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Bhagavad-gītā 9.3

अश्रद्दधाना: पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप । अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ॥ ३ ॥
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā
[ashraddadhaanaah purushaa]
dharmasyāsya paran-tapa
[dharmasyaasya paran-tapa]
aprāpya māṁ nivartante
[apraapya maam nivartante]
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani
[mrityu-samsaara-vartmani]
Word-for-word
aśraddadhānāḥ — those who are faithless puruṣāḥ — such persons dharmasya — toward the process of religion asya — this param - tapa — O killer of the enemies aprāpya — without obtaining mām — Me nivartante — come back mṛtyu — of death saṁsāra — in material existence vartmani — on the path .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā
aśraddadhānāḥ
those who are faithless
puruṣāḥ
such persons
dharmasyāsya paran-tapa
dharmasya
toward the process of religion
asya
this
param - tapa
O killer of the enemies
aprāpya
without obtaining
aprāpya māṁ nivartante
mām
Me
nivartante
come back
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani
mṛtyu
of death
saṁsāra
in material existence
vartmani
on the path .
Important Words
  • aśraddadhānāḥ — those without faith
    A- (negation) + śraddadhāna (one possessing śraddhā). Faith is named as the single missing factor. Not lack of intelligence, not lack of opportunity — lack of śraddhā alone is what closes the door.
  • dharmasya — of the religion (devotional service)
    Genitive of dharma, here meaning the bhakti-dharma just announced in 9.2. Kṛṣṇa is not speaking of dharma in general but of this specific dharma — the rāja-vidyā path.
  • param - tapa — O chastiser of the enemy
    Param + tapa — burner of foes. Kṛṣṇa addresses Arjuna by his warrior epithet at a tender moment: He is asking him to be hard with the inner enemy of disbelief, just as he is hard with outer enemies.
  • nivartante — they return
    Ni + √vṛt — they turn back. The faithless do not stand still; they are returned, recycled. The verb is in middle voice — the turning is automatic, a function of the cycle itself.
  • saṁsāra — material existence (lit. flowing-together)
    From sam + √sṛ — to flow continuously. Saṁsāra is not a place but a current. The faithless are returned to the current, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani — the path of the death-current.
  • vartmani — on the path
    Locative — placed back onto the track. The image is precise: saṁsāra has a vartman, a well-worn path, and the faithless are set back onto it like a wheel returned to its rut.
Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world.
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)
The shadow side of verse 2's promise: without śraddhā this rāja-vidyā cannot land. Such persons miss Kṛṣṇa altogether and are recycled along the well-worn track of death and rebirth. The vocative parantapa nudges Arjuna to be that conqueror within.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Faith here is not credulity but the openness that allows knowledge to operate. The compound mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani is striking: saṁsāra is itself a vartman, a rut worn by repeated travel. Cross-ref BG 4.40, where the aśraddadhāna is said to perish. Kṛṣṇa is honest: the easiest path is still not automatic — it must be trusted.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे परन्तप! अस्य धर्मस्य अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषाः मां अप्राप्य मृत्यु-संसार-वर्त्मनि निवर्तन्ते ।
he parantapa! asya dharmasya aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ māṃ aprāpya mṛtyu-saṃsāra-vartmani nivartante |
O scorcher of foes, persons who have no faith in this dharma, not attaining Me, return on the path of death and saṁsāra.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषाः धर्मस्य अस्य परन्तप । अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्यु-संसार-वर्त्मनि ॥
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ dharmasya asya parantapa | aprāpya māṃ nivartante mṛtyu-saṃsāra-vartmani ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
अश्रद्दधानाः aśraddadhānāḥ अ + श्रद्दधान pres. (present)part. nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. (√श्रद्धा) lacking faith
पुरुषाः puruṣāḥ पुरुष (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) persons
धर्मस्य dharmasya धर्म (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of the dharma
अस्य asya dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) gen.sg. (genitive singular)m. of this
परन्तप parantapa परम्-तप (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), upapada-tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) O scorcher of foes
अप्राप्य aprāpya अ + प्र+√आप् abs. (absolutive) not attaining
माम् mām अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Me
निवर्तन्ते nivartante नि+√वृत् pres. (present) 3pl.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) they return
मृत्यु-संसार-वर्त्मनि mṛtyu-saṃsāra-vartmani मृत्यु (m.) + संसार (m.) + वर्त्मन् (n.) loc.sg. (locative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) on the path of death and saṁsāra
Purport

