B.G 7.21-23
यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति। तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् ॥२१॥
स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते। लभते च ततः कामान् मयैव विहितान् हि तान् ॥२२॥
अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्। देवान् देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि ॥२३॥
yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārcitumicchati। tasya tasyācalāṁ śraddhāṁ tāmeva vidadhāmyaham ॥21॥
sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhate। labhate ca tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān ॥22॥
antavattu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tadbhavatyalpamedhasām। devān devayajo yānti madbhaktā yānti māmapi ॥23॥
[यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धया अर्चितुम् इच्छति। तस्य तस्य अचलां श्रद्धां ताम् एव विदधामि अहम्॥
यो यो (yo yo) - Whosoever; यां यां (yāṁ yāṁ) - Whichever; whatever; तनुं (tanum) - Form; body; deity; भक्तः (bhaktaḥ) - Devotee; श्रद्धया (śraddhayā) - With faith; अर्चितुम् (arcitum) - To worship; इच्छति (icchati) - Desires; wishes; तस्य तस्य (tasya tasya) - To that devotee; for him/her; अचलां (acalām) - Steadfast; unshaken; श्रद्धां (śraddhāṁ) - Faith; devotion; ताम् एव (tām eva) - That alone; indeed that; विदधामि (vidadhāmi) - I bestow specifically; अहम् (aham) - I (the Supreme Lord);]
Whosoever desires to worship with faith whichever form (deity), I (the Supreme Lord) make that very faith of his steady and unwavering.
[स तया श्रद्धया युक्तः तस्य आराधनम् इहते। लभते च ततः कामान् मय एव विहितान् हि तान्॥
स (sa) - He; that person; तया (tayā) - With that; by that; श्रद्धया (śraddhayā) - With faith; through devotion; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - Engaged; endowed with; connected to; तस्य (tasya) - His; of him; आराधनम् (ārādhanam) - Worship; adoration; इहते (ihate) - Strives for; endeavors ; लभते (labhate) - Attains; acquires; च (ca) - And; ततः (tataḥ) - Thereafter; from that; कामान् (kāmān) - Desires; objects of desire; मया (mayā) - By Me; through Me; एव (eva) - Indeed; only; विहितान् (vihitān) - Ordained; arranged; prescribed ; हि (hi) - Certainly; because; तान् (tān) - Those;]
Endowed with that faith, he strives for the worship of that (deity) and obtains his desires, which are indeed granted by Me only.
[अन्तवत् तु फलं तेषां तत् भवति अल्प मेधसाम्। देवान् देवयजो यान्ति मत् भक्ता यान्ति माम् अपि॥
अन्तवत् (antavat) - Perishable; having an end; तु (tu) - But; however; फलं (phalaṁ) - Fruit; result; तेषां (teṣām) - Of them; their; तत् (tat) - That; भवति (bhavati) - Becomes; is; अल्प-मेधसाम् (alpa-medhasām) - Of those with small intelligence; देवान् (devān) - The gods; देव-यजः (deva-yajaḥ) - Worshippers of gods; यान्ति (yānti) - Go to; attain; मत्-भक्ताः (mat-bhaktāḥ) - My devotees; यान्ति (yānti) - Go to; attain; माम् (mām) - Me; अपि (api) - Also; even;]
Worshippers of the other gods with limited intelligence go to those gods and reap fruits that are perishable. But My devotees come to Me and reap (imperishable fruit) as well.
Gīta Bhāshya 7.21-23
Testimonials from Narada and Brahma-Vaivarta Purāṇa are provided to further substantiate the efficacy of showing devotion to Lord Krishna compared to worship of other deities.
यां यां ब्रह्मादिरूपां तनुम्।
yāṁ yāṁ brahmādirūpāṁ tanum।
[यां यां (yāṁ yāṁ) - Whichever; whatever; ब्रह्म-आदि-रूपां (brahma-ādi-rūpām) - Forms beginning with Brahmā; तनुम् (tanum) - Body; form (accusative singular);]
'Whichever, Whichever' - expression indicates various forms beginning with Lord Brahmā.
