FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 4.9

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥ ९ ॥
janma karma ca me divyam
[janma karma cha me divyam]
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
[evam yo vetti tattvatah]
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
[tyaktvaa deham punar janma]
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
[naiti maam eti so ’rjuna]
Word-for-word
janma — birth karma — work ca — also me — of Mine divyam — transcendental evam — like this yaḥ — anyone who vetti — knows tattvataḥ — in reality tyaktvā — leaving aside deham — this body punaḥ — again janma — birth na — never eti — does attain mām — unto Me eti — does attain saḥ — he arjuna — O Arjuna .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
janma karma ca me divyam
janma
birth
karma
work
ca
also
me
of Mine
divyam
transcendental
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
evam
like this
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
yaḥ
anyone who
vetti
knows
tattvataḥ
in reality
tyaktvā
leaving aside
deham
this body
punaḥ
again
janma
birth
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
na
never
eti
does attain
mām
unto Me
eti
does attain
saḥ
he
arjuna
O Arjuna .
Important Words
  • divyam — transcendental, divine
    From √div — 'to shine.' Not merely 'unusual' or 'remarkable.' Kṛṣṇa's birth and activities are luminous-by-nature, transcendentally different from material events even when they look superficially similar.
  • tattvataḥ — in truth, in essence
    Ablative of tattva — 'from the side of truth.' The qualifier is decisive. The verse promises liberation not to those who *hear* the līlā but to those who know it tattvataḥ — as it actually is. Mythologizing breaks the promise.
  • tyaktvā — having given up
    Gerund of √tyaj — 'having abandoned.' Locates the action at the moment of leaving the body. The verse is not promising a vague future; it names a specific hinge.
  • deham — the body
    Accusative — 'the body' as the thing left behind. Setting up the contrast: leave the body, do not take another, attain Kṛṣṇa instead. The whole pattern of saṁsāra is broken in one verse.
  • eti — comes to / attains
    From √i — 'to go.' The verse uses eti twice on opposite sides of a hinge: punaḥ janma na eti (does not approach rebirth) and mām eti (approaches Me). The same verb, redirected. Liberation is not 'escape from' but 're-direction of' the soul's natural going-toward.
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Correctly understanding the avatāra is itself liberating. The knower of दिव्यम् जन्म कर्म च — that the Lord's birth and acts are not karmic but divine — is freed from the rebirth cycle and attains Him directly. Doctrine becomes deliverance.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Caps the avatāra section (4.6–9). तत्त्वतः (essentially) excludes mere intellectual acquaintance; it requires existential conviction. The implicit equation: misunderstanding Kṛṣṇa as a mere mortal binds; recognizing Him as divinely descended releases. Cross-ref BG 7.24–25 on the foolish who think the unmanifest has become manifest as a man.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे अर्जुन! यः मे जन्म कर्म च दिव्यम् एवम् तत्त्वतः वेत्ति, सः देहम् त्यक्त्वा पुनः जन्म न एति, माम् (एव) एति।
he arjuna! yaḥ me janma karma ca divyam evam tattvataḥ vetti, saḥ deham tyaktvā punaḥ janma na eti, mām (eva) eti|
O Arjuna, one who knows in truth, in this way, My divine birth and activity does not, after leaving the body, return to another birth; he comes to Me.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यम् एवम् यः वेत्ति तत्त्वतः । त्यक्त्वा देहम् पुनः जन्म न एति माम् एति सः अर्जुन ॥
janma karma ca me divyam evam yaḥ vetti tattvataḥ | tyaktvā deham punaḥ janma na eti mām eti saḥ arjuna ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
जन्म janma जन्मन् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) birth
कर्म karma कर्मन् (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) activity
च ca ind. (indeclinable), conjunctive and
मे me अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) gen.sg. (genitive singular), enclitic My
दिव्यम् divyam दिव्य (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. divine, transcendental
एवम् evam ind. (indeclinable), manner thus
यः yaḥ यद् (rel. pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. who
वेत्ति vetti √विद् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) knows
तत्त्वतः tattvataḥ ind. (indeclinable), abl. adverb from तत्त्व in truth, essentially
त्यक्त्वा tyaktvā √त्यज् abs. (absolutive) having abandoned
देहम् deham देह (m./n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) body
पुनः punaḥ ind. (indeclinable), temporal adverb again
न na ind. (indeclinable), negation not
एति eti √इ pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) goes (to)
माम् mām अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular) to Me
सः saḥ तद् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he
अर्जुन arjuna अर्जुन (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular) O Arjuna
Purport

