Shloka 34
Dhruva-vaṁśa Continuation: Utkala’s Renunciation, Aṅga’s Sacrifice, and the Birth of Vena
Prelude to Pṛthu
तांस्तान् कामान् हरिर्दद्याद्यान् यान् कामयते जन: । आराधितो यथैवैष तथा पुंसां फलोदय: ॥ ३४ ॥
tāṁs tān kāmān harir dadyād yān yān kāmayate janaḥ ārādhito yathaivaiṣa tathā puṁsāṁ phalodayaḥ
Whatever desires a person longs for, Hari—when worshiped—bestows them; according to the manner of worship, so the fruit arises for men.
In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that He awards benedictions to the worshiper according to his desire. The Supreme Personality of Godhead gives all living entities conditioned within this material world full freedom to act in their own way. But to His devotee He says that instead of working in that way, it is better to surrender unto Him, for He will take charge of the devotee. That is the difference between a devotee and a fruitive actor. The fruitive actor enjoys only the fruits of his own activities, but a devotee, being under the guidance of the Supreme Lord, simply advances in devotional service to achieve the ultimate goal of life — to go back home, back to Godhead. The significant word in this verse is kāmān, which means “sense gratificatory desires.” A devotee is devoid of all kāmān. He is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnya: a devotee is always devoid of all desires for sense gratification. His only aim is to satisfy or gratify the senses of the Lord. That is the difference between a karmī and a devotee.
FAQs
This verse says Lord Hari grants the particular desires a person seeks, and the results manifest according to the manner and intention with which He is worshiped.
To emphasize that worship is not mechanically identical for everyone—one’s motive and mood (material gain, duty, or pure devotion) shape the kind of fruit that arises.
Align your prayers and practices with your highest aim: if you seek peace and spiritual growth, worship with sincerity and selflessness rather than treating devotion as a tool for temporary gains.