उक्तं च नारदीये -
uktaṁ ca nāradīye -
[उक्तं (uktaṁ) - It has been stated; च (ca) - even; नारदीये (nāradiye) - In the Nārada Purana;]
It is stated in Nārada Purana:
"अन्तो ब्रह्मादिभक्तानां मद्भक्तानाम् अनन्तता।"
"anto brahmādibhaktānāṁ madbhaktānām anantatā।"
[अन्तः (antaḥ) - there is End; limit; boundary; ब्रह्म-आदि-भक्तानाम् (brahma-ādi-bhaktānām) - to devotees beginning with Brahmā; मद्भक्तानाम् (madbhaktānām) - For My devotees; अनन्तता (anantatā) - there is no end; ]
"There is end (or boundary) for devotees of Brahmā and other lower deities, but there is no end to My (i.e. Lord Vishnu's) devotees."
-इति।
-iti।
[इति (iti) - stated thus;]
-stated thus.
"मुक्तश्च कां गतिं गच्छेत् मोक्षश्चैव किमात्मकः।"
"muktaśca kāṁ gatiṁ gacchet mokṣaścaiva kimātmakaḥ।"
[मुक्तः (muktaḥ) - The liberated one; च (ca) - And; कां (kāṁ) - Which; what (feminine singular accusative); गतिं (gatiṁ) - Path; destination; state; गच्छेत् (gacchet) - Would go; would attain; मोक्षः (mokṣaḥ) - Liberation; च (ca) - And; एव (eva) - Indeed; certainly; किम् (kim) - What; of what nature; आत्मकः (ātmakaḥ) - Of what nature; characterized by; ]
"What destination would the one, liberated, attain? And, of what nature is liberation itself?"
इत्यादेः परिहारसन्दर्भाच्च मोक्षधर्मेषु।
ityādeḥ parihārasandarbhācca mokṣadharmeṣu।
[इत्यादेः (ityādeḥ) - Of such statements (as "iti" and others); परिहार (parihāra) - as a resolution; सन्दर्भात् (sandarbhāt) - From the context; च (ca) - And; मोक्षधर्मेषु (mokṣadharmeṣu) - In the 'mokṣadharm' section of Mahabharata it is stated; ]
While providing the resolution to such statements, in the 'mokṣadharm' section of Mahabharata, it is stated:
"अवतारे महाविष्णोः भक्तः कुत्र च मुच्यते।"
"avatāre mahāviṣṇoḥ bhaktaḥ kutra ca mucyate।"
[अवतारे (avatāre) - Among the incarnations; महा-विष्णोः (mahā-viṣṇoḥ) - Of Mahāviṣṇu (the great Viṣṇu); भक्तः (bhaktaḥ) - Devotee; कुत्र (kutra) च (ca) - from whichever form; मुच्यते (mucyate) - Is liberated; is freed; ]
"Among the incarnation of Lord Mahā Viṣṇu, the devotee gets liberated by worshiping any of the forms."
-इत्यादेश्च ब्रह्मवैवर्ते ॥२१॥
ityādeśca brahmavaivarte ॥21॥
[इत्यादेशः (ityādeśaḥ) - Such a statement; च (ca) - And; ब्रह्मवैवर्ते (brahmavaivarte) - In the Brahma-Vaivarta Purāṇa;]
- such are the directions from the Brahma-Vaivarta Purāṇa.
Gīta Tātparya 7.21-23
The distinction between the supreme lord Krishna and other deities and the distinction between the Lord and the other beings is brought out clearly in these verses.