The faithless cannot accomplish this process of devotional service; that is the purport of this verse. Faith is created by association with devotees. Unfortunate people, even after hearing all the evidence of Vedic literature from great personalities, still have no faith in God. They are hesitant and cannot stay fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. Thus faith is a most important factor for progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that faith is the complete conviction that simply by serving the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one can achieve all perfection. That is called real faith. As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.31.14) , yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā “By giving water to the root of a tree one satisfies its branches, twigs and leaves, and by supplying food to the stomach one satisfies all the senses of the body. Similarly, by engaging in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord one automatically satisfies all the demigods and all other living entities.” Therefore, after reading Bhagavad-gītā one should promptly come to the conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā: one should give up all other engagements and adopt the service of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. If one is convinced of this philosophy of life, that is faith. Now, the development of that faith is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are three divisions of Kṛṣṇa conscious men. In the third class are those who have no faith. Even if they are officially engaged in devotional service, they cannot achieve the highest perfectional stage. Most probably they will slip, after some time. They may become engaged, but because they haven’t complete conviction and faith, it is very difficult for them to continue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have practical experience in discharging our missionary activity that some people come and apply themselves to Kṛṣṇa consciousness with some hidden motive, and as soon as they are economically a little well situated they give up this process and take to their old ways again. It is only by faith that one can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As far as the development of faith is concerned, one who is well versed in the literatures of devotional service and has attained the stage of firm faith is called a first-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And in the second class are those who are not very advanced in understanding the devotional scriptures but who automatically have firm faith that kṛṣṇa-bhakti, or service to Kṛṣṇa, is the best course and so in good faith have taken it up. Thus they are superior to the third class, who have neither perfect knowledge of the scriptures nor good faith but by association and simplicity are trying to follow. The third-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness may fall down, but when one is in the second class he does not fall down, and for the first-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is no chance of falling down. One in the first class will surely make progress and achieve the result at the end. As far as the third-class person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is concerned, although he has faith in the conviction that devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is very good, he has not yet gained adequate knowledge of Kṛṣṇa through the scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. Sometimes these third-class persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness have some tendency toward karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga, and sometimes they are disturbed, but as soon as the infection of karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga is vanquished, they become second-class or first-class persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Faith in Kṛṣṇa is also divided into three stages and described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. First-class attachment, second-class attachment and third-class attachment are also explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the Eleventh Canto. Those who have no faith even after hearing about Kṛṣṇa and the excellence of devotional service, who think that it is simply eulogy, find the path very difficult, even if they are supposedly engaged in devotional service. For them there is very little hope of gaining perfection. Thus faith is very important in the discharge of devotional service.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
3. O afflicter of enemies, those who do not have faith in this bhakti do not attain Me and remain fixed on the path of transmigration and death.
Commentary

“Well if this dharma is so easy to execute, who will remain in this world?” This verse answers. Using genitive (possessive case) instead of locative case in the phrase dharmasya asya is poetic license. Those who do not have faith in this process of dharma, who think that the supreme position given to bhakti in the scriptures is just exaggeration, and who do not accept it with faith, do not attain Me, even though they make efforts to attain Me by other methods. They remain completely (nivartate is equal to nitarām vartate) on the path of transmigration (saṁsāra-vartmani), pervaded by death.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
3. O afflicter of enemies, those who do not have faith in this bhakti do not attain Me and remain fixed on the path of transmigration and death.
Commentary

“But if this process is so easy to follow, then no one would remain in the material world.” Dharmasya in the genitive case stands for the accusative case. Those who do not accept with firm faith (aśraddadhānāḥ) dharma in the form of devotion to Me, though its strength is well known in the scriptures, because they think that the statements of scripture are exaggeration, do not attain Me, even though they perform other practices to attain Me while ignoring bhakti. They remain completely (nitarām vartante for nivartante) on the path of saṁsāra, which brings about repeated death (mṛtyu saṁsāra vartmani).

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This verse anwers the question: "If this is joyfully performed why then not everybody take it up?" ‑ Those who have no faith in devotional service, they cannot attain Krsna. Therefore they cannot take it up. ‑ Those who are envious of Krsna, who want themselves to be God, they cannot take it up. After glorifying this knowledge that is going to be taught, specially in Section B, and specially in Texts 4 and 5, Krsna is going to explain His 'acintya bheda abheda' relationship with the material world.

[B. KRSNA'S ACINTYA BHEDA ABHEDA RELATIONSHIP TO THE MATERIAL WORLD (9. 4‑10) Krsna pervades, creates, and annihilates the entire cosmos through His material energy. Although Krsna is the Supreme Director, the material world neverthless moves independently and Krsna thus remains neutral and detached. ]

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

Faithless cannot attain Krishna – ‘Faith’ is a most important factor for progress in Krishna

Consciousness (purport)

