Devotion and Surrender to The God

The Shloka

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अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।

तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥

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Ananyāścintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate ।

Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yogakṣemaṁ vahāmyaham ॥

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka from the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 9, Verse 22) is a cornerstone of devotion (Bhakti Yoga). It provides immense reassurance to devotees, promising divine providence for those who surrender to the Lord completely and without reservation. ‘Yogakṣema’ is a crucial concept here, signifying that the Divine takes care of both providing what a devotee lacks (Yoga) and preserving what they already possess (Kshema). It teaches that true devotion is not a burden but a path to liberation from worldly anxieties, as the Lord Himself assumes responsibility for the devotee’s needs and spiritual progress. It underscores the reciprocal relationship between the devotee’s exclusive surrender and the Lord’s unconditional grace and protection.

Those who worship Me, meditating on Me alone, with undivided devotion, for them, who are always steadfastly devoted, I personally provide and preserve their well-being.

Lord Krishna declares that He personally takes care of the material and spiritual well-being of His exclusive devotees. Those who constantly meditate upon Him and worship Him with undivided attention are guaranteed divine provision and protection.

This profound verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 9, Verse 22), spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, elaborates on the benefits of exclusive devotion. Krishna states that individuals (‘ye janāḥ’) who, with an ‘ananya’ (undivided, exclusive) mind, ‘cintayantaḥ’ (meditate upon) ‘mām’ (Me, i.e., Krishna/God) and ‘paryupāsate’ (worship with complete adoration), receive a unique divine assurance. For ‘teṣām’ (those) ‘nityābhiyuktānām’ (who are always constantly and steadfastly engaged in such devotion), Krishna unequivocally declares, ‘aham vahāmi’ (I personally carry or provide) their ‘yogakṣemaṃ’ (well-being). The term ‘yogakṣemaṃ’ is highly significant; ‘yoga’ implies acquiring what is not yet possessed, and ‘kṣema’ means preserving what has been acquired. Thus, the Lord promises to fulfill all the needs—both material and spiritual—of such devotees and to protect what they already have. This removes the burden of worldly anxieties from the sincere devotee, allowing them to focus entirely on spiritual pursuits, knowing that their worldly affairs are managed by the Divine. It emphasizes the profound grace and protective care that the Supreme Being extends to those who commit themselves entirely to Him, without seeking anything else from other sources or for selfish motives.

Sentence - 1

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अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।

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Meaning

Those people who, not thinking of anyone else, worship Me completely;

Meaning of Words

अनन्याः	ananyāḥ
without any other / exclusively Referring to those who have no other object of thought or devotion; whose mind is fixed solely on one entity.
चिन्तयन्तः	cintayantaḥ
meditating / thinking Actively contemplating, pondering, or meditating upon with full attention.
माम्	mām
Me Refers to the speaker, here Lord Krishna, indicating Himself as the sole object of devotion.
ये	ye
A pronoun indicating ‘those who’ or ‘which people’.
जनाः	janāḥ
people / persons Human beings, individuals, or a collective group of people.
पर्युपासते	paryupāsate
worship / adore completely To worship, serve, or approach with intense and complete devotion, encircling with reverence.

Sentence - 2

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तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥

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Meaning

I carry their well-being, for those who are always steadfastly devoted.

Meaning of Words

तेषाम्	teṣām
of them / to them A possessive pronoun referring to the previously mentioned ‘those people’.
नित्याभियुक्तानाम्	nityābhiyuktānām
always / constantly devoted / steadfast Those who are perpetually, continuously, and diligently engaged in devotion or spiritual practice without wavering.
योगक्षेमम्	yogakṣemaṃ
well-being / provision / welfare A compound word: ‘Yoga’ refers to the acquisition of what is not yet possessed, and ‘Kshema’ refers to the preservation of what has already been acquired. Together, it signifies overall welfare, security, and the provision for both needs and maintenance.
वहामि	vahāmi
I carry / I provide / I bear The verb ‘to carry’, ‘to bear’, or ‘to provide’, indicating a personal action of taking responsibility.
अहम्	aham
I First person singular pronoun, emphasizing the direct action of the speaker (Lord Krishna).

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