Verse

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

Word-by-Word Meaning

Sanskrit	English Meaning
mahātmānaḥ	great souls, broad-minded persons
tu	but
mām	Me (Sri Krishna)
pārtha	O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna)
daivīm	divine
prakṛtim	nature
āśritāḥ	having taken shelter
bhajanti	worship, engage in devotional service
ananya-manasāḥ	with undivided mind
jñātvā	knowing
bhūta-ādim	the origin of all beings
avyayam	imperishable, inexhaustible

Translation

“O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

Aim

To recognize the qualities of mahātmās who take shelter of divine nature and worship Sri Krishna with undivided devotion, knowing Him as the eternal source of all beings.

Objectives

1. To identify the qualities that distinguish great souls from others.
2. To reflect on the relationship of great souls with Sri Krishna.
3. To understand the kind of shelter taken by great souls.
4. To explore how great souls worship the Lord.
5. To recognize the focus and determination of the minds of great souls.
6. To examine what knowledge great souls possess about Sri Krishna.
7. To reflect on Sri Krishna’s nature as described in verse 9.13.

Application in Life

1. Aspire to be a mahātmā: Strive to rise above illusion by taking full shelter of Sri Krishna’s protection. This requires humility, sincerity, and dedication to bhakti.

2. Keep devotion undivided: Avoid distractions like material goals or demigod worship. Let the mind remain focused solely on Sri Krishna.

3. Strengthen knowledge of Sri Krishna: Study scriptures and hear from devotees to understand Him as the origin and eternal Lord. Such knowledge fuels conviction.

4. Live under divine shelter: Engage in bhakti practices that connect us with Sri Krishna’s internal energy, protecting us from māyā.

5. Worship with sincerity: Make devotion not just a ritual but a way of life, offering everything to the Supreme Lord.

Simple Take Away
Great souls are defined by their shelter in divine nature, their undivided devotion, and their knowledge of Sri Krishna as the eternal source. To follow their example is the true path of bhakti.