Faithless people return to the path of birth and death in this material world

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
9.3 Parantapa, O destroyer of foes; those purusah, persons, again; who are asraddadhanah, regardless of, devoid of faith in; asya dharmasya, this Dharma, this knowledge of the Self-those who are faithless as regards its true nature as well as its result, who are sinful, who have taken recourse to the 'upanisad' (mystical teaching) of demoniacal people, consisting in consideration the body alone as the Self, and who delight in life (sense enjoyments); nivartante, certainly go round and round;-where?-mrtyu-samsara-vartmani, along the path (vartma) of transmigration (samsara) fraught with death (mrtyu), the path leading to hell, birth as low creatures, etc., i.e., they go round and round along that very path; aprapya, without reaching; mam, Me, the supreme God. Certainly there is no estion of their attaining Me. Hence, the implication is that (they go round and round) without even aciring a little devotion, which is one of the disciplines [Ast. omits the word sadhana, disciplines.-Tr.] constituting the path for reaching Me. Having drawn Arjuna's attention through the (above) eulogy, the Lord says:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
9.3 Some men who even after attaining the state fit for the practice of this Dharma which is called Upasana (worship) - which is immensely dear inasmuch as it has for its goal Myself who am incomparably dear, and which is the means for the attainment of Myself forming the supreme good that does not perish - may still 'lack faith' in it. Such persons who lack faith which reires eagerness for realization, will not attain Me but remain in the mortal pathway of Samsara. O how strange it is - this hindrance caused by evil Karma! Such is the meaning. [It means, that to declare that one has faith in a spiritual doctrine and yet to take no steps to put it into practice, is pure hypocrisy.] Listen then to the inconceivable glory of Myself, who am the goal tobe attained:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
9.3 Asraddadhanah etc. They remain eternally : Again and again they are born and they die.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
9.3 Those who have no faith in this Dharma (knowledge of the Self), O Parantapa (Arjuna), return to the path of this world of death without attaining Me.
Commentary

9.3 अश्रद्दधानाः without faith? पुरुषाः men? धर्मस्य of duty? अस्य of this? परन्तप O scorcher of foes? अप्राप्य without attaining? माम् Me? निवर्तन्ते return? मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि in the path of this world of death.Commentary Arjuna asks? O Lord? why do people not attempt to attain this knowledge of the Self when it can be easily attained? when it is the highest of all things? and when it gives the greatest benefits All should certainly attain this knowledge. The Lord replies? O My beloved disciple? people have no faith in this Dhrama or knowledge and so return to the path of this world of death. Even if they strive with the help of the means of their own imagination they cannot attain Me as they are not endowed with the right means prescribed by the scriptures.Dharma means law? religion? knowledge of the Self.This faith is not mere intellectual belief in certain dogmas or principles. It is not merely belief in the statement of another. It is unshakable firm inner conviction that the knowledge of the Self alone can give one supreme peace? immortality and eternal bliss. It was this strong and unflinching faith of Sri Sankara that goaded him to leave his mother and take shelter under the kind protection of his Guru Sri Govindapada for attaining this knowledge which is the supreme purifier? intuitional? accordig to righteousness? very easy to perform? and imperishable. It was the strong faith of Lord Buddha that induced him to have that iron determination which he expressed in these words? I will not budge an inch from my seat till I get illumination. Faith goes hand in hand with fiery determination.The Lord has eulogies the knowledge of the Self in the first two verses by the positive method (Vidhi Mukhastuti). He has extolled it in the third verse by the negative method (Nishedha Mukhastuti). The benefits of obtaining knowledge of the Self are described in the first and the second verses. This is Vidhi Mukhastuti. The disastrous effects that result from not obtaining the knowledge of the Self are described in the third verse. This is Nishedha Mukhastuti.The greedy? lustful and sinful persons who are the followers of the philosophy of the flesh? who lead the life of the demons? who worship the body taking it to be the Self? and who have no faith in the knowledge of the Self? do not reach Me. They do not even possess an iota of devotion which is also one of the paths that lead men to Me. They remain in the path of the world of death which leads to hell and the lower births of animals? worms? etc.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
9.3 O destroyer of foes, persons who are regardless of this Dharma (knowledge of the Self) certainly go round and round, without reaching Me, along the path of transmigration which is fraught with death.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
9.3 They who have no faith in this teaching cannot find Me, but remain lost in the purlieus of this perishable world.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to God)
Related verses
BG 4.40 BG 17.28 BG 16.23 SB 11.14.21 SB 3.25.28 SB 10.2.32 CC Madhya 22.64 CC Madhya 22.83 CC Madhya 19.151 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.7BRS 1.2.15
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those without faith in this dharma do not attain Me — they return to repeated birth and death.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize faith as the gateway, not as a peripheral virtue.
  • Treat unbelief seriously, not casually.
  • Cultivate faith as a discipline.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has faith been my actual blockage?
  • What disciplines build faith?
Analogy

A seed of the finest mango is placed in the hand of a man who does not trust that mangoes grow from seeds. He examines it, doubts it, and finally throws it away. The seed was real, the soil was waiting, but faith was the missing factor. Without śraddhā, even rāja-vidyā in the hand cannot germinate — and the man is sent back to the cycle of seasons he has not learned to read.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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