Shloka
यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः |
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ||९-२५||Transliteration
yānti devavratā devānpitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ .
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti madyājino.api mām ||9-25||Translations
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan
9.25. The votaries of the gods attain the gods; the votaries of the manes attain the manes; performers of sacrifices for the goblins attain the goblins; also the performers of scrifices for Me attain Me.
Shri Purohit Swami
9.25 The votaries of the lesser Powers go to them; the devotees of spirits go to them; they who worship the Powers of Darkness, to such Powers shall they go; and so, too, those who worship Me shall come to Me.
Sri Abhinav Gupta
9.24 See Comment under 9.26
Sri Ramanuja
9.25 The term ‘Vrata’ in the text denotes will, intention or motive. Those who intend to worship gods, like Indra and others with the resolution, ‘Let us worship Indra and other gods by ceremonies like the new moon and full moon sacrifices’ - such worshippers go to Indra and other gods. Those who intend worshipping manes, resolving ‘Let us worship the manes through sacrifices,’ - such worshippers go to the manes or others resolving - ‘Let us worship the Yaksas, Raksasas,’ Pisacas and other evil spirits’ - they go to them. But those who, with the same rites of worship, worship Me with the intention, ‘Let us worship Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Self, whose body is constituted of gods, the manes and the evil spirits’ - they are My worshippers and they reach Me only.
Those who intend worshipping gods etc., attain gods etc. After sharing limited enjoyment with them, they are destroyed with them when the time comes for their destruction. But My worshippers attain Me, who has no beginning or end, who is omniscient, whose will is unfailingly effective, who is a great ocean of innumerable auspicious attributes of unlimited excellence and whose bliss too is of limitless excellence. They do not return to Samsara. Such is the meaning.
Sri Krsna continues to say, ‘There is also another distinguishing characteristic of My worshippers.’
Sri Shankaracharya
9.25 Deva-vratah, votaries of the gods, those whose religious observances [Making offerings and presents, circumambulation, bowing down, etc.] and devotion are directed to the gods; yanti, reach, go to; devan, the gods. Pitr-vratah, the votaries of the manes, those who are occupied with such rites as obseies etc., who are devoted to the manes; go pitrn, to the manes such as Agnisvatta and others. Bhutejyah, the Beings such as Vinayaka, the group of Sixteen (divine) Mothers, the Four Sisters, and others. And madyajinah, those who worship Me, those who are given to worshipping Me, the devotees of Visnu; reach mam, Me alone. Although the effort (involved) is the same, still owing to ingorance they do not worship Me exclusively. Thery they attain lesser results. This is the meaning. ‘Not only do My devotees get the everlasting result in the form of non-return (to this world), but My worship also is easy.’ How?
Swami Adidevananda
9.25 Devotees of gods go to the gods. The manes-worshippers go to the manes. The worshippers of Bhutas go to the Bhutas. And those who worship Me come to Me.
Swami Gambirananda
9.25 Votaries of the gods reach the gods; the votarites of the manes go to the manes; the worshippers of the Beings reach the Beings; and those who worship Me reach Me.
Swami Sivananda
9.25 The worshippers of the gods go to them; to the manes go the ancestor-worshippers; to the deities who preside over the elements go their worshippers; but My devotees come to Me.
Commentaries
Swami Sivananda
9.25 यान्ति go? देवव्रताः worshippers of the gods? देवान् to the gods? पितृ़न् to the Pitris or ancestors? यान्ति go? पितृव्रताः worshippers of the Pitris? भूतानि to the Bhutas? यान्ति go? भूतेज्याः the worshippers of the Bhutas? यान्ति go? मद्याजिनः My worshippers? अपि also? माम् to Me.Commentary The worshippers of the manes such as the Agnisvattas who perform Sraaddha and other rites in devotion to their ancestors go to the manes. Those who worship the gods with devotion and vows go to them.Bhutas are elemental beings lower than the gods but higher than human beigns they are the Vinayakas? the hosts of Matris? the four Bhaginis and the like.Those who devote themselves to the gods attain the form of those gods at death. Similar is the fate of those who worship the manes (their own ancestors) or the Bhutas. The fruit of the worship is in accordance with the knowledge? faith? offering and nature of worship of the devotee.Though the exertion is the same? people do not worship Me on account of their ignorance. Conseently they get very little reward.My devotees obtain endless fruit. They do not come back to this mortal world. It is also easy for them to worship Me. How (Cf.VII.23)