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अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्। देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि।।7.23।।

antavat tu phalaṁ teṣhāṁ tad bhavatyalpa-medhasām devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 7, Verse 23
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
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.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: but the fruit gained by people of limited understanding is temporary, those who worship the gods go to the gods, but Krishna's devotees come to him, distinguishing between temporary and lasting outcomes from different levels of devotion.

In life: some goals and rewards genuinely satisfy only briefly before you need the next one, while others produce a more lasting sense of resolution.

Teaching: sort your current goals into those that produce only temporary satisfaction versus those pointing toward something more lasting, and weight your effort accordingly.

anta-vatperishable
tubut
phalamfruit
teṣhāmby them
tatthat
bhavatiis
alpa-medhasāmpeople of small understanding
devānto the celestial gods
deva-yajaḥthe worshipers of the celestial gods
yāntigo
matmy
bhaktāḥdevotees
yāntigo
māmto me
apiwhereas

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
7.23 अन्तवत् finite? तु verily? फलम् the fruit? तेषाम् of them? तत् that? भवति is? अल्पमेधसाम् those of small intelligence? देवान् to the gods? देवयजः the worshippers of the gods? यान्ति go to? मद्भक्ताः My devotees? यान्ति go to? माम् Me? अपि also.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)