Gita : Ch-7. Slo-22.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-7. ( Jnana-vijnana-yogam )


Slokam-22. (  Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.)


sa   taya    sraddhaya     yuktah     tasyaradhanamihate,


labhate    ca    tatah    kaman    mayaiva    vihitan    hi   tan.



sah   =   he     (  who   is   the    devotee   and    worship   anya devatas   (  demigods );

tasyaradhanam    ihate   =    his   worship   seeks   [ that    way   with    great   sraddha   (  faith ) ];

tatah   =   from    which   (by    that    through   the    demigods );

maya    eva    vihitan   =   Me    alone    regulaing;

tan   kaman    labhate    ca    hi   =   and    obtains   those   desires    fulfilled  (gets   desired    fruits/results).  



The word yuktah meaning endowed is referring to the previous verse where Lord Krishna makes the faith steady. Such people then worship their chosen demigod to get their particular desire of objects coveted fulfilled. But it should be understood that whatever it was that has been fulfilled has only been granted by the will of the Supreme Lord, who is paramatma the Supreme Soul dwelling inside the hearts of all the demigods and are but parts of His form, under His complete control along with all sentient beings in existence.

Endowed with firm faith by the Supreme Lord, one supplicating the demi-gods who is desirous of rewards obtains those desired rewards which undoubtedly were destined by gratifying them. But as declared in the Vedic scriptures: It is the Supreme Lord who is the controller of all actions, abode of all beings and the only creator, preserver and destroyer of all creation; yet possessing no material qualities and free from maya.

Salutations to Him the veritable goal of all worship. It is by the potency of the Supreme Lord that universal order is maintained and He is well known as the bestower of all rewards. If one were to wonder that if a votary paying homage to the demigods gets their cherished desires fulfilled by them independently then how does the Supreme Lord contribute to this. Lord Krishna answers this with the word mayaiva meaning by Him alone. As the Supreme soul within every sentient being, all actions and all rewards are ordained solely by Him.

Whosoever then worships the demigods with unflinching faith which was bequeathed by the Supreme Lord and constitute a portion of His body, will certainly obtain their cherished desires; but such desires were sanctioned and granted by the authority of the Supreme Lord. When a votary of the demigods is engaged in ingratiating themselves into their good graces they are oblivious to the reality that the demigods comprise the Supreme Lord's body and that worship offered to them is actually in fact offerings rendered to Him. But even though such worship is not directed towards Himself, the Supreme Lord accepts such offerings as if they were to Him and therefore grants the desires so longed for by the votary.

The demigods cannot award benediction to the devotees without the permission of the Supreme Lord. The living entity may forget that everything is the property of the Supreme Lord, but the demigods do not forget. So the worship of demigods and achievement of desired results are not due to the demigods but to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by arrangement. The less intelligent living entity does not know this, and therefore he foolishly goes to the demigods for some benefit. But the pure devotee, when in need of something, prays only to the Supreme Lord.

Asking for material benefit, however, is not a sign of a pure devotee. A living entity goes to the demigods usually because he is mad to fulfill his lust. This happens when something undue is desired by the living entity, and the Lord Himself does not fulfill the desire. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that one who worships the Supreme Lord and at the same time desires material enjoyment is contradictory in his desires. Devotional service of the Supreme Lord and the worship of a demigod cannot be on the same platform because worship of a demigod is material and devotional service to the Supreme Lord is completely spiritual.

For the living entity who desires to return to Godhead, material desires are impediments. A pure devotee of the Lord is therefore not awarded the material benefits desired by less intelligent living entities who prefer to worship demigods of the material world rather than engage in devotional service of the Supreme Lord.

To be continued ...