9.33 This impermanent, joyless world Krishna speaks
किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा
अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम्
kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣhayas tathā
anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām
How much more, then, the holy brahmins and the royal sages who are devoted. Having come into this impermanent and joyless world, be devoted to me.
Explanation
How much more, then — and then a very cold clause.
The brahmins and royal sages too. And then: having come into this impermanent and joyless world, be devoted to me.
anityam asukham. After thirty-two verses of generosity, the characterisation of the world itself is bleak — and the instruction that follows it is affectionate.
Word by word
- kim
- what
- punaḥ
- then
- brāhmaṇāḥ
- sages
- puṇyāḥ
- meritorius
- bhaktāḥ
- devotees
- rāja-ṛiṣhayaḥ
- saintly kings
- tathā
- and
- anityam
- transient
- asukham
- joyless
- lokam
- world
- imam
- this
- prāpya
- having achieved
- bhajasva
- engage in devotion
- mām
- unto me
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