Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Verse 23

[bilva]

Chapter 9. The Most Confidential Knowledge

TEXT 23
ye 'py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante sraddhayanvitah
te 'pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam

SYNONYMS
ye--those; api--also; anya--other; devata--demigods; bhaktah--
devotees; yajante--worship; sraddhaya anvitah--with faith; te--they;
api--also; mam--Me; eva--even; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; yajanti--
sacrifice; avidhi-purvakam--in a wrong way.

TRANSLATION
Whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kunti, is really
meant for Me alone, but it is offered without true understanding.

EXPLANATION
"Persons who are engaged in the worship of demigods are not very
intelligent, although such worship is done to Me indirectly," Krsna
says. For example, when a man pours water on the leaves and branches
of a tree without pouring water on the root, he does so without
sufficient knowledge or without observing regulative principles.
Similarly, the process of rendering service to the different parts of
the body is to supply food to the stomach. The demigods are, so to
speak, different officers and directors in the government of the
Supreme Lord. One has to follow the laws made by the government, not
by the officers or directors. Similarly, everyone is to offer his
worship to the Supreme Lord only. That will automatically satisfy the
different officers and directors of the Lord. The officers and
directors are engaged as representatives of the government, and to
offer some bribe to the officers and directors is illegal. This is
stated here as avidhi-purvakam. In other words, Krsna does not approve
the unnecessary worship of the demigods.

Following is a quotation by Swami Gaurangapada:
"Heat cannot be separated from fire, or service to the Lord from the
soul."

Please chant Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, to
approach the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.