...अचेतनया तन्मेयत्वात्तु मायया। लक्ष्म्या वशगया लोको विष्णुनैव विमोहितः॥ ये तु विष्णुं प्रपद्यन्ते ते मायां तां तरन्ति हि। लक्ष्मीः सा जडमाया या देवता ते उभे अपि॥
...acetanayā tanmeyatvāttu māyayā। lakṣmyā vaśagayā loko viṣṇunaiva vimohitaḥ॥ ye tu viṣṇuṁ prapadyante te māyāṁ tāṁ taranti hi। lakṣmīḥ sā jaḍamāyā yā devatā te ubhe api॥
[अचेतनया (acetanayā) - By the unconscious (insentient); तन्मेयत्वात् (tanmeyatvāt) - Due to association with Him (Viṣṇu); तु (tu) - But; however; मायया (māyayā) - By illusion; through Māyā; लक्ष्म्या (lakṣmyā) - By Lakṣmī (goddess of wealth and prosperity); वशगया (vaśagayā) - Under control; subservient; लोकः (lokaḥ) - The world; people; विष्णुना (viṣṇunā) - By Viṣṇu; एव (eva) - Indeed; certainly; विमोहितः (vimohitaḥ) - Deluded; confused; ये (ye) - Those who; तु (tu) - But; however; विष्णुम् (viṣṇum) - Viṣṇu; प्रपद्यन्ते (prapadyante) - Surrender; take refuge; ते (te) - They; मायाम् (māyām) - Māyā; illusion; ताम् (tām) - That her; तरन्ति (taranti) - Cross over; transcend; हि (hi) - Indeed; certainly; लक्ष्मीः (lakṣmīḥ) - Lakṣmī; सा (sā) - She; that; जड-माया (jaḍa-māyā) - Insentient Māyā; जड (jaḍa) - Insentient, inert; माया (māyā) - Illusion; या (yā) - Who; which; देवता (devatā) - Deity; divinity; ते (te) - They; those; उभे (ubhe) - Both; अपि (api) - Also; even;]
"... The insentient world is under the control of Lakṣmī, due to her association with Him (Lord Vishnu) and is certainly deluded by illusion, the Māyā. But those who surrender to Viṣṇu certainly cross over that Māyā. That Lakhmi is only both the insentient Māyā and the divinity Goddess.
विष्णोर्वशे ततोऽनन्यभक्त्या तं शरणं व्रजेत्। यादृशी तत्र भक्तिः स्यात् तादृश्यन्यत्र नैव चेत्॥ अनन्यभक्तिः सा ज्ञेया विष्णावेव तु सा भवेत्। अन्येषु वैष्णवत्वेन लक्ष्मीब्रह्महरादिषु॥
viṣṇorvaśe tato'nanyabhaktyā taṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajet। yādr̥śī tatra bhaktiḥ syāt tādr̥śyanyatra naiva cet॥ ananyabhaktiḥ sā jñeyā viṣṇāveva tu sā bhavet। anyeṣu vaiṣṇavatvena lakṣmībrahmaharādiṣu॥
[विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - Of Viṣṇu; under the control of Viṣṇu; वशे (vaśe) - In control; under the influence; ततः (tataḥ) - Therefore; अनन्य-भक्त्या (ananya-bhaktyā) - With exclusive devotion; तं (tam) - Him; referring to Viṣṇu; शरणं (śaraṇam) - Refuge; shelter; व्रजेत् (vrajet) - Should take; यादृशी (yādṛśī) - Such as; तत्र (tatra) - There; भक्तिः (bhaktiḥ) - Devotion; स्यात् (syāt) - May be; तादृशी (tādṛśī) - Such; अन्यत्र (anyatra) - Elsewhere; न (na) - Not; एव (eva) - Indeed; चेत् (cet) - If;
अनन्य-भक्तिः (ananya-bhaktiḥ) - Exclusive-devotion; सा (sā) - That; ज्ञेया (jñeyā) - Should be understood; विष्णौ (viṣṇau) - Toward Viṣṇu; एव (eva) - Indeed; तु (tu) - But; सा (sā) - That; भवेत् (bhavet) - Should be; अन्येषु (anyeṣu) - In others; वैष्णवत्वेन (vaiṣṇavatvena) - In the capacity of being associated with Viṣṇu; लक्ष्मी (lakṣmī) - Lakṣmī; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahmā; हर (hara) - Śiva; आदिषु (ādiṣu) - And others; ]
One should take refuge in Him with exclusive-devotion as everything is under His control. The kind of devotion that exists there (toward Viṣṇu) cannot exist elsewhere, certainly, never. "Exclusive-devotion" (ananya-bhakty) - should be understood as being directed only toward Viṣṇu. In others, such as Lakṣmī, Brahmā, Śiva, and others, it exists only in the context of their relationship with Viṣṇu (as Vaishnavas).
