mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya
nivasiṣhyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na sanśhayaḥ
mayi — on me;
eva — alone;
manaḥ — mind;
ādhatsva — fix;
mayi — on me;
buddhim — intellect;
niveśhaya — surrender;
nivasiṣhyasi — you shall always live;
mayi — in me;
eva — alone;
ataḥ ūrdhvam — thereafter;
na — not;
sanśhayaḥ — doubt
In this verse, Lord Krishna is telling us to focus our thoughts and feelings on Him. He’s not just asking us to think about Him occasionally but to truly center our minds on His presence. When we do this, He promises that we will always live in Him, meaning we will feel a deep connection and relationship with the divine.
Imagine having a close friend or family member whom you think about all the time. The more time you spend thinking about and caring for that person, the closer you feel to them. This is what Krishna is suggesting for our relationship with Him. By fixing our thoughts and actions on Krishna, we create a strong bond, almost like becoming part of Him.
Krishna explains that when we engage in His service, like praying, chanting His holy name, or even offering food to Him, we open ourselves to a powerful experience. For example, when a devotee chants "Hare Krishna," they connect with Krishna's essence; it’s like they are inviting Him into their life. It’s not just words; it’s a way to feel Krishna’s presence.
When a devotee offers food to Krishna, it's special. Krishna directly accepts that offering, linking the devotee to Him. When the devotee eats what is left over after Krishna has accepted it—called 'prasadam'—they share that divine energy with Krishna. This means every bite is filled with that special connection, and it nurtures the devotee both physically and spiritually.
On the other hand, Krishna mentions that people who don’t engage in such practices might find it hard to understand how this relationship works. It’s because their focus is elsewhere, perhaps on material things that don’t provide the same profound connection.
In essence, Krishna is encouraging us to put Him at the center of our lives. Whether we’re busy with work, family, or personal interests, if we keep Krishna in our thoughts and actions, we can experience a deeper level of fulfillment and peace. This verse serves as a reminder that the way to truly engage with life is through our relationship with Krishna, making even the simplest actions a pathway to a greater spiritual existence.