FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 9.22

అనన్యాశ్చిన్తయన్తో మాం యే జనా: పర్యుపాసతే । తేషాం నిత్యాభియుక్తానాం యోగక్షేమం వహామ్యహమ్ ॥ ౨౨ ॥
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
[ananyaash chintayanto maam]
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
[ye janaah paryupaasate]
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
[teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam]
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
[yoga-kshemam vahaamy aham]
Word-for-word
ananyāḥ — having no other object cintayantaḥ — concentrating mām — on Me ye — those who janāḥ — persons paryupāsate — properly worship teṣām — of them nitya — always abhiyuktānām — fixed in devotion yoga — requirements kṣemam — protection vahāmi — carry aham — I .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ananyāḥ
having no other object
cintayantaḥ
concentrating
mām
on Me
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
ye
those who
janāḥ
persons
paryupāsate
properly worship
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
teṣām
of them
nitya
always
abhiyuktānām
fixed in devotion
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
yoga
requirements
kṣemam
protection
vahāmi
carry
aham
I .
Important Words
  • ananyāḥ — without diversion
    A- + anya (other). No-other-devotees. The same root as ananya-manasaḥ in 9.13, now applied to the persons themselves. Their entire being is not-otherwise oriented.
  • cintayantaḥ — meditating
    Present participle of √cint — to think, contemplate. Their thoughts run continuously toward Mām (Me, accusative). The mind is the most slippery faculty; the verse names its capture as the qualifying mark.
  • paryupāsate — they worship constantly
    Pari (all-around) + upa (close) + √ās (to sit). 'Sit near, all the way around.' A worship that surrounds the object on every side. Not a daily slot but a continuous orbital.
  • nitya — eternally
    Eternally, perpetually. Modifies abhiyukta. The mahātmā's yoga is not seasonal but nitya — built into the structure of his existence.
  • abhiyuktānām — of those firmly engaged
    Genitive plural of abhiyukta — firmly engaged, dedicated. The pronoun teṣām refers to them and only them; the yoga-kṣemam promise is targeted to the nitya-abhiyukta, not general.
  • yoga — acquisition (of what is lacking)
    Yoga in this technical sense: the procurement of what one does not yet have. Bringing what is missing. The pair with kṣema below covers all material concern — the not-yet-acquired and the already-acquired.
  • kṣemam — preservation (of what is possessed)
    Kṣema — safety, preservation. Yoga-kṣema together is a classical Vedic dvandva: getting-and-keeping. Kṛṣṇa takes responsibility for both directions of the devotee's material life — acquisition and protection.
  • vahāmi — I carry
    First person singular of √vah — to bear, to carry. Not 'I send,' not 'I arrange,' but vahāmi — I personally carry. The image is the Lord shouldering the burden of the devotee's needs as a porter shoulders luggage. Aham — the verb's pronoun — is explicit: I, the Supreme, do this carrying.
But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.
Purport

One who is unable to live for a moment without Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot but think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day, being engaged in devotional service by hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, rendering other services, cultivating friendship and surrendering fully to the Lord. Such activities are all auspicious and full of spiritual potencies, which make the devotee perfect in self-realization, so that his only desire is to achieve the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee undoubtedly approaches the Lord without difficulty. This is called yoga. By the mercy of the Lord, such a devotee never comes back to this material condition of life. Kṣema refers to the merciful protection of the Lord. The Lord helps the devotee to achieve Kṛṣṇa consciousness by yoga, and when he becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious the Lord protects him from falling down to a miserable conditioned life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
22. But I carry the burden of supply and maintenance of those who desire constant association with Me, and who, thinking only of Me, worship only Me.
Commentary

On the other hand, the happiness of My ananya-bhaktas is given by Me. It is not obtained by pious acts. They are at all times (nityam) well versed in matters concerning Me (abhiyuktānām) and are always ignorant of all other things. Or the phrase can mean that they constantly desire to be in My association. For such persons, I take care of their attainment of wealth (yoga) and their maintenance (kṣemam), though they do not expect such things. It would be unsuitable for the Lord simply to say that he performs these acts. Thus the word vahāmi meaning “carry,” is used. The use of the word vahāmi indicates that the Lord bears the burden of maintaining their bodies, in the manner that the householder takes the responsibility for maintaining his own wife and children. Thus, one should not say that, like others, their attainment or preservation of bodily needs is due to karma. “Still, since You are ātmārāma, enjoying within, and indifferent to all things as the Supreme Lord, where is the question of You bearing this responsibility?” “The śruti says: bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ-kalpanam etad eva naiṣkarmyam

