(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

The Heavenly Abodes’ Celestial Delights Are Only Transitory

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति |
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते || 9.21||

te taṁ bhuktvā swarga-lokaṁ viśhālaṁ
kṣhīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśhanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante|| 9.21||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 9- Ver. 21:

They return to the earthly plane once they have experienced the enormous delights of heaven and their supply of merits has been depleted. As a result, persons who do Vedic rituals in search of enjoyment come and go in this world.

Explanation

In this verse, Shree Krishna emphasizes that the divine pleasures of the heavenly abodes are just transient. People who have been promoted there are sent back to the terrestrial level after they have fully enjoyed heavenly pleasures and exhausted their merits. As a result, advancement to the heavenly abodes does not satisfy the soul’s endless quest. We’ve all been there countless times in previous lives, but the soul’s need for limitless bliss has yet to be satisfied.
Maya is kicking the soul around in God’s absence. It goes to the lower abodes at times, and the upper abodes at other times. Only the human form, among the myriad of forms it obtains across the lower and higher abodes, provides the opportunity for God-realization. As a result, the scriptures declare that even the celestial gods desire to be born as humans in order to correct their prior error of going to heaven and strive toward God-realization.

Verse & what we can learn

Shri Krishna continues to describe desire-driven followers who worship Ishvara for earthly and heavenly benefits and comforts. Their efforts, according to Shri Krishna, will bring fruit both on earth and in heaven. He does say, however, that their stay in heaven is only temporary. After their visit is up, they return to Earth and are engulfed in the never-ending cycle of birth and death.

People who partake in heavenly pleasures remain in paradise till their merits (punya) run out. After that, they return to Earth and are born into a human shape if they are fortunate, or into another form if they are not.
Although the desire-oriented devotee is preferable to someone who has no room for devotion, he is nevertheless caught up in the quest of pleasure in this and other worlds. Unlike such a devotee, our true desire should be liberation, or moksha.

To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There are also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the next verse Shri Krishna tells Arjuna What kind of devotee gets liberation?

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…