Bhagavad Gita 9.23येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥
ye ’pyanya-devatā-bhaktā yajante
śhraddhayānvitāḥ te ’pi mām eva kaunteya yajantyavidhi-pūrvakam
Sanskrit recitation
How people reach for God · 9.11–9.25 · Teaching
Translation
Even those devotees who, endowed with faith, worship other gods, worship Me alone, O Arjuna, but by the wrong method.
Hindi translation
हे कुन्तीनन्दन! जो भी भक्त (मनुष्य) श्रद्धापूर्वक अन्य देवताओंका पूजन करते हैं, वे भी करते हैं मेरा ही पूजन, पर करते है अविधिपूर्वक
Meaning
They worship Me in ignorance. Their mode of worship is contrary to the ancient,rule. Hence they return to this world.People worship Agni, Indra, Surya, Varuna, the Vasus, etc. Even they attain Me, because I am everywhere. But their devotion is not pure. It is vicarious. Water should be given to the root and not to the branches. If the root is satisfied, the whole tree must be and is satisfied. Even so, if I (the root of this world and all the gods) am satisfied, all the gods must be and are satisfied. Though the messages from the five organs of knowledge reach the one consciousness, will it be right and useful to place a sweetmeat in the ear and a flower in the eyes The function of eating must be done by the mouth alone and the function of smelling by the nose alone. Therefore I should be worshipped in My own nature. They should know Me as the Self in all beings. They should recognise Me in other worship. I am the root. I am the source of all the gods and of this whole world. (Cf.IV.11VII.20)
After Swami Sivananda
How people reach for God· 9.11–9.25→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 9.11Fools disregard Me, clad in human form, not knowing My higher Being as the great Lord of…
- 9.12They are possessed of the deceitful nature of demons and undivine beings, filled with vain…
- 9.13But the great souls, O Arjuna, partaking of My divine nature, worship Me with a…
- 9.14Always glorifying Me, striving, firm in their vows, prostrating themselves before Me, they…
- 9.15Others also, sacrificing with the wisdom-sacrifice, worship Me, the All-Faced, as one,…
- 9.16I am Kratu; I am Yajna; I am the offering to the manes; I am the medicinal herbs and all…
- 9.17I am the father of this world, the mother, the dispenser of the fruits of actions, and the…
- 9.18I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend,…
- 9.19As the sun, I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain; I am immortality and also…
- 9.20The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, purified of all sins, worshipping Me…
- 9.21They, having enjoyed the vast heaven, enter the world of mortals when their merit is…
- 9.22For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no one else, for those ever-united, I…
9.23Even those devotees who, endowed with faith, worship other gods, worship Me alone, O…
- 9.24For I alone am the enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices; but they do not know Me in reality,…
- 9.25The worshippers of the gods go to them; the ancestor-worshippers go to the manes; the…
Word-by-word→
- te
- they
- ye
- those who
- api
- also
- eva
- only
- anya
- other
- mām
- me
- devatā
- celestial gods
- yajante
- worship
- yajanti
- worship
- kaunteya
- Arjun, the son of Kunti
- bhaktāḥ
- devotees
- avidhi-pūrvakam
- by the wrong method
- śhraddhayā anvitāḥ
- faithfully
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- 9.3Those who have no faith in this Dharma, O Parantapa, return to the path of this world…
- 18.42Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, and uprightness, as well as…
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