FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 9.33

किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणा: पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा । अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥ ३३ ॥
kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā
[kim punar braahmanaah punyaa]
bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā
[bhaktaa raajarshayas tathaa]
anityam asukhaṁ lokam
[anityam asukham lokam]
imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām
[imam praapya bhajasva maam]
Word-for-word
kim — how much punaḥ — again brāhmaṇāḥ — brāhmaṇas puṇyāḥ — righteous bhaktāḥ — devotees rāja - ṛṣayaḥ — saintly kings tathā — also anityam — temporary asukham — full of miseries lokam — planet imam — this prāpya — gaining bhajasva — be engaged in loving service mām — unto Me .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā
kim
how much
punaḥ
again
brāhmaṇāḥ
brāhmaṇas
puṇyāḥ
righteous
bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā
bhaktāḥ
devotees
rāja - ṛṣayaḥ
saintly kings
tathā
also
anityam asukhaṁ lokam
anityam
temporary
asukham
full of miseries
lokam
planet
imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām
imam
this
prāpya
gaining
bhajasva
be engaged in loving service
mām
unto Me .
Important Words
  • kim — what
    The interrogative — paired here with punaḥ to form 'how much more.' A fortiori construction: if even the pāpa-yonis reach the param gati, kim punaḥ — how much more inevitably — the brāhmaṇas and rājarṣis.
  • punaḥ — then, again
    Then, moreover, again. Joined with kim, the pair makes a fortiori reasoning. The whole verse is built on this rhetorical pivot — the lesser case has been granted in 9.32; now the greater follows automatically.
  • brāhmaṇāḥ — brāhmaṇas
    The first varṇa. Note: qualified immediately by puṇyāḥ — pious. Not all brāhmaṇas by birth, only the puṇya ones. The verse is not a caste statement; it is a qualifier-statement.
  • puṇyāḥ — pious, righteous
    Puṇya — meritorious. This qualifier rescues the verse from being a birth-claim. The pious brāhmaṇa qualifies; the impious is not promised anything here. Even within the brāhmaṇa class, the gate is character, not pedigree.
  • rāja - ṛṣayaḥ — saintly kings
    Rāja (king) + ṛṣi (sage). The kṣatriya-saint type. Arjuna's category. Kṛṣṇa names Arjuna's exact identity here without quite saying his name — a precise hint, like a guru tapping the disciple's shoulder.
  • anityam — temporary
    A- + nitya (eternal). Non-eternal. The world is named for what it is. Without this single adjective the verse loses its urgency — bhakti would be a hobby for the patient. With anityam, bhakti is the only sensible response to a brief window.
  • asukham — miserable
    A- + sukha (happiness). Joyless. Kṛṣṇa's diagnosis is harsher than common piety: the world is not just temporary, it is unhappy. The pleasant interludes are not the structure; the structure is asukha.
  • bhajasva — engage in loving service
    Imperative second singular of √bhaj. 'You, worship.' This is the direct command after 32 verses of doctrine. The chapter turns from third-person exposition to second-person directive: the point of everything before now lands here, on Arjuna's shoulders.
How much more this is so of the righteous brāhmaṇas, the devotees and the saintly kings. Therefore, having come to this temporary, miserable world, engage in loving service unto Me.
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)
A fortiori: if even the socially excluded reach the supreme goal, what to say of holy brāhmaṇas, devotees, and rājarṣis? Then Kṛṣṇa wheels the argument toward Arjuna himself — a rājarṣi born into this anitya, asukha world: bhajasva mām.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The verse uses kim-punaḥ logic (a-fortiori reasoning) to invert the previous social concession into an exhortation. 'Anityam asukham' is a sober assessment of the human lokam — impermanent, dissatisfying. Given that, the only sensible response is bhajana. The imperative 'bhajasva' prepares the famous quartet of 9.34.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
किं पुनः पुण्याः ब्राह्मणाः भक्ताः तथा राजर्षयः (न यान्ति) ? (अतः त्वम्) अनित्यम् असुखम् इमं लोकं प्राप्य मां भजस्व ।
kiṃ punaḥ puṇyāḥ brāhmaṇāḥ bhaktāḥ tathā rājarṣayaḥ (na yānti) ? (ataḥ tvam) anityam asukham imaṃ lokaṃ prāpya māṃ bhajasva |
How much more, then, the holy brāhmaṇas, the devotees, and the royal sages? Having come to this impermanent, joyless world, worship Me.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
किं पुनः ब्राह्मणाः पुण्याः भक्ताः राजर्षयः तथा । अनित्यम् असुखं लोकम् इमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥
kiṃ punaḥ brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyāḥ bhaktāḥ rājarṣayaḥ tathā | anityam asukhaṃ lokam imaṃ prāpya bhajasva mām ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
किम् kim interr. (interrogative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n., here adv. what (how much)
पुनः punaḥ ind. (indeclinable), 'again, then' then
ब्राह्मणाः brāhmaṇāḥ ब्राह्मण (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) brāhmaṇas
पुण्याः puṇyāḥ पुण्य (adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. holy
भक्ताः bhaktāḥ भक्त (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) devotees
राजर्षयः rājarṣayaḥ राजन् + ऋषि (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), karmadhāraya cpd. (compound) royal sages
तथा tathā ind. (indeclinable), 'and' and
अनित्यम् anityam अ + नित्य (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. impermanent
असुखम् asukham अ + सुख (n. → adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. joyless
लोकम् lokam लोक (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) world
इमम् imam dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. this
प्राप्य prāpya प्र+√आप् abs. (absolutive) having attained
भजस्व bhajasva √भज् imv. 2sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) worship
माम् mām अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Me
Purport

