Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति।
एव त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते
te taṁ bhuktvā swarga-lokaṁ viśhālaṁ
kṣhīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśhanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante
Triṣṭubh (s s I u)(!!) irregular in source
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaAfter having enjoyed that vast heavenly world, they enter into the human world upon the exhaustion of their merit. Thus, those who follow the rites and duties prescribed in the three Vedas, and are desirous of pleasures, attain the state of coming and going.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
वे उस विशाल स्वर्गलोक को भोगकर, पुण्यक्षीण होने पर, मृत्युलोक को प्राप्त होते हैं। इस प्रकार तीनों वेदों में कहे गये कर्म के शरण हुए और भोगों की कामना वाले पुरुष आवागमन (गतागत) को प्राप्त होते हैं।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiते तम् भुक् त्वा स्वर्ग लोकँव् विशालम्
क्षीणे पुण्येमर् त्यलोकँव् विशन्ति
एवन् त्रयी धर्म मनुप्र पन्नाः
गता गतङ् काम कामा लभन्ते
॥ २१ ॥
Pāda meters: Śālinī, Śālinī, Indravajrā, Upendravajrā — I = Indravajrā, u = Upendravajrā, s = Śālinī pāda
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthatethey
tamthat
bhuktvāhaving enjoyed
swarga-lokamheaven
viśhālamvast
kṣhīṇeat the exhaustion of
puṇyestock of merits
martya-lokamto the earthly plane
viśhantireturn
evamthus
trayī dharmamthe karm-kāṇḍ portion of the three Vedas
anuprapannāḥfollow
gata-āgatamrepeated coming and going
kāma-kāmāḥdesiring objects of enjoyments
labhanteattain
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA9.21What happens when the merit that purchased heaven is finally spent?
After having enjoyed that vast heavenly world, they enter into the human world upon the exhaustion of their merit. Thus, those who follow the rites and duties prescribed in the three Vedas, and are desirous of pleasures, attain the state of coming and going.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.