153. Breaking the Begging Bowl

Krishna says that through Vedic rituals one fulfils the desire of entry to heaven and enjoys the subtle pleasures (9.20). After the expiry of their punya (good karma), they come back and keep travelling in this cycle (9.21).

The general interpretation is that the punya, attained through Vedic rituals, takes us to the heaven afterlife and we come back once they are exhausted. Another interpretation is possible if attaining contentment by fulfilling desires is taken as a means of entry to heaven. Out of ignorance, one depends on Vedic rituals to fulfil desires and attain contentment from ‘outside’ like people and material possessions. On this path, one returns to misery as one can never get eternal contentment through these ever-changing situations as contentment can only come from the unchanging self.

Further, duality (dwandwa) is the law of nature where everything exists along with its polar opposite. If heaven is taken as a feeling of pleasure polarity, we will enter pain polarity in due course of time. This is nothing but the return from heaven.

Krishna immediately gives a path as well as assurance and says, “To those who worship Me thinking of nothing else, ever United to Me by incessant worship, I grant them yoga (union) and kshema (wellbeing or bliss)” (9.22). This is an oft quoted verse of the Gita as Krishna grants kshema (wellbeing) as well as yoga (ultimate union) with Him (Yoga Kshemam Vahamyaham) to the devotees who are on the desireless path towards Him.

This is the path of contentment with self which was termed as sthita-prajna (stoic) (2.55) in sankhya (awareness) yoga where one casts off all desires by breaking their begging bowl. From a bhakti yoga point of view, this is the desireless surrender of devotees where the Lord protects them and takes care of everything.