Word meanings
- anta-vat
- perishable
- tu
- but
- phalam
- fruit
- teṣām
- by them
- tat
- that
- bhavati
- is
- alpa-medhasām
- people of small understanding
- devān
- to the celestial gods
- deva-yajaḥ
- the worshipers of the celestial gods
- yānti
- go
- mat
- my
- bhaktāḥ
- devotees
- yānti
- go
- mām
- to me
- api
- whereas
Translations
Verily, the reward (fruit) that accrues to those men of small intelligence is finite. The worshippers of the gods go to them, whereas My devotees come to Me.
The fruit that comes to people of limited insight is, after all, finite. Those who worship the Lower Powers attain them; but those who worship Me come to Me alone.
The result of those who are of poor intellect is indeed limited. The worshippers of gods go to the gods, while My devotees go to Me alone.
परन्तु उन अल्पबुद्धिवाले मनुष्योंको उन देवताओंकी आराधनाका फल अन्तवाला (नाशवान्) ही मिलता है। देवताओंका पूजन करनेवाले देवताओंको प्राप्त होते हैं और मेरे भक्त मेरे ही प्राप्त होते हैं।Commentary
The exertion in the two kinds is the same and yet people do not attempt to worship the Supreme Being in order to attain the maximum benefits or the infinite reward (liberation or Moksha). The reward obtained by men of small understandng and petty intellect who worship the minor deities is small, perishable and temporary. Yajnas (Vedic rituals)? Homas (rituals in which oblations are offered into the sacred fire) and Tapas (penance) of various sorts can bestow only temporary rewards on the performer.
Liberation from the wheel of transmigration alone will give everlasting bliss and eternal peace. Those who worship Indra and others are Sattvic devotees those who worship Yakshas and Rakshasas (demoniacal beings) are Rajasic devotees and those who worship the Bhutas and Pretas (discarnate spirits) are Tamasic devotees. The knowledge of those who worship the small deities is partial and incomplete. It cannot lead to liberation. (Cf.IX.25)