कुर्यात् भक्तिं नान्यथा तु तद्वशा एव ते यतः। एवं जानन् तमाप्नोति नान्यथा तु कथञ्चन॥
kuryāt bhaktiṁ nānyathā tu tadvaśā eva te yataḥ। evaṁ jānan tamāpnoti nānyathā tu kathañcana॥
[कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - Should perform; भक्तिं (bhaktim) - Devotion; न (na) - Not; अन्यथा (anyathā) - Otherwise; in a different way; तु (tu) - But; however; तद्वशा (tad-vaśā) - Under His control; एव (eva) - Indeed; only; ते (te) - They; यतः (yataḥ) - Because; since; एवं (evaṁ) - Thus; in this way; जानन् (jānan) - Knowing; understanding; तम् (tam) - Him; referring to Viṣṇu; आप्नोति (āpnoti) - Attains; reaches; न (na) - Not; अन्यथा (anyathā) - Otherwise; तु (tu) - But; however; कथञ्चन (kathaṁcana) - By any means; in any way;]
One should not perform devotion to others, as they are indeed under His (Lord Vishnu's) control. Knowing this, one attains Him, not otherwise, not by any other means.
पूर्णं वस्तु यतो ह्येको वासुदेवो न चापरः। एवंविद्दुर्लभो लोके यत्सर्वे मिश्रयाजिनः॥
pūrṇaṁ vastu yato hyeko vāsudevo na cāparaḥ। evaṁviddurlabho loke yatsarve miśrayājinaḥ॥
[पूर्णं (pūrṇam) - Complete; whole; perfect; वस्तु (vastu) - Entity; object; the ultimate reality; यतः (yataḥ) - Because; since; हि (hi) - Indeed; certainly; एकः (ekaḥ) - One; single; वासुदेवः (vāsudevaḥ) - Vāsudeva; न (na) - Not; च (ca) - And; also; अपरः (aparaḥ) - Another; different; एवं (evaṁ) - Thus; in this way; विद् (vid) - Knower; one who understands; दुर्लभः (durlabhaḥ) - Rare; difficult to find; लोके (loke) - In the world; यत् (yat) - Because; since; सर्वे (sarve) - All; everyone; मिश्र-याजिनः (miśra-yājinaḥ) - seekers of mixed entities/sacrifices;/goals;]
The complete reality, the One, is the lord Vāsudeva alone, and there is no other. A knower of this truth is rare to find in the world, because most of them are seekers of mixed goals.
विष्णुं तत्परमज्ञात्वा रमाब्रह्महरादिकान्। यजन्नपि तमो घोरं नित्युदुःखं प्रयाति हि॥
viṣṇuṁ tatparamajñātvā ramābrahmaharādikān। yajannapi tamo ghoraṁ nityuduḥkhaṁ prayāti hi॥
[विष्णुं (viṣṇum) - Viṣṇu; the Supreme Lord; तत् (tat) - That; परमम् (paramam) - Supreme; ultimate; अज्ञात्वा (ajñātvā) - Without knowing; failing to understand; रमा (ramā) - Lakṣmī; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahmā; हर (hara) - Śiva; आदिकान् (ādikān) - And others; beginning with; यजन् (yajan) - Worshipping; performing sacrifices; अपि (api) - Even; though; तमः (tamaḥ) - Darkness; ignorance; घोरं (ghoram) - Terrible; intense; नित्य (nitya) - Eternal; constant; दुःखं (duḥkham) - Suffering; pain; प्रयाति (prayāti) - Attains; goes to; हि (hi) - Indeed; certainly;]
Worshipping Lakṣmī, Brahmā, Śiva, and other gods, one falls into terrible ignorance and attains constant suffering, failing to recognize Lord Viṣṇu as the Supreme.
