BHAGAVAD-GITA 7:23

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 7:23

 

antavat tu phalam tesam

tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam

devan deva-yajo yanti

mad-bhakta yanti mam api

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

anta-vat--perishable; tu--but; phalam--fruit; tesam--their; tat--that;

bhavati--becomes; alpa-medhasam--of those of small intelligence;

devan--to the demigods; deva-yajah--the worshipers of the demigods;

yanti--go; mat--My; bhaktah--devotees; yanti--go; mam--to Me;

api--also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are

limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the

planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme

planet.

 

PURPORT

 

Some commentators on the Bhagavad-gita say that one who worships a

demigod can reach the Supreme Lord, but here it is clearly stated that

the worshipers of demigods go to the different planetary systems where

various demigods are situated, just as a worshiper of the sun achieves

the sun or a worshiper of the demigod of the moon achieves the moon.

Similarly, if anyone wants to worship a demigod like Indra, he can

attain that particular god's planet. It is not that everyone,

regardless of whatever demigod is worshiped, will reach the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. That is denied here, for it is clearly stated

that the worshipers of demigods go to different planets in the

material world but the devotee of the Supreme Lord goes directly to

the supreme planet of the Personality of Godhead.

 

Here the point may be raised that if the demigods are different parts

of the body of the Supreme Lord, then the same end should be achieved

by worshiping them. However, worshipers of the demigods are less

intelligent because they don't know to what part of the body food must

be supplied. Some of them are so foolish that they claim that there

are many parts and many ways to supply food. This isn't very sanguine.

Can anyone supply food to the body through the ears or eyes? They do

not know that these demigods are different parts of the universal body

of the Supreme Lord, and in their ignorance they believe that each and

every demigod is a separate God and a competitor of the Supreme Lord.

 

Not only are demigods parts of the Supreme Lord, but ordinary living

entities are also. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that the

brahmanas are the head of the Supreme Lord, the ksatriyas are His

arms, the vaisyas are His waist, the sudras are His legs, and all

serve different functions. Regardless of the situation, if one knows

that both the demigods and himself are part and parcel of the Supreme

Lord, his knowledge is perfect. But if he does not understand this, he

achieves different planets where the demigods reside. This is not the

same destination the devotee reaches.

 

The results achieved by the demigods' benedictions are perishable

because within this material world the planets, the demigods and their

worshipers are all perishable. Therefore it is clearly stated in this

verse that all results achieved by worshiping demigods are perishable,

and therefore such worship is performed by the less intelligent living

entity. Because the pure devotee engaged in Krsna consciousness in

devotional service of the Supreme Lord achieves eternal blissful

existence that is full of knowledge, his achievements and those of the

common worshiper of the demigods are different. The Supreme Lord is

unlimited; His favor is unlimited; His mercy is unlimited. Therefore

the mercy of the Supreme Lord upon His pure devotees is unlimited.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.