Bhakti is worship of the Lord, concentrating the mind on Him, renouncing all material desires for enjoyment (upādhi) in this world and the next. It destroys all karmas. Gopāla Tāpanī Upaniṣad, 1.15 Because My ananya devotee has no karma due to lack of desire (naiṣkarmayam), his happiness is given by Me. Though I am indifferent to all else, I have great affection for My devotee. This is the cause. One should also not say that in giving the burden of their maintenance to their worshipable Lord, the devotees show lack of prema. In fact, they do not give to Me that burden. Rather, I, by My own will, accept it. It should also be understood that I am not bearing it as a duty, in the manner that I create and maintain the universe by My will alone. Rather, being attached to My devotees, I take the greatest pleasure in taking care of their needs, like carrying the weight of one’s lover.”

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
22. But I carry the burden of supply and maintenance of those who desire constant association with Me, and who, thinking only of Me, worship only Me.
Commentary

Now the Lord describes the details of His own devotees. I alone take responsibility for bringing and protecting food and other necessities for those people who take Me alone as the goal (ananyāḥ janāḥ), who meditate upon Me (cintayantaḥ), and who worship Me thoroughly (pari upasate) and who are always absorbed in Me (nitya abhiyuktānām), forgetting about their bodily maintenance. They worship Me as the reservoir of auspicious qualities, as the reservoir of variegated, astonishing ambrosial pastimes, as the reservoir of divine powers. The Lord says here “I carry” rather than “I do.” I should carry the burden of their maintenance, just as the husband alone should bear the burden of supporting his family. The author of vedānta says svāminaḥ phala-śruter ity ātreyaḥ: from the Lord come all the necessities of the devotee, because these results are mentioned in the śruti. This is the opinion of Dattātreya. (Vedānta Sūtra 3.4.44) Another meaning is as follows. For those who desire association with Me eternally (nitya abhiyuktānām), I alone bear the responsibility for their attaining Me (yoga) and prevent them from separating from Me (kṣemam). I alone take the responsibility of their attaining Me. The devatās such as the sun god do not do this.” [Note: In chapter 8 it was mentioned the deities of light and other elements conducted the devotee on the path. But they do so depending on the Lord.] The Lord will explain this again in two verses in the twelfth chapter: ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-parāḥ ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate teṣām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt bhavāmi na cirāt pārtha mayy āveśita-cetasām But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pṛthā—for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death. BG 12.6-7 The author of Vedānta says viśeṣaṁ ca darśayati: the pure devotees are a special case. (Vedānta Sūtra 4.3.16) The Lord, not the conducting deities, takes them to the spiritual world.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "One who is unable to live for a moment without Krsna consciousness cannot but think of Krsna twenty‑four hours a day, being engaged in devotional service by hearing, chanting, remembering, off prayers, worshiping, serving the lotus feet of the rendering other services, cultivating friendshi surrendering fully to the Lord." Although pure devotees, they don't want anything from Krsna, the Lord supplies them anyhow ‑ He carries what they lack, He preserves what they have. Krsna is personally interested in His devotees although His pure devotees don't want anything from Him. It could be asked: "You carry upon Your head the needs of Your devotees, but what kind of devotee is that, that makes You carry his needs like that? Krsna answers: " They have not given Me this burden, I do it by My own sweet will. It is not a burden for Me. I can create universes, this is not a burden for Me. Because I have a feeling of personal desire to serve them, there is no burden." But one could argue: "The worshipers of the demigods are worshiping Krsna indirectly, so they should have the same kind of results." Krsna answers to this,

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

Paryupāsate (properly worship) and nityābhiyuktānām (always fixed in devotion) indicate a devo-

tee’s absorption in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “One who is unable to live

for a moment without Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot but think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day, be-

ing engaged in devotional service by hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping,

serving the lotus feet of the Lord, rendering other services, cultivating friendship and surrendering

fully to the Lord.”

With such determination in their practice of sādhana, the devotees neglect even their own mainte-

nance and do not care for liberation. They leave both responsibilities to Kṛṣṇa, and thus Kṛṣṇa per-

sonally delivers them. (This contrasts with the description given of the yogī in Bg. 8.24, where it is

said that the demigods, in shifts, arrange for the soul’s passage higher and higher through the mate-

rial realm to the ultimate destination of the brahmajyoti.)

One may ask, “What kind of devotee would give his worshipful Deity, Kṛṣṇa, such a burden?”

