CHAPTER 9, VERSE 22 - The Promise of Shri Krishna - योगक्षेमं

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जना: पर्युपासते |
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥22॥

Transliteration:
ananyāśh chintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣhāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣhemaṁ vahāmyaham



Translation
Those persons who, becoming non-different from Me and meditative, worship Me everywhere, for them, who are ever attached (to Me),
I arrange for securing what they lack and preserving what they have.

My Understanding:

ॐ नमो नारायण ! जय श्री कृष्णा

श्रीमदभगवतगीता (ShriMad Bhagwat Geeta) is the Sun of knowledge. It's the brightest light that enlightens the world within ourselves. With Acharya Shri Shivender Nagar Ji's teaching and guidance I am attempting to understand and to see. Following is a record of my understanding of the highest knowledge available to mankind.

The intent of this verse is to build confidence in the seeker. Confidence is imperative, as it is the prime motivating factor to continue further study of Geeta Ji. A seeker should only continue beyond chapter 9 with absolute belief and understanding of this verse. Otherwise, it's best to leave it now.

A few Highlights of this verse
• भगवान श्रीकृष्ण (Lord Krishna) gives a guarantee card in form of his promise.
• Many people considered this verse as the centre verse of Geeta Ji, but technically it isn't.
• A part o this verse is on (LIC) Life Insurence Corporation of India's emblem
• It's a Masterpiece

Everyone does some form of तप (effort) in their daily lives. A school-going child who wakes early in the morning for school is doing तप. A homemaker who cooks cleans and performs various duties for her family is doing तप. An Office-goer who supports his family by working day and night is doing तप. No matter who you are if you are alive you must be doing some form of तप, it can be very small or extremely big. Our day to day obligated duties and actions are not the point of focus here, but the thoughts we have while performing any action. Our thoughts define our actions. Let's find out how.

Any action done with the thought of fulfilment of your desires will result in the addition of more desires. Like, doing business for profit will lead to desires for more and more profit. But performing your obligated duties as a means to abolish your desiers will lead to true fullfillment.

In this verse भगवान श्रीकृष्ण says if you are doing your obligated duties, your तप with अनन्य भाव (without any other thought or sentiment), then I promise to give योग (Spiritual enlightenment) and क्षेम (material happiness). Now, any action that anyone does in this world will be done with 3 thoughts:

• Selfish
• Unselfish
• Selfless

Articulating materially and spiritually, any action done selfishly will yield nothing in the end. Like an office-goer who wants to relax when everyone else works, will not get anywhere. Action that is done unselfishly will lead to great success in life, like a manager who works with the team, will yield amazing results. And finally, selfless acts like teaching people for free will yield to ultimate spritual happniess and peace.

भगवान श्रीकृष्ण says to do all your karma your obligated duties with the thought of ब्रह्मार्पणम. ब्रह्मार्पणम signifies actions that will take me towards my ultimate goal of self-realization and if it is not then I should not be doing it at all. And anyone who follows my doctrine will recieve योग & क्षेम from me.

There are different interpretations of योग & क्षेम - the promise of Lord Krishna:
• योग means Spiritual enlightenment and क्षेम means material happiness.
• योग means gaining what you don't have and क्षेम means preserving what you have gained.
• योग means stability in spiritual pursuit and क्षेम means the ultimate state of realization.

In very simple words, a school teacher promises his students that if you study properly for the exams then you will get good marks for sure.

The irony is योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् is on the emblem of LIC which we believe in without any doubt. And we doubt the voice which said those words.

ॐ तत् सत्