अज्ञानां तु कुले जातो यावद्विष्णोः समर्चनम्। विष्णुतत्त्वं च जानीयात् तावत् सेवा पृथक् कृता॥
ajñānāṁ tu kule jāto yāvadviṣṇoḥ samarcanam। viṣṇutattvaṁ ca jānīyāt tāvat sevā pr̥thak kr̥tā॥
[अज्ञानाम् (ajñānām) - Of the ignorant; those who lack knowledge; तु (tu) - But; however; कुले (kule) - In the family; lineage; जातः (jātaḥ) - Born; यावत् (yāvat) - Until; as long as; विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - Of Viṣṇu; regarding Viṣṇu; समर्चनम् (samarcanam) - Proper worship; complete reverence; विष्णुतत्त्वं (viṣṇutattvam) - The reality or essence of Viṣṇu; च (ca) - And; जानीयात् (jānīyāt) - Should know; should understand; तावत् (tāvat) - Until then; for that duration; सेवा (sevā) - Service; worship; पृथक् (pṛthak) - Separate; distinct; कृता (kṛtā) - Done; performed;]
One is born into the lineage of the ignorant, until they engage in proper worship of lord Viṣṇu. Till one understands the essence of Viṣṇu, any service performed remains incomplete.
विद्याद्यैहिकभोगाय यदि बुद्ध्वा पुनर्नतु। परिवारताम् ऋते कुर्यादन्यदेवार्चनं क्वचित्॥ अजानता कृतं त्यक्तं न दोषाय भविष्यति। जन्मादिप्रदमेव स्यादत्यागे पुनरेव तु॥ क्षिप्रं च ज्ञापयत्येव भगवान् स्वयमेव तु। यदि जन्मान्तरे स्वीयो निमित्तीकृत्य कञ्चन॥"
इत्यादि च।
vidyādyaihikabhogāya yadi buddhvā punarnatu। parivāratām r̥te kuryādanyadevārcanaṁ kvacit॥ ajānatā kr̥taṁ tyaktaṁ na doṣāya bhaviṣyati। janmādipradameva syādatyāge punareva tu॥ kṣipraṁ ca jñāpayatyeva bhagavān svayameva tu। yadi janmāntare svīyo nimittīkr̥tya kañcana॥"
ityādi ca।
[विद्या (vidyā) - knowledge; आद्य (ādya) - primary; ऐहिक (aihika) - worldly; भोगाय (bhogāya) - for enjoyment; यदि (yadi) - if; बुद्ध्वा (buddhvā) - having understood; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; न (na) - not; तु (tu) - but; परिवारताम् (parivāratām) - dependence; ऋते (ṛte) - without; कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - should do; अन्यत् (anyat) - something else; एव (eva) - indeed; आर्चनं (ārcanam) - worship; क्वचित् (kvacit) - somewhere. अजानता (ajānatā) - by one who is ignorant; कृतं (kṛtam) - done; त्यक्तं (tyaktam) - abandoned; न (na) - not; दोषाय (doṣāya) - for fault; भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will result; जन्म (janma) - birth; आदि (ādi) - and so on; प्रदम् (pradam) - causing; एव (eva) - indeed; स्यात् (syāt) - will be; अत्यागे (atyāge) - in non-abandonment; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; एव (eva) - indeed; तु (tu) - but; क्षिप्रं (kṣipram) - quickly; च (ca) - and; ज्ञापयति (jñāpayati) - informs; एव (eva) - indeed; भगवान् (bhagavān) - the Lord; स्वयम् (svayam) - Himself; एव (eva) - indeed; तु (tu) - but; यदि (yadi) - if; जन्म (janma) - birth; अन्तरे (antare) - in another (life); स्वीयः (svīyaḥ) - His own (devotee); निमित्तीकृत्य (nimittīkṛtya) - making a cause; कञ्चन (kañcana) - someone; ]
[इति (iti) - thus; आदि (ādi) - and so on; च (ca) - and;]
But, if one engages in the austerities of other deities at anytime without knowledge, but abandons the same after knowing there is no defect. If understanding well (the supremacy of Lord Vishnu) one engages in wordly enjoyment, then indeed, it becomes the cause of further birth and consequences. The Lord indeed quickly reveals (the truth) in current or subsequent birth through Himself or by making one of His own (devotees) the cause.
