Bhagavad Gita 9.3 – Sloka Meaning Structured Notes
Verse
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā
dharmasyāsya paran-tapa
aprāpya māṁ nivartante
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani
Meaning
| Sanskrit | Meaning |
| aśraddadhānāḥ | those who are faithless |
| puruṣāḥ | such persons |
| dharmasya | toward the process of religion |
| asya | this |
| param-tapa | O killer of the enemies |
| aprāpya | without obtaining |
| mām | Me |
| nivartante | come back |
| mṛtyu | of death |
| saṁsāra | in material existence |
| vartmani | on the path |
Translation
“Those who do not have faith in this path of devotion cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. They return to the path of birth and death in this material world.”
Aim
To understand the importance of faith in devotion and the consequences of neglecting it.
Objectives
- To know the role of faith in devotional knowledge.
- To understand what happens if one lacks faith.
- To realize the ultimate destination of the faithless.
- To learn why devotion is the only path to liberation.
Answers to Objectives
-
Role of faith→ Without faith, one cannot progress in bhakti.
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Without faith→ A person cannot approach Krishna
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Destination→ They remain bound to repeated birth and death.
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Why devotion only→ Because only bhakti leads to God, other paths are incomplete.
Key Points
- Faith is essential in devotional service.
- Without faith → spiritual progress is blocked.
- Faithless remain trapped in samsara (birth–death cycle).
- Devotion is the only liberating path.
Application in Life
- Strengthen faith by regular hearing (śravaṇam) and chanting.
- Avoid doubt and skepticism toward bhakti.
- Associate with devotees to grow confidence in the path.
- Remember: without faith, knowledge doesn’t blossom.
- Trust that devotion is the sure path to liberation.
Simple Takeaway
Faith is the bridge to Krishna. Without it, one walks endlessly in the cycle of birth and death. Nurture faith daily by trusting bhakti and staying connected to devotees.
