Bhagavad Gita · Raja Vidya Raja Guhya YogaChapter 9, Shloka 21 (9.21)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्नाः
गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते
॥ 9.21 ॥
te taṃ bhuktvā svargalokaṃ viśālaṃ
kṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti
evaṃ trayīdharmamanuprapannāḥ
gatāgataṃ kāmakāmā labhante
Translation
"Having enjoyed that vast heaven, when their merit is exhausted they return to the world of mortals; thus those who follow (only) the dharma of the three Vedas, desiring enjoyments, obtain only coming and going."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. Trayī-dharmaṃ kevalaṃ vaidikaṃ karma anuprapannāḥ — following only Vedic ritual; gatāgataṃ … gamanāgamanaṃ … labhante gatāgatam eva, na tu svātantryaṃ kvacit labhante — they obtain only coming and going, never freedom.
Acharya Ramanuja. Trayy-anta-siddha-jñāna-vidhurāḥ kāmya-svargādi-kāmāḥ — without the knowledge established in Vedanta, desiring the heaven that is the object of desire-driven rites; alpāsthira-svargādīn anubhūya punaḥ punaḥ nivartante — having enjoyed a small and unstable heaven, they return again and again; mahātmānas tu … mām anavadhikātiśayānandaṃ prāpya na punar āvartante — but the great souls, attaining me, who am boundless bliss, do not return.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.