Shloka 20
Rāja-Vidyā Rāja-Guhya Yoga (राजविद्या राजगुह्य योग) — The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret
कामैस्तैस्तै््वतज्ञाना: प्रपद्यन्तेडन्यदेवता: । तं त॑ं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियता: स्वया
kāmais tais tair hṛtajñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ | taṃ taṃ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā ||
Diejenigen, deren Unterscheidungsvermögen von ihren vielfältigen Begierden geraubt wurde, suchen Zuflucht bei anderen Gottheiten. Von ihrer eigenen Natur getrieben, nehmen sie diese oder jene vorgeschriebene Observanz an und verehren jene Götter, um die Genüsse zu erlangen, nach denen sie verlangen.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire-driven seeking narrows discernment: when people are ruled by particular cravings, they gravitate toward limited divine forms and corresponding rituals to obtain specific results, rather than pursuing the highest good with clear understanding.
In the battlefield dialogue, Krishna explains to Arjuna why many people worship various deities: their minds, shaped by personal desires and innate tendencies (prakṛti), adopt particular vows and practices aimed at gaining desired enjoyments.