In this material world there are classifications of people, but, after all, this world is not a happy place for anyone. It is clearly stated here, anityam asukhaṁ lokam: this world is temporary and full of miseries, not habitable for any sane gentleman. This world is declared by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be temporary and full of miseries. Some philosophers, especially Māyāvādī philosophers, say that this world is false, but we can understand from Bhagavad-gītā that the world is not false; it is temporary. There is a difference between temporary and false. This world is temporary, but there is another world, which is eternal. This world is miserable, but the other world is eternal and blissful. Arjuna was born in a saintly royal family. To him also the Lord says, “Take to My devotional service and come quickly back to Godhead, back home.” No one should remain in this temporary world, full as it is with miseries. Everyone should attach himself to the bosom of the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that he can be eternally happy. The devotional service of the Supreme Lord is the only process by which all problems of all classes of men can be solved. Everyone should therefore take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and make his life perfect.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
33. What then to speak of devotees who are pure brāhmaṇas or kings? Therefore, having come into this impermanent world of distress, worship Me.
Commentary

What then to speak of brāhmaṇas born in pure families, of good conduct who are devotees? Therefore, you should worship Me.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
33. What then to speak of devotees who are pure brāhmaṇas or kings? Therefore, having come into this impermanent world of little happiness, worship Me.
Commentary

What then can be said of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas who are saintly kings, who have been fortunate to be born in pure families (puṇyāḥ), and who become devotees with proper conduct? Certainly they will attain Me, the supreme state. There is no doubt about this. Therefore, you, a saintly king, having attained this world, should worship Me. Giving up the desire for kingdom in this world which has a little limited happiness (asukham), subject to destruction (anityam), worship Me possessing eternal, unlimited happiness, and attain Me. It is suggested here that one will quickly attain the Lord (since worshipping alone is mentioned.) In this verse the Lord, by clearly saying that the world is temporary, negates the idea that the world is completely false.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

In this verse of His own mouth, Krsna says: "This world is 'anitya', it is not 'mithya', false. It is not false, an illusion as the Mayavadis say. No, it is temporary. Here Krsna is desproving Mayavada philosophy. Therefore knowing all these things, one should engage in pure devotional service.

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

Then what to speak of qualified righteous brahmanas, devotees and saintly kings – Krishna definitely

helps them.

Conclusion: Having come to temporary miserable world, one must engage in loving service unto ‘Me’ LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 9.33 & 9.34: Krishna concluded Text 9.33 with the words “bhajasva mam”, “Engage in loving service unto Me.” In the next text, Krishna will clearly tell us how to do so.