- and such statements.
'मत्त एवेति तान् विद्धि' इत्युपसंहाराच्च तत्तत्कारणत्वात् तत्तन्नामेत्यवसीयते। 'मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतम्' इति भेदेनैव उपक्रमाच्च। आप्नोति विष्णुमित्येव आत्म शब्दो ज्ञानिनि। 'यच्चाप्नोति यदादत्ते' इत्यादेः। 'आस्थितः स हि', 'मां प्रपद्यते' इत्यादि वाक्यशेषाच्च।
'matta eveti tān viddhi' ityupasaṁhārācca tattatkāraṇatvāt tattannāmetyavasīyate। 'mayi sarvamidaṁ protam' iti bhedenaiva upakramācca। āpnoti viṣṇumityeva ātma śabdo jñānini। 'yaccāpnoti yadādatte' ityādeḥ। 'āsthitaḥ sa hi', 'māṁ prapadyate' ityādi vākyaśeṣācca।
[मत्त (matta) - from Me; एव (eva) - indeed; इति (iti) - thus; तान् (tān) - them; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; इति (iti) - thus; उपसंहारात् (upasaṁhārāt) - due to conclusion; च (ca) - and; तत्-तत् (tat-tat) - respective; कारणत्वात् (kāraṇatvāt) - due to being the cause; तत्-तत्-नाम (tat-tat-nāma) - respective names; इति (iti) - thus; अवसीयते (avasīyate) - is determined; मयि (mayi) - in Me; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; इदम् (idam) - this; प्रोतम् (protam) - is woven; इति (iti) - thus; भेदेन (bhedena) - with distinction; एव (eva) - indeed; उपक्रमात् (upakramāt) - in the context; च (ca) - and; आप्नोति (āpnoti) - attains; विष्णुम् (viṣṇum) - Vishnu; इति (iti) - thus; एव (eva) - indeed; आत्म (ātma) - self; शब्दः (śabdaḥ) - the word; ज्ञानिनि (jñānini) - in the knower; यत् (yat) - that which; च (ca) - and; आप्नोति (āpnoti) - attains; यत् (yat) - that which; आदत्ते (ādatte) - accepts; इति (iti) - thus; आदेः (ādeḥ) - beginning; आस्थितः (āsthitaḥ) - established; स (sa) - he; हि (hi) - indeed; मां (mām) - Me; प्रपद्यते (prapadyate) - surrenders; इति (iti) - thus; आदि (ādi) - and so on; वाक्य (vākya) - sentence; शेषात् (śeṣāt) - from the remainder; च (ca) - and; ]
By concluding, 'Know them to be from Me alone' (7-12), it is determined that respective causes are responsible for respective identified names. The statement - 'All this is woven in Me' (7-7), indeed expresses distinction only (between the Lord and others) in the given context. The word 'ātma' in the context of 'attains Vishnu' indeed refers to the knower. There are such usages (in the Mahabharata) - 'That which attains and that which accepts', (referring to 'ātma'). (Distinction between supreme ātman and the being) is further clarified by expressions such as 'he who is established in Me,' and 'he surrenders to Me', etc.
