Shloka 27

Devanagari script

रजस्तम:प्रकृतय: समशीला भजन्ति वै । पितृभूतप्रजेशादीन्श्रियैश्वर्यप्रजेप्सव: ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ sama-śīlā bhajanti vai pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ

Translation

Those situated in rajas and tamas worship beings of a similar kind—forefathers, other living entities, and the devas who preside over cosmic functions—because they are driven by the desire for material gain: women, wealth, power, and progeny.

Synonyms

• रजस्तमःप्रकृतयः: those of rajas-and-tamas nature
• रजस्तमःप्रकृतयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस्-तमस्-प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रजस्तमयोः प्रकृतिः/प्रकृतयः = of rajas and tamas nature)

• समशीला: of similar disposition
• समशीला: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम-शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (समं शीलं येषाम्)

• भजन्ति: worship/serve
• भजन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed)

• पितृभूतप्रजेशादीन्: Pitṛs, Bhūtas, Prajāpatis, etc.
• पितृभूतप्रजेशादीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ-भूत-प्रजेश-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (पितरः च भूताः च प्रजेशाः च, तेषां आदयः)

• श्रिया: for prosperity
• श्रिया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; here in sense ‘for the sake of’ (hetu)

• ऐश्वर्यप्रजेप्सवः: desirous of power and progeny
• ऐश्वर्यप्रजेप्सवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य-प्रजा-ईप्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ऐश्वर्यं च प्रजां च ईप्सवः = desirous of power and progeny)

Purport

There is no need to worship demigods of whatsoever category if one is serious about going back to Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20, 23) it is clearly said that those who are mad after material enjoyment approach the different demigods for temporary benefits, which are meant for men with a poor fund of knowledge. We should never desire to increase the depth of material enjoyment. Material enjoyment should be accepted only up to the point of the bare necessities of life and not more or less than that. To accept more material enjoyment means to bind oneself more and more to the miseries of material existence. More wealth, more women and false aristocracy are some of the demands of the materially disposed man because he has no information of the benefit derived from Viṣṇu worship. By Viṣṇu worship one can derive benefit in this life as well as in life after death. Forgetting these principles, foolish people who are after more wealth, more wives and more children worship various demigods. The aim of life is to end the miseries of life and not to increase them.

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs
• Bhutas
• Prajapatis

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about worship in rajas and tamas?

This verse explains that people dominated by passion and ignorance tend to worship corresponding beings—forefathers, spirits, and administrative deities—primarily to obtain material results like wealth, power, and children.

Why does Suta Gosvami describe worship of Pitrs, Bhutas, and Prajapatis here?

In Canto 1 Chapter 2, Suta Gosvami is outlining how different modes of nature shape a person’s faith and worship, contrasting materially motivated worship with the higher path of devotion aimed at the Supreme Lord.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Examine whether spiritual practice is driven mainly by material goals (status, success, security) and gradually refine intention toward sattva and ultimately toward devotion that seeks inner purification and God-realization.