Focus of Learning

(a) ‘Anityam asukham lokam’ – Indicates ‘world is not a happy place but temporary and full of

misery’ – “Whoever you may be”

(b) Refutes Mayavadis who say that ‘this world is false’, but our philosophy is “this world is not false

but temporary”

(c) ‘Rajarsis’ – “Saintly royal families” – Indicates Arjuna is also motivated to take to devotional

service

(d) Conclusion: Devotional service is the only process to solve all problems of life for all people at all

times

(a) No distinction in different classes – This verse establishes that in devotional service, there is no

distinction between higher and lower classes as opposed to the material conception of life. (Ref.

SB 2.4.18)

(b) Indicates ‘Power of devotional service and pure devotees’ – Most simple man taking shelter of a

pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance, even the lowest of men chandalas (Ref. SB

2.4.18)

(c) Importance of shelter (‘Vyapashritya’) – One has to take complete shelter of Krishna – Then one

can become greater than great jnanis and yogis; pure devotees can enable people of lower classes

to attain highest perfection.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
9.33 Kim punah, what to speak of; the punyah brahmanah, holy Bramanas, of sacred birth; tatha, as also; of the bhaktah, devout; rajarsayah, kind-sages-those who are kings and, at the same time, sages! Since this is so, therefore, prapya, having come; imam, to this; anityam, ephemeral, ever changeful; and asukham, miserable, unhappy; lokam, world, the human world-having attained this human life which is a means to Liberation; bhajasva, do you worship, devoted yourself; mam to Me. How?
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
9.32 - 9.33 Women, Vaisyas and Sudras, and even those who are of sinful birth, can attain the supreme state by taking refuge in Me. How much more then the well-born Brahmanas and royal sages who are devoted to me! Therefore, roayl sage that you are, do worship Me, as you have come to this transient and joyless world stricken by the threefold afflictions. Sri Krsna now describes the nature of Bhakti:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
9.32 See Comment under 9.34
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
9.33 How much more (easily) then the hold Brahmins and devoted royal saints (attain the goal); having come to this impermanent and unhappy world, do thou worship Me.
Commentary

9.33 किम् पुनः how much more? ब्राह्मणाः Brahmins? पुण्याः holy? भक्ताः devoted? राजर्षयः royal saints? तथा also? अनित्यम् impermanent? असुखम् unhappy? लोकम् world? इमम् this? प्राप्य having obtained? भजस्व worship? माम् Me.Commentary Rajarshis are kings who have become saints while discharging the duties of the kingdom.It is very difficult to get a human birth which is the means of attaining the goal of life. Being born in this human body you should lead a life of devotion to the Lord. In the human body alone will you have the power to reflect (VicharaSakti)? discrimination and dispassion. Even the gods envy the human birth.This body is impermanent. It perishes soon. It brings pain of various sorts. So give up the efforts for securing happiness and comfort for this body. If you do not aim at Selfrealisation even after attaining a human birth? you live in vain you are wasting your life and you are a slayer of the Self. You will again and again be caught in the wheel of birth and death.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
9.33 What to speak of the holy Brahmanas as also of devout kind-sages! Having come to this ephemeral and miserable world, do you worship Me.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
9.33 What need then to mention the holy Ministers of God, the devotees and the saintly rulers? Do thou, therefore, born in this changing and miserable world, do thou too worship Me.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 9.32 BG 9.34 BG 6.41 SB 1.8.26 SB 2.4.15 SB 7.5.23 CC Madhya 22.31 CC Madhya 8.128 CC Antya 5.84 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.24
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
How much more then for the pious brāhmaṇas, devotees, kingly saints — having come to this miserable, temporary world, engage in My loving service.
Practical Applications
  • Use your existing privileges (birth, training, opportunity) for higher service.
  • Recognize the urgency: temporary world, miserable.
  • Don't waste this rare position.
Reflection Questions
  • What privilege have I been wasting?
  • What service does it call for?
Analogy

If the most desperate of villagers can cross the river by bhakti-ferry, how much more easily the trained boatmen who have lived by that river? Kim punaḥ — how much more so — the brāhmaṇas and rāja-ṛṣis already steeped in the culture of the ferry? The verse 9.32 opens the ferry to all; 9.33 closes the dialogue by saying: and you, Arjuna — kṣatriya, devotee, kinsman — have no excuse not to board. Bhajasva mām: get on.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 9