have life insurance say, the insurance doesn't benefit us. It benefits those who are survivors.
Those who we leave behind, it benefits them. And yes, certainly we have a responsibility of taking care of others, but we also have a responsibility to our own souls. And we should know that apart from Krishna, there is no one who can actually do yogakshemam vahamyaham for all of all time to come.
Thank you.