Chapter 9 Verse 3
Rāja Vidyā Yog
अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप। अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि।।9.3।।
aśhraddadhānāḥ puruṣhā dharmasyāsya parantapa aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛityu-samsāra-vartmani
Word Meanings
| aśhraddadhānāḥ | people without faith |
| puruṣhāḥ | (such) persons |
| dharmasya | of dharma |
| asya | this |
| parantapa | Arjun, conqueror the enemies |
| aprāpya | without attaining |
| mām | me |
| nivartante | come back |
| mṛityu | death |
| samsāra | material existence |
| vartmani | in the path |
Translation
Those who have no faith in this Dharma, O Parantapa, return to the path of this world without attaining Me.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
This verse warns that without sincere faith in the spiritual path (dharma), a person will not reach the goal of union with the Divine. Instead of moving beyond the cycle of birth and death, they return to ordinary worldly life.
Faith here means a living trust that your practice and teachings can change you—not blind belief, but confident commitment. When faith is absent, efforts become half-hearted and habit-driven, so inner transformation does not take place.
The practical result is repetition: without inner trust and steady practice you stay tied to desire, fear, and repeating patterns. Faith acts as the steady root that lets spiritual effort grow into real freedom.
Life Application
- Build a small, regular practice (reading, prayer, meditation) and stick to it to grow trust in the path.
- When doubt arises, treat it as a question to explore, not a reason to quit; seek guidance from a teacher or reliable text.
- Stay with a supportive community or teachings that encourage steady effort and honest faith.
Reflection Question
What one small regular practice could I commit to that would strengthen my trust in the spiritual path?