Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कामैस्तैस्तै््वतज्ञाना: प्रपद्यन्तेडन्यदेवता: । तं त॑ं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियता: स्वया

Transliteration

kāmais tais tair hṛtajñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ | taṃ taṃ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā ||

Translation

Те, чьё различение похищено множеством желаний, прибегают к иным божествам. Побуждаемые собственной природой, они принимают то или иное предписанное обетование и поклоняются тем богам, стремясь к тем наслаждениям, которых жаждут.

Word by Word

• कामैः: by desires
• कामैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तैः: by those (various)
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• हृत-ज्ञानाः: whose knowledge is stolen/removed
• हृत-ज्ञानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत-ज्ञान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रपद्यन्ते: they resort to / take refuge in
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पद्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• अन्य-देवताः: other deities
• अन्य-देवताः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य-देवता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• तम्: that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: that (respective)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नियमम्: rule/observance
• नियमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having adopted/undertaken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + स्था
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral

• प्रकृत्या: by (their) nature
• प्रकृत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• नियताः: controlled/impelled
• नियताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वया: by their own
• स्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• anya-devatāḥ (other deities)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.