Shloka 2
Ajāna Lineages, Divine Classes, Ṛṣi Catalogues, and the Merit of Śravaṇa-Smaraṇa
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / अजानाख्या देवतास्तु तत्तद्देवकुले भवाः / अजानदेवतास्ता हि तेभ्योग्याः कर्मदेवताः
śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / ajānākhyā devatāstu tattaddevakule bhavāḥ / ajānadevatāstā hi tebhyogyāḥ karmadevatāḥ
ศรีกฤษณะตรัสว่า “เหล่าเทวะที่เรียกว่า ‘อชาน’ ย่อมบังเกิดในตระกูลเทวะของตน ๆ และเทวะอชานเหล่านั้นเองเป็นเทวะผู้กำกับกรรม อันเหมาะสมแก่ตระกูลนั้น ๆ”
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Concept: Karmic governance: specific presiding powers (karma-devatās) correspond to particular divine lineages and functions.
Vedantic Theme: Interplay of adhiṣṭhātṛ-devatā (presiding deities) with karma and cosmic order; the world as structured by intelligible principles.
Application: Interpret life’s duties as operating within lawful structures; align actions with dharma, acknowledging accountability and unseen governance.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.9.3-4 (lists of named beings within this category)
FAQs
This verse identifies Ajāna Devatās as lineage-linked deities who function as karma-devatās—presiding powers that correspond to and regulate the fruits and order of actions.
By stating that karma has presiding deities, the verse implies that the soul’s experiences and outcomes are not random; actions are ‘administered’ through cosmic order, shaping post-death results according to karma.
Act with dharma and care in ritual and daily conduct, recognizing that karma operates through a structured moral-cosmic system where deeds reliably yield corresponding results.