The Lord’s descent from His transcendental abode is already explained in the sixth verse. One who can understand the truth of the appearance of the Personality of Godhead is already liberated from material bondage, and therefore he returns to the kingdom of God immediately after quitting this present material body. Such liberation of the living entity from material bondage is not at all easy. The impersonalists and the yogīs attain liberation only after much trouble and many, many births. Even then, the liberation they achieve – merging into the impersonal brahma-jyotir of the Lord – is only partial, and there is the risk of returning to this material world. But the devotee, simply by understanding the transcendental nature of the body and activities of the Lord, attains the abode of the Lord after ending this body and does not run the risk of returning to this material world. In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) it is stated that the Lord has many, many forms and incarnations: advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam. Although there are many transcendental forms of the Lord, they are still one and the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. One has to understand this fact with conviction, although it is incomprehensible to mundane scholars and empiric philosophers. As stated in the Vedas ( Puruṣa-bodhinī Upaniṣad ): eko devo nitya-līlānurakto bhakta-vyāpī hṛdy antar-ātmā “The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many, many transcendental forms in relationships with His unalloyed devotees.” This Vedic version is confirmed in this verse of the Gītā personally by the Lord. He who accepts this truth on the strength of the authority of the Vedas and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who does not waste time in philosophical speculations attains the highest perfectional stage of liberation. Simply by accepting this truth on faith, one can, without a doubt, attain liberation. The Vedic version tat tvam asi is actually applied in this case. Anyone who understands Lord Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme, or who says unto the Lord, “You are the same Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead,” is certainly liberated instantly, and consequently his entrance into the transcendental association of the Lord is guaranteed. In other words, such a faithful devotee of the Lord attains perfection, and this is confirmed by the following Vedic assertion: tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti nānyaḥ panthā vidyate ’yanāya “One can attain the perfect stage of liberation from birth and death simply by knowing the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and there is no other way to achieve this perfection.” ( Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8) That there is no alternative means that anyone who does not understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is surely in the mode of ignorance and consequently he will not attain salvation simply, so to speak, by licking the outer surface of the bottle of honey, or by interpreting the Bhagavad-gītā according to mundane scholarship. Such empiric philosophers may assume very important roles in the material world, but they are not necessarily eligible for liberation. Such puffed-up mundane scholars have to wait for the causeless mercy of the devotee of the Lord. One should therefore cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness with faith and knowledge, and in this way attain perfection.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
9. He who understands in truth My spiritual birth and activities, attains Me on giving up his body, and does not take birth again.
Commentary

