In plain words
Through these nine paths man can rid himself of the diseases and sufferings that come to him.
The Dharma man must follow
Before going to the Mahābhārata war, Duryodhana and Duśśāsana bowed at the feet of their mother Gāndhārī. Gāndhārī had a pure heart, a steady mind and selfless Prema: what did she say as she blessed them? “Yato dharmas tato jayaḥ”: may victory be where Dharma is! she said. From there they went to their teacher Droṇācārya and bowed to him, and he said, “Yatra dharmaḥ tatra kṛṣṇaḥ, yatra kṛṣṇaḥ tatra jayaḥ”: where Dharma is, there Kṛṣṇa is; where Kṛṣṇa is, there victory is.
You have been born as human beings. But are you following human Dharma? When you follow human Dharma, that very Dharma protects you. It is only because you forget your own place that you fall into so many sufferings. The fish's own place is water. Only while it is in the water does it have joy. Leaving the water, it cannot live even for a moment. In the same way, your own place is the Ātma. That is why Kṛṣṇa said, “Mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtas sanātanaḥ.” You have come forth from the Ātma. So you must think of the Ātma at all times. You must live with the Ātma as your support. This is the Dharma man must follow. It is only because you forget the Ātma that you enter into Adharma and fall into so many sufferings.
Whatever work you do, your eyes must be on the Ātma
You may have any amount of wealth, gold, goods and vehicles; you may hold the highest of positions. But none of these can protect you. Faith in the Ātma alone is your protection. A mother puts her child to sleep at home and goes to the river to bring water. She carries the water pot on her head and talks of many things with the other women as she walks, yet her whole mind is on her child. Anxious that “the child may have woken and be crying”, she tries to get home as quickly as she can. In the same way, whatever work you do in this world, keep your eyes on the Ātma.