However, Kṛṣṇa does not consider maintaining His devotee a burden. He wants to serve His devo-

tee. Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that simply by exerting His will, He can create unlimited universes; main-

taining His devotees is not a burden. Rather, it is His pleasure.

When the brāhmaṇa, Arjunācārya, was writing his commentary on the Gītā, he saw this verse and

thought it a mistake to believe that the Lord would personally carry whatever was needed to each

devotee. Arjunācārya therefore scratched out vahāmi (I carry) and inserted karomi (I have it done).

Bhagavad Gita Notes

Arjunācārya was extremely poor. After making the change in the text, he, as he did every day,

went out begging.

While he was gone, his wife heard a knock at the door. Two beautiful boys fearfully insisted that

she quickly accept the food that her husband had forced them to bring. These beautiful boys were

anxious to get away from her house because, They told her, the great brāhmaṇa scholar, Ar-

junācārya, would probably beat Them again. When Arjunācārya’s wife expressed disbelief that her

husband had beat such boys, one said, “See?” And the dark boy turned to show her the marks on

His back where He had been struck. Then They both dashed away.

Arjunācārya’s wife was bewildered, and she began to cook and eat the food the boys had brought.

Upon Arjunācārya’s return, he saw his wife eating. He was shocked. According to the Vedic sys-

tem, a wife never eats before she has fed her husband.

When he challenged her, she replied, “Ācārya, why have you acted so inappropriately and become

so cruel?” She then told him that two beautiful boys had come, left a bountiful supply of food, and

after the dark boy had showed her the marks on His back, They had rushed away. The ācārya

thought for a few moments and then asked what the boys looked like. Upon hearing that one had

a beautiful darkish complexion and that the other was white, he could understand that his fortunate

wife had been blessed with the darśana of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. The “beating” marks on the beauti-

ful dark boy’s back were the result of the ācārya’s having scratched out the word vahāmi. Kṛṣṇa

had been forced to come personally to prove the truth of His words, “I carry what they lack.”

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
9.22 On the other hand, ye janah, those persons, the monks, who are desireless and fully illumined; who ananyah, becoming non-different (from Me), having realized the supreme Deity, Narayana, as their own Self; and cintayantah, becoming meditative; ['Having known that I, Vasudeva, am the Self of all, and there is nothing else besides Me'.] paryu-pasate mam, worship Me everywhere; ['They see Me the one, all-pervading, infinite Reality.'] tesam, for them; who have realized the supreme Truth, nitya-abhiyuktanam, who are ever attached (to Me); aham, I; vahami, arrange for; both yoga-kesamam, securing what they lack and preserving what they have. Yoga means making available what one does not have, and ksema means the protection of what one has got. Since 'but the man of Knowledge is the very Self. (This is) My opinion' and 'he too is dear to Me' (7.17,18), therefore they have become My own Self as also dear. Does not the Lord surely arrange for securing what they lack and protecting what they have even in the case of other devotees? This is true. He does arrange for it. But the difference lies in this: Others who are devotees make their own efforts as well for their own sake, to arrange for securing what they lack and protecting what they have. On the contrary, those who have realized non-duality do not make any effrot to arrange for themselves the acisition of what they do not have and the preservation of what they have. Indeed, they desire nothing for themselves, in life or in death. They have taken refuge only in the Lord. Therefore the Lord Himself arranges to procure what they do not have and protect what they have got. 'If you Yourself are the other gods even, then do not their devotees too worship You alone?' 'Quite so!'
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
9.22 There are Mahatmas who, excluding everything else and having no other purpose, meditate on Me as their only purpose, because without Me they are unable to sustain themselves. They think of Me and worship Me with all my auspicious attributes and with all my glories. In the case of such devotees aspiring after eternal union with Me, I Myself undertake the responsibility of bringing them to Myself (Yoga translated as 'prosperity') and of preserving them in that state for ever (Ksema translated as 'welfare'). The meaning is that they do not return to Samsara.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
9.22 Ananyah etc. [See for example] those who are different [from the above mentioned] and who think of Me. How [do they think] ? They have nothing else : They have no other fruit apart from Me to desire for. Acisition : gaining (realising) My nature not gained (realised) earlier. Security of acisition : protection of the already achieved gain of being well established in the nature of the Bhagavat. On account of this there may not be even a doubt regarding the fall from the Yoga. This is the idea here.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
9.22 For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.
Commentary

