Srimad Bhagavad Gita Shloka 9.21

“Having enjoyed the vast heavenly world, their merit exhausted, they return to the mortal world; thus, they cycle.”
Key Teaching: Ritualistic worship leads to temporary heavens and rebirth.
Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga.
Description:
Krishna teaches that those who enjoy heavenly worlds through rituals return to the mortal world when their merit is exhausted, cycling in rebirth. This verse, continuing 9.20, addresses Arjuna’s need to understand ritualistic outcomes (2.9). The themes of guidance, as Krishna instructs, dharma, as he clarifies cyclic results, and Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga, as he emphasizes transcendence, are central.

In the Mahabharata, Arjuna’s fear of loss (1.28–46) ties to cyclic existence, unlike Duryodhana’s material entrapment (1.3–11). Krishna urges Arjuna to avoid temporary rewards for his Kshatriya duty, aligning with Karma Yoga (2.47, 8.16). Rituals lead to rebirth.

Philosophically, this verse addresses the human pursuit of temporary gains, a theme Krishna refines with teachings on rebirth (8.16). Arjuna’s reluctance complicates his dharma, necessitating Krishna’s guidance to transcend cycles. The theme of Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga underscores the Gita’s focus on eternal liberation.

Sanjaya’s narration frames Krishna’s teaching objectively, emphasizing its cyclic clarity. This verse serves as a metaphor for life’s impermanence, where rituals bind to rebirth. Krishna’s teaching prepares readers for performing duty with transcendent aim, aligning with liberation.