You will be successful just by knowing in truth about My birth which was previously described, and after My birth, My activities. That is expressed in this verse. Rāmānujācārya and Madhusūdana Sarasvatī say that divya means “non material, spiritual.” Śrīdhara Svāmī says divya means “uncommon.” As this means that it is not related to this material world, it also means “spiritual.” Being spiritual, beyond the guṇas, means that the Lord’s birth and activities are eternal. Jīva Gosvāmī also explains, quoting from Bhāgavatam in the Bhagavat Sandarbha that the Lord has no material birth or activities: na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā na nāma-rūpe guṇa-doṣa eva vā tathāpi lokāpyaya-sambhavāya yaḥ sva-māyayā tāny anukālam ṛcchati The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material birth, activities, name, form, qualities or faults. To fulfill the purpose for which this material world is created and destroyed, He comes in the form of a human being like Lord Rāma or Lord Kṛṣṇa by His original internal potency. He has immense potency, and in various forms, all free from material contamination, He acts wonderfully. He is therefore the Supreme Brahman. I offer my respects to Him. SB 8.3.8 Or the word divya can mean “not approachable by logic,” or “inconceivable,” on the strength of the words of śruti and smṛti. The Puruṣa Bodhinī Śruti (4.3) of the Pippalādi branch of the Vedas says: eko devo nitya-līlānurakto bhakta-vyāpī bhakta-hṛdayāntarātmā The one Lord, who is inconceivable (deva), engaged in eternal pastimes, is spread in the devotees and resides in the devotee’s heart. [Note: The idea of this quotation is that something which pervades everywhere is inconceivable (deva or divya), according to the definition given to the word acintya in chapter 2.] The eternal nature of the Lord’s birth and activities is mentioned frequently in the Bhāgavatam as well. Yo vetti tattvataḥ means “he who knows that My birth and activities are truly eternal,” based on My statements that I am unborn and with indestructible body (ajo ’pi san avyayātmā) and that My birth and activities are non material (janma karma ca me divyam), and not just an appearance of being eternal, dependent on some sort of trick. Yo vetti tattvataḥ can also mean “one who knows Me as the very form of Brahman.” This is because later Kṛṣṇa will say oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas trividhaḥ smṛtaḥ: the three words om tat sat all indicate Brahman. (BG 17.18) Therefore tattva means the state of being Brahman (tat). Yo vetti tattvataḥ means “one who know Me as the form of Brahman.” That person does not take birth again, but rather, attains Me. The words tyaktvā deham only indicate the last condition of life, for, not only on giving up the body one does not take birth again, but even while not giving up the body, before that, one attains Me. Rāmānujācārya says, “Destroying all sins which are unfavorable for surrender to Me by true knowledge of My spiritual birth and activities, taking shelter of Me in this life in the prescribed way, that person who holds Me alone as dear, constantly thinking of Me, attains Me.”

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
9. He who understands in truth My spiritual birth and activities, attains Me on giving up his body, and does not take birth again.
Commentary

Let liberation, which is difficult to attain by numerous endeavors, using thousands of practices, become easily available for My exclusive devotees, through hearing about My birth and activities. I appear in this world for this purpose also. With this intention the Lord speaks this verse. I am the Lord of all, whose every wish is fulfilled, born in many eternally perfect forms such as Nṛsiṁha and Rāma just like the vaidurya stone which manifests many colors. He who knows that the birth and activities (in relation to the respective devotees) of such a Lord are non-material and eternal in the past, present and future; he who, by My statements such as eko devo nitya-līlānurakto bhakta-vyāpī bhakta-hṛdy antarātmā has firm faith (yo vetti tattvataḥ) that My birth and activities are spiritual (divyam), and is indifferent to material logic, O Arjuna— this person, giving up his body, does not again take a material birth, but attains Me, possessing attractive activities relating to the devotee according to the form he worshipped. He attains liberation. Tattvato vetti can also be explained as “He who knows that My birth and activites are actually not different from brahman (tat).” Tattvataḥ has this meaning because the śruti talks of brahman being tat in such statements as tat tvam asi: you are that brahman. This knoweldge, that Kṛṣṇa is brahman, brings about liberation. The following statement would be contradicted, if one did not gain liberation on knowing the Lord. tam eva viditvātimṛtyum eti nānyaḥ panthā vidyate’yanāya Knowing him one surpasses death. There is no other path for going. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8 The rest of the verse would be interpreted the same. The logical arguments in support of the eternal nature of the Lord’s birth, form and activities have been discussed elaborately elsewhere and should be consulted.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This is the result of knowing what was just said. This verse not only explains one result (liberation) but next text explains another result.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Krishna reveals His transcendental position about His birth and activities

