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Chapter 9 · The Most Confidential Knowledge · 34 verses

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Soul & knowledgeChapter 9 · The Most Confidential Knowledge
9.29.4

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 9.3

Confidential spiritual knowledge and faith

अश्रद्दधाना: पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप ।

अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ॥ ३ ॥

aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā

dharmasyāsya paran-tapa

aprāpya māṁ nivartante

mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani

Translation

Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Faith in Devotional Service

  1. 1Those without faith in devotional service cannot reach Kṛṣṇa and return to birth and death in this material world.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that real faith means being fully convinced that serving Kṛṣṇa alone brings all perfection.
  3. 3Spend time with devotees to develop faith and become steady in serving Kṛṣṇa.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 9, The Most Confidential Knowledge: confidential spiritual knowledge and faith.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Discern the eternal self from the temporary.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: ātmā, jñāna.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 9.3 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to soul & knowledge?

Practice

Spend five minutes reflecting on what in you does not change.

4

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 9.1Confidential spiritual knowledge and faithBG 9.2Confidential spiritual knowledge and faithBG 2.13The self endures bodily changeBG 4.34The humility of real inquiry

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 9.3 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.