[The quoted verse, referred by both Madhva and Shankara, is no longer part of BORI version of Mahabharata. The verse is 'यद् आप्नोति यद् आदत्ते यच् चाति विषयाणि च यच् चास्य सततो भावस् तस्माद् आत्मेति कीर्त्यते', which means 'That which attains, that which receives, that which transcends sense objects, and that which is its very nature — therefore, it is called the 'ātma'.]
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान् भवति। ततो मां प्रपद्यते। वासुदेवः सर्वमिति पूर्णमिति जानन्। 'प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः' इत्यादि वाक्यशेषे भेददर्शनाच्च।
bahūnāṁ janmanāmante jñānavān bhavati। tato māṁ prapadyate। vāsudevaḥ sarvamiti pūrṇamiti jānan। 'prapadyante'nyadevatāḥ' ityādi vākyaśeṣe bhedadarśanācca।
[बहूनाम् (bahūnām) - of many; जन्मनाम् (janmanām) - births; अन्ते (ante) - at the end; ज्ञानवान् (jñānavān) - one endowed with knowledge; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; ततः (tataḥ) - thereafter; माम् (mām) - Me; प्रपद्यते (prapadyate) - surrenders; वासुदेवः (vāsudevaḥ) - Vāsudeva (Krishna); सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; इति (iti) - thus; पूर्णम् (pūrṇam) - complete; इति (iti) - thus; जानन् (jānan) - knowing; प्रपद्यन्ते (prapadyante) - they surrender; अन्य (anya) - other; देवताः (devatāḥ) - deities; इति (iti) - thus; आदि (ādi) - and so on; वाक्य (vākya) - statement; शेषे (śeṣe) - in the remainder; भेद (bheda) - distinction; दर्शनात् (darśanāt) - to show; च (ca) – and;]
In 7-19 it is stated: "At the end of many births, one endowed with knowledge attains Me, surrendering with the understanding that Vāsudeva is all and complete". Later, in 7-20, it is stated 'those surrendering to other deities'. This clearly shows the distinction (between Lord Vāsudeva and other deities).
"देवान् देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि"
"devān devayajo yānti madbhaktā yānti māmapi"
[देवान् (devān) - the gods; देवयजः (devayajaḥ) - worshippers of the gods; यान्ति (yānti) - go to; मद् (mad) - My; भक्ताः (bhaktāḥ) - devotees; यान्ति (yānti) - go to; माम् (mām) - Me; अपि (api) – also;]
"Those who worship the gods go to the gods, but My devotees come to Me". (7-23)
इति च।
iti ca।
[इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; as well;]
- stated thus as well.
"ज्ञात्वा परत्वं विष्णोस्तु पृथग् देवान् यजन्नरः। याति देवांन् तदज्ञात्वा तम एव प्रपद्यते। तथापि यावदन्यैस्तु साम्यं हीनत्वमेकताम्। न निश्चिन्वन्ति जायन्ते संसारे ते पुनः पुनः॥"
"jñātvā paratvaṁ viṣṇostu pr̥thag devān yajannaraḥ। yāti devāṁn tadajñātvā tama eva prapadyate। tathāpi yāvadanyaistu sāmyaṁ hīnatvamekatām। na niścinvanti jāyante saṁsāre te punaḥ punaḥ॥"
[“Even after knowing the supremacy of Vishnu, if a man worships the other gods as distinct, he goes to those gods, not knowing that he actually worships Me alone. Even so, as long as they do not determine inferiority of other gods and consider them to be equal to Me, they are born again and again in the cycle of worldly existence.”]
“Even after knowing the supremacy of Vishnu, if a man worships the other gods as distinct, he goes to those gods, not knowing that he actually worships Me alone. Even so, as long as they do not determine inferiority of other gods and consider them to be equal to Me, they are born again and again in the cycle of worldly existence.”
इति च ॥२३॥
iti ca ॥23॥
[इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; as well;]
-stated thus as well (in ancient testimonial).