Text 4.5 and 4.6 talks about ‘His appearance and disappearance’
Text 4.5: My birth and death are not like yours
Text 4.6: I appear in My original transcendental form which is unborn and never dies , I appear by My own will
Texts 4.7 – 4.8 talks about ‘His activities.’ It explains when and why Krishna appears – reasons of descent:
When
Decline in religion
Predominant rise in irreligion
Why
To annihilate the demons
To deliver the devotees (from anxiety to see the Lord)
To re-establish the principles of religion
Text 4.9 – 4.10 talks about the result of understanding the knowledge of ‘transcendental birth’ (Texts 4.5 & 4.6) and ‘activities’ (Texts 4.7 & 4.8)
To be absorbed in Krishna
Become purified
Freed from attachment, fear and anger
Attain love for Krishna
Go back to Krishna (Transcendental abode)
No re-birth in material world

PLEASE NOTE: All Themes of Texts 4.5 – 4.10 are described above under the common theme and their purports

are described in their respective Focus of Learning sections below. Only some points of the purports of Texts 4.5

and 4.6, are described under the Summarsized Theme 4A.

SUMMARISED THEME 4A

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KRISHNA AND THE CONDITIONED LIVING ENTITY
(4.5 – 4.6 purports)

S.No

Krishna

Conditioned Living entity

Eternal and remembers past, present and future (Acyuta: never forgets – infallible)
Eternal but forgets
Remembers all births because body does not change or deteriorate (Avyayam)
Forgets because body changes and deteriorates
Appears by own will
Forced to appear by karma
Body is transcendental
Body is material
No difference between body and self (Adwaita)
The soul acquires an external body (gross and subtle)

Focus of Learning

(a) Peculiarity of Lord’s birth

Lord appears like an ordinary person
But remembers many many past births
Common man cannot remember past few hours, therefore no-one can claim to be God

(b) Lord has many incarnations but He is original

Ref. Vedas – Analogy: Lord is like the Vaidurya stone which changes color but still remains one (Lord manifests so many innumerable forms)
Ref. Brahma-Samhita 5.33; 5.39

(c) Qualification to understand these multi-forms – and example of such a qualified person

Only by pure unalloyed devotion and not by simple study of the Vedas, can one understand
e.g. Arjuna incarnates as one of the associate devotees in all incarnations

(d) Difference between ‘devotee forgetting the nature of Lord’ and ‘demon not understanding’

Devotee may forget but by His divine grace, one immediately understands the infallible nature of the Lord
Non-devotee never understands

(e) Living entity can never equal the Lord (4.5)

Lord is Achyuta (Infallible) – Never forgets Himself and His previous births even in material contact
Lord is Advaita – There is no distinction between His body and Self, therefore He does not change His spiritual body and never forgets His past births
Living entity, however great, spiritually liberated or materially great, can never equal the Lord, e.g. Arjuna
Materially – He is famous as ‘Parantapa’ (Subduer of enemies)
Spiritually – is one of the liberated associates

(f) ‘Atma-maya’ (4.6) – means

Lord descends by ‘internal potency’ and not by ‘external potency’
Lord’s body and intelligence never deteriorates (‘avyayam’) and is never contaminated by material nature (thus it defeats Mayavada teaching)
Prakriti means nature or ‘svarupa’ (own form)
Analogy: His appearance and disappearance are likes the sun’s rising and setting
He is always the “Lord of all living entities” – evident by wonderful and superhuman acts on Earth
‘Atma-maya’ also means that Lord descends by ‘causeless mercy’ so that we can concentrate on His form as He is and not on ‘Mental concoctions and imaginations’
Ref. Amara-kosa dictionary

(a) Definition of Sadhu – A man in Krishna consciousness, apparently may be irreligious but if he is

wholly and fully Krishna conscious, he is a sadhu

(b) Definition of ‘Duskrtam’ – Does not care for Krishna consciousness

(c) Prime purpose of any Avatara

To appease His unalloyed devotees e.g. Prahlada Maharaja and Devaki
Otherwise the athiests can be dealt with by the Lord’s agents