9.22 अनन्याः without others? चिन्तयन्तः thinking? माम् Me? ये who? जनाः men? पर्युपासते worship? तेषाम् of them? नित्याभियुक्तानाम् of the everunited? योगक्षेमम् the supply of what is not already possessed? and the preservation of what is already possessed? वहामि carry? अहम् I.Commentary Ananyah Nonseparate. This is another interpretation. Persons who? meditating on Me as nonseparate? worship Me in all beings -- to them who are ever devout? I secure gain and safety. They consider themselves as nonseparate? i.e.? they look upon the Supreme Being as nonseparate from their own Self they look upon the Supreme Being as their own Self.Those devotees who behold nothing as separate from themselves have no selfish interests of their own. They certainly do not look for their own gain and safety. They have no desire for life or death. They have taken sole refuge in the Lord. They have nothing to lose? because there is nothing they call their own. Their very bodies become Gods. They have no desire for acisition because all their desires are gratified by their communion with the Lord. They have eternal satisfaction as they possess all the divine Aisvarya? the supreme wealth of the Lord.They entertain no other thoughts than those of the Lord. Conseently the Lord Himself looks after their bodily wants? such as food and clothing (this is known as Yoga)? and preserves what they already possess (this is known as Kshema). He does these two acts. Just as the father and mother attend to the bodily needs of their children? so also the Lord attends to the needs of His devotees.They direct their whole mind with full faith towards the Lord. They make the Lord alone the sole object of their thought. For them nothing is dearer in this world than the Lord. They live for the Lord alone. They think of Him only with singeleness of purpose and onepointed devotion. They behold nothing but the Lord. They love Him in all creatures. When they lead such a life? the Lord takes the whole burden of securing gain (Yoga) and safety (Kshema) for them upto Himself.Nityayuktah Those who constantly meditate on the Lord with intense devotion and onepointed mind. (Cf.VIII.14XVIII.66)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
9.22 Those persons who, becoming non-different from Me and meditative, worship Me everywhere, for them, who are ever attached (to Me), I arrange for securing what they lack and preserving what they have.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
9.22 But if a man will meditate on Me and Me alone, and will worship Me always and everywhere, I will take upon Myself the fulfillment of his aspiration, and I will safeguard whatsoever he shall attain.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 9.29 BG 12.7 BG 18.66 SB 9.4.68 SB 10.48.26 SB 1.9.22 CC Madhya 22.39 CC Madhya 22.40 CC Antya 1.115 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23BRS 1.2.11
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those who exclusively worship Me, ever absorbed, with no other engagement — to them I give what they lack and protect what they have.
Practical Applications
  • Trust this promise: yoga-kṣemam vahāmy aham.
  • Reduce other engagements; cultivate exclusivity.
  • Don't try to be Kṛṣṇa's logistics manager — He is.
Reflection Questions
  • What logistics am I taking on that I should release to Him?
  • What does exclusivity of devotion mean for me?
Analogy

A mother of a small child does not wait for the child to ask for everything. She watches what is missing — fresh clothes, the next meal, vaccinations the child cannot understand — and quietly arranges them. The child is occupied with play; the supplies appear. So Kṛṣṇa with the ananyāḥ devotee: yoga-kṣemam vahāmi — what they lack I bring, what they have I keep. The devotee is occupied with the Lord; the Lord is occupied with the devotee.

Stories
Draupadī's sari and the akṣaya-pātra

When Duḥśāsana dragged Draupadī into the dicing hall and tried to disrobe her, she clutched her sari with both hands and called on her own strength. The sari kept slipping. Only when she let go with both hands and raised them above her head — calling Govinda, Govinda, ananyāḥ-cintayantī — did the cloth become endless. She had stopped trying to handle the situation and become exclusively Mām-pinned.

Yoga-kṣemam vahāmi: what she lacked (cloth, protection) Kṛṣṇa brought; what she had (her vows, her honour) He preserved. The same family received the akṣaya-pātra during their forest exile — the inexhaustible pot — the daily form of yoga-kṣemam vahāmi.

Ambarīṣa Mahārāja's fast

King Ambarīṣa, the great Vaiṣṇava monarch, was performing the ekādaśī fast. Durvāsā Muni arrived just as the breaking-fast hour passed. To break his fast in time Ambarīṣa took a sip of water; Durvāsā, returning from bathing, took offense and hurled a kṛtyā demoness to kill him. The Sudarśana cakra — sent by Kṛṣṇa unbidden — protected the king and pursued Durvāsā through all three worlds.

Ambarīṣa was ananyaḥ — exclusive in devotion. He never asked for protection; yoga-kṣemam vahāmi means he never needed to ask. The cakra arrived because the Lord's hand had already lifted in his defense before anyone else had time to think.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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