BHAGAVAD-GITA 7:22

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 7:22

 

sa taya sraddhaya yuktas

tasyaradhanam ihate

labhate ca tatah kaman

mayaiva vihitan hi tan

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

sah--he; taya--with that; sraddhaya--inspiration; yuktah--endowed;

tasya--of that demigod; aradhanam--for the worship; ihate--he aspires;

labhate--obtains; ca--and; tatah--from that; kaman--his desires;

maya--by Me; eva--alone; vihitan--arranged; hi--certainly; tan--those.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Endowed with such a faith, he endeavors to worship a particular

demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are

bestowed by Me alone.

 

PURPORT

 

The demigods cannot award benedictions to their 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 due not 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 to 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 therefore prefer to worship demigods of the material

world rather than engage in the devotional service of the Supreme

Lord.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.