(d) Ref. Caitanya-caritamrta on (Principles of Incarnation)

The avatara, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation
And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who descends is called an incarnation, or avatara
Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatara

(e) Why specifically does Lord Krishna descend (Prime purpose) – To mitigate anxieties of pure

devotees who are anxious to see His Vrindavana pastimes

(a) How the Lord incarnates – By His internal potency – This is indicated by the word ‘Srjami’

Meaning of ‘Srjami’ – Lord is not created or born but “manifests” as per free will
‘Srjami’ is mentioned as “manifests” because Text 4.6 refutes the Lord being born or created, by calling Him as ‘aja’

(b) When does the Lord incarnate – Usual schedule of Lord’s appearance

End of Dvapara-yuga of 28th millennium of seventh Manu of a day of Brahma
But no obligation to rule

(c) For what purpose does the Lord decend – Lord comes to establish “principles of dharma”

What are the ‘principles of dharma’ – Direct orders of Supreme Personality of Godhead
Ref. SB 6.3.19 “Dharmam tu…”
What is ‘Highest dharma’ – Surrender unto Him only

(d) Certain facts about ‘Avatara’

Mission: Comes with mission, e.g. Lord Buddha came to establish Vedic principles of ‘Non-violence’
Sanctioned: Mentioned in scriptures – criteria to accept
Place: Can appear anywhere, not only on Indian soil
Message: Speaks as per audience, e.g. higher and lower mathematics
Common mission:
To lead people to God-consciousness,
Obedience to the principles of religion

(e) Bhagavad-gita is for highly advanced people, e.g. Arjuna (higher principles of religion begin with

Varna-asrama)

(a) Liberation of living entity from material bondage is not very easy – Two paths are possible:

Path of impersonalism and yoga
Path of devotees

(b) Path of Impersonalists and yogis

Endeavor – Not very easy - many, many births
Goal – Only partial success, brahmajyoti
Safety – Risk of fall-down

(c) Path of Devotees in Krishna consciousness

Endeavor – Very easy, one has to simply understand the transcendental nature of Lord’s birth and activities (4.9)
Goal – Abode of Krishna – Thus complete success is assured
Safety – Lord protects from falldown again into the material world

(d) Who can attain ‘Perfection of liberation’

A faithful devotee, who accepts Krishna’s protection with faith
One who accepts Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead
He has many transcendental forms
These forms have relations with unalloyed devotees
One who does not waste time in philosophical speculations
Ref. Brahma Samhita, Vedas, Svetasvatara Upanisad (study purport)

(e) Fate of other processes like empiric philosophers and puffed-up mundane scholars

Waste of time
May get important roles in material world, not liberation
Analogy: licking the outer surface of a bottle of honey

(f) What is the hope for these speculators etc. – ‘Only causeless mercy of devotee of the Lord’

(g) Conclusive suggestion – Cultivate Krishna consciousness with faith and knowledge and attain

perfection

(f) Who is the ‘Avatara’ for Kali-yuga – Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

