Bhagavatgita- a detailed study-chapter 7-knowledge and experience

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20. kaamaiH thaiH thaH hrthamanaaH prapadhyanthe

anyadhevathaaH

tham tham niyamam aasThaaya prakrthyaa niyathaa

svayaa

Attracted by particular results people resort to other lesser deities, following the respective disciplines ruled by their inherent nature.

Those who are deprived of this knowledge resort to other deities, which means that they propitiate the lesser gods to satisfy their desires. There are so many disciplines laid out in the veda for fulfilling the desires like getting wealth, progeny etc. by doing yajnas or japas on various deities which are all serve the purpose of attaining the worldly success and prosperity or at the most to go to heaven but not everlasting good and bliss But such finite results will come to an end and the everlasting happiness can come only through the worship of the supreme self, paramapurusha

21.yo yo yam yam thanum bhakthaH SradDhayaa

archithum icchathi

thasya thasya achalaam SradDhaam thaam evaa vidhaDhami

aham

Whoever wish to worship whichever form with faith I give them that unswerving faith in that form.

..But Krishna does not denounce such faiths and says that He only causes the faith to grow for them who worship other deities. This is something like approaching the lesser officials for minor wants instead of the head of the government, while the power to grant the wishes are given to them only by the head of state.

 

22. sa thayaa SradDhayaa yukythah thasya araaDhanam

eehathe

labhathe cha thathaH kaamaan mayaa eva vihithaan hi

With that staunch faith one worships that deity and gets the fruit of his desire, which is actually obtained from Me.

As the Lord is the supreme power all results of desire is sanctioned only by Him. The lesser deities have limited power vested with them by the Lord and with His will they bestow the desired fruit of worshipping them.

The stress here is on faith. Even though the lesser deities meant here are the devathas like Indra, Varuna etc who are worshipped with yajnas and vrathas for a specific purpose, if one worships God in any form with faith he will be able to get his desire fulfilled. The Lord says in chapter 9 that whichever form one worships he worships Me only. That is, God is one. `eko dhevas sarvabhootheshu gooDaH sarvavyaapee sarvabhothaantharaathma,' says the Upanishad. There is only one God hidden in every being, all pervading and the inner self of all. By propitiating other deities one gets the shower of grace through that particular pipeline.

23.anthavath thu phalam theshaam thath bhavathi

alpameDhasaam

dhevaan dhevayajo yaanthi madhbhakthaa yaanthi

maam api

But the result of such acts of worship done by those of limited intellect is transitory. Those who worship other deities attain them but my devotees attain Me even.

There is a lot of difference in getting water from the taps and from the perennial river. The water from the tap stops when the reservoir is empty. But the perennial river gives water always. Likewise the grace of the particular deities is limited. But if one resorts the Lord, His shower of grace is unlimited.

alpameDhasaH means people of limited intellect. This does not mean that those who worship lesser deities for material wants are dull-witted. It only means the one who searches for short time happiness while he is entitles for everlasting happiness. It is like asking a billionaire, who is generous enough to give you what ever you want, for few coins

This is what Krishna means by saying madhbhakthaa yaanthi maam api. When the devotee resorts to the Lord for His own sake as explained in sloka 19 vaasudhevassarvam ithi sa mahaathmaa sudhurlabhaH, he not only gets everything unasked and also attain the Lord. This is the meaning of maam api.