Page 1 - March 2026

Not Heaven, But Him

Alone!

SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA

n the previous verse, Shri Krishna pointed out that those
1
Iinclined toward the fruit-giving rituals of the Vedas worship Him
through sacrifices and are purified; they attain Indra’s heaven,
where they enjoy the fleeting pleasures earned by their pious deeds.
Heaven Has a Return Ticket!
Bhagavan continues:
te taà bhuktvä svarga-lokaà viçälaà kñéëe puëye martya-lokaà

viçanti,
evaà trayé-dharmam-anuprapannä gatägataà käma-kämä labhante.
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.
Having enjoyed that vast and glorious world of heavenly joy
(te taà bhuktvä svarga-lokaà viçälam), they remain there only as
long as their merit lasts. When that merit is exhausted
(kñéëe puëye), for each day of enjoyment demands its payment, when
the store of puëya is finally spent, they return once again to the
mortal world.
No doubt, since you have the requisite väsanäs, you will be
born into a family where yajïas are performed and continue to be
performed. From childhood onwards, you learn the mantras, you

1 Bhagavad Gita, 9.20
This talk has been transcribed and edited from a rare series of discourses on Chapter 9 of
the Bhagavad Gita given by Pujya Gurudev at Sidhbari, India, in 1986. This can be viewed on
Chinmaya Channel, YouTube. https://youtu.be/D18BQc5cFeM?si=Tej-aKGWXSpR8r4f

Tapovan Prasad 8 March 2026