20. The knowers of the three Vedas, worshipping Me by Yajna, drinking the Soma, and (thus) being purified from sin, pray for passage to heaven; reaching the holy world of the Lord of the Devas, they enjoy in heaven the divine pleasures of the Devas.

21. Having enjoyed the vast Swarga-world, they enter the mortal world, on the exhaustion of their merit: Thus, abiding by the injunctions of the three (Vedas), desiring desires, they (constantly) come and go.

22. Persons who, meditating on Me as non-separate, worship Me in all beings, to them thus ever jealously engaged, I carry what they lack and preserve what they already have.

23. Even those devotees, who endued with Shraddha, worship other gods, they too worship Me alone, O son of Kunti, (but) by the wrong method.

24. For I alone am the Enjoyer, and Lord of all Yajnas; but because they do not know Me in reality, they return, (to the mortal world).

25. Votaries of the Devas go to the Devas; to the Pitris, go their votaries; to the Bhutas, go the Bhuta worshippers; My votaries too come unto Me.

26. Whoever with devotion offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, that I accept--the devout gift of the pure-minded.

27. Whatever thou doest, whatever thou eatest, whatever thou offerest in sacrifice, whatever thou givest away, whatever austerity thou practisest, O son of Kunti, do that as an offering unto Me.

28. Thus shalt thou be freed from the bondages of actions, bearing good and evil results: with the heart steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, thou shalt come unto Me.

29. I am the same to all beings: to Me there is none hateful or dear. But those who worship Me with devotion, are in Me, and I too am in them.

30. If even a very wicked person worships Me, with devotion to none else, he should be regarded as good, for he has rightly resolved.

31. Soon does he become righteous, and attain eternal Peace, O son of Kunti boldly canst thou proclaim, that My devotee is never destroyed.

32. For, taking refuge in Me, they also, O son of Pritha, who might be of inferior birth,--women, Vaishyas, as well as Sudras,--even they attain to the Supreme Goal.

33. What need to mention holy Brahmanas, and devoted Rajarshis! Having obtained this transient, joyless world, worship thou Me.

34. Fill thy mind with Me, be My devotee, sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me; thus having made thy heart steadfast in Me, taking Me as the Supreme Goal, thou shalt come to Me.

The end of the ninth chapter, designated THE WAY OF THE KINGLY KNOWLEDGE AND THE KINGLY SECRET.

Footnotes

^198:3 Without . . . Dharma: Who have no faith in this knowledge of the Self, regarding the physical body itself as the Self.

^199:4 Unmanifested: being invisible to the senses.

Exist in Me--have an individual existence through Me, the Self, underlying them all.