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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 7.22
स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते ।
लभते च तत: कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् ॥ २२ ॥
sa tayā śraddhayā yuktas
tasyārādhanam īhate
labhate ca tataḥ kāmān
mayaiva vihitān hi tān
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.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
With faith, a person worships a demigod and obtains desired benefits, but Krishna alone bestows them.
Prabhupāda explains that demigods need the Supreme Lord’s permission to give blessings. Pure devotion is spiritual, not a search for material gain.
Pray only to the Supreme Lord, and remember that material desires hinder returning to Godhead.
It is only Krishna who bestows benefits through the demigods to the living entities
Demigods cannot give benedictions without permission of the Supreme Lord
Living entities may forget, that everything is the property of the Supreme Lord
But the demigods do not forget
Attitude of pure devotee
Knows that everything comes from Supreme Lord
Does not ask for material benefit
Ref. CC: To worship the Supreme Lord and at the same time desiring material enjoyment is contradictory
Reciprocation of Lord with pure devotee
For living entity desiring to return to Godhead, material desires are impediments
Therefore the Supreme Lord does not award material benefits to the pure devotees
Demigod worship is material; Worship of the Supreme Lord is spiritual
Those who surrender to demigods and those who are impersonalists have no knowledge of Krishna and in their foolishness, do not surrender to Him
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 7.22 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?
Observe which mode shaped your last decision.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.