How does he spread religion and deliver miscreants – Propogated Sankirtan Movement throughout India
Sastric proof – This Avatara is mentioned secretly and not directly in Upanisads, Mahabharata and Srimad Bhagavatam
Mission
He does not kill but delivers by causeless mercy
Predicts the broadcast of Sankirtana movement all over the world
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
4.9 Yah, he who; evam, thus, as described; vetti, knows tattvatah, truly, as they are in reality; that divyam, divine, supernatural; janma, birth, which is a form of Maya; ca karma, and actions, such as protection of the pious, etc.; mama, of Mine; na eti, does not get; punarjanma, rirth; tyaktva, after casting off; this deham, body. Sah, he; eti, attains, comes to; mam, Me-he gets Liberated, O Arjuna. This path of Liberation has not been opened recently. What then? Even in earlier days-
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
4.9 He who knows truly My life and actions, super-natural and special to Me, which are intended solely for the protection of the good and to enable them to take refuge in Me, - Me who am devoid of birth, unlike ordinary beings whose birth is caused by Karma associated with Prakrti and its three Gunas producing the evil of bondage, and who is endowed with auspicious attributes such as Lordship over all, omniscience, infallible will etc., - such a person after abandoning the present body will never be born, but will reach Me only. By true knowledge of My divine birth and acts, all his sins that stand in his way of taking refuge in Me are destroyed. In this birth itself, resorting to Me in the manner already described, and loving Me and concentrating on Me alone, he reaches Me. Sri Krsna speaks of the same thing:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
4.5-9 Bahuni etc. upto Arjuna. Indeed the Bhagavat is Himself devoid of all bodily connections on account of His having the group of the 'six attributes' in toto. Yet, out of His nature of stabilising [the universe], and out of compassion, He sends forth (or creates) that is which the Self is secondary. The meaning is this : He takes hold of a body, in which the Self, with the group of 'six alities' in full, remains secondary because of Its role as a helper of the body. On account of this, His birth is divine. For, it has been created not by the results of actions, but by His own Trick-of-Illusion, by the highest knowledge of Yoga, and by the energy of Freedom of His own. His action too is divine, as it is incabable of yielding fruits [for Him]. Whosoever knows this truth in this manner i.e., realises in his own Self also in this manner, he necessarily understands the Bhagavat Vasudeva beng.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
4.9 He who thus know, in their true light, My divine birth and action, having abandoned the body, is not born again, he comes to Me, O Arjuna.
Commentary

4.9 जन्म birth? कर्म action? च and? मे My? दिव्यम् divine? एवम् thus? यः who? वेत्ति knows? तत्त्वतः in true light? त्यक्त्वा having abandoned? देहम् the body? पुनः again? जन्म birth? नः not? एति gets? माम् to Me? एति comes? सः he? अर्जुन O Arjuna.Commentary The Lord? though apparently born? is always beyond birth and death though apparently active for firmly establishing righteousness? He is ever beyond all actions. He who knows this is never born again. He attains knowledge of the Self and becomes liberated while living.The birth of the Lord is an illusion. It is Aprakrita (beyond the pale of Nature). It is divine. It is peculiar to the Lord. Though He appears in human form? His body is Chinmaya (full of consciousness? not inert matter as are human bodies composed of the five elements).

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
4.9 He who thus knows truly the divine birth and actions of Mine does not get rirth after casting off the body. He attains Me, O Arjuna.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
4.9 He who realises the divine truth concerning My birth and life is not born again; and when he leaves his body, he becomes one with Me.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 4.10 BG 8.15 BG 15.6 SB 10.14.4 SB 10.14.58 SB 12.3.46 CC Madhya 9.261 CC Madhya 20.138 CC Madhya 24.87 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.17
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not take birth again — that one comes to Me.
Practical Applications
  • Study Kṛṣṇa's pastimes (līlā) seriously — not as legend but as transcendental fact.
  • Hear daily about His activities; this hearing itself is liberation.
  • Replace material entertainment with hearing Kṛṣṇa-līlā.
Reflection Questions
  • How much of my entertainment-time could become śravaṇam of līlā?
  • What pastime do I most need to hear right now?
Analogy

A traveler who finally understands the secret of a city's gates can come and go at will; one who does not understand the gates is locked outside forever. Knowing the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa's appearance and activities — not merely hearing about them — is the gate-knowledge. Once you know the gate, the city of His abode is open.

Stories
Parīkṣit hearing the līlā

On the bank of the Gaṅgā, with seven days left to live, King Parīkṣit listened to Śukadeva narrate Kṛṣṇa's birth, His childhood at Vṛndāvana, His pastimes with the cowherds, His diplomatic moves at Kurukṣetra. He did not hear them as legend. He heard them as the very tattvataḥ — the truth — that this verse calls knowing.

He attained the Lord at the moment Takṣaka's bite arrived. The verse promises na eti — does not return — and Parīkṣit demonstrated it inside seven days.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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