भाक्तं वानात्मवित्त्वात्, तथा हि दर्शयति ॥ ७ ॥
bhāktaṃ vānātmavittvāt, tathā hi darśayati || 7 ||
bhāktaṃ—In a secondary sense; vā—but; anātmavittvāt—on account of their (souls) not knowing the Self; tathā—so; hi—because; darśayati—(Sruti) declares.
7. But (the souls’ being the food of the gods in heaven is used) in a secondary sense, on account of their not knowing the Self; because (the Sruti) declares like that.
In the scriptures it is stated that those who go to heaven become the food of the gods; so how could they be enjoying the fruits of their good actions in heaven? “That is Soma, the king. He is the food of the gods. They eat him” (Chh. 5. 10. 4). This Sutra says that the word ‘food’ is used not in a primary sense, but metaphorically, meaning an object of enjoyment. Otherwise, if this is the fate of souls who go to heaven, texts like, “Those who want to go to heaven shall perform sacrifices” are meaningless. Therefore what the text means is that they are objects of enjoyment to the gods even as wives, children, and cattle are to men. Thus the Jivas, while giving enjoyment to the gods, are happy, and rejoice with them in their turn. That they are objects of enjoyment to the gods is known from texts like: “While he who worships another deity . . . He is like a beast to the gods. And as many beasts serve a man, so does every man serve the gods” (Brih. 1. 4. 10).
Therefore it is decided that the soul goes enveloped with subtle parts of the elements when it goes to other spheres for enjoying the fruits of its good Karma.