Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 17, Verse 4

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manikantan

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Feb 28, 2011, 12:03:56 PM2/28/11
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Chapter 17: The Divisions of Faith
Verse4
yajante sattvika devan 
yaksha-rakshamsi rajasah 
pretan bhuta-ganams canye 
yajante tamasa janah 

Translation: 
Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits. 

Explanation:
Here Krishna talks about a more tangible representation of the various kinds of faith. Those in the mode of goodness are attracted to the worship of devas like Brahma, Indra and Shiva. In the mode of passion one worships demons. Srila Prabhupada mentions that demons are also men who take on the position of being god or exalted souls. In the mode of ignorance people worship ghosts and spirits. People who worship in cemeteries, worship dead people or perform tantric rites to acquire mystical powers fall into this category. 

Even though the worship of such people is driven by faith, the faith is whimsical - it is not based on the scriptures. People concoct some form of worship, either to the devas or demons or ghosts, and follow that path based on their own personal convictions. Thus, even though these processes may bear an external semblance to Vedic processes, their results are completely different. While the Vedas have points of engagement for people in the various modes, they ultimately purify the person and bring him to the ultimate state of pure goodness or Vasudeva sattva. This is conspicuously lacking in whimsical worship, whether it is in mode of goodness, passion or ignorance. 

One may wonder what about the impersonalists, who reject the personal form of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada explains, "The impersonalists are supposed to be situated in the mode of goodness, and they worship five kinds of demigods. They worship the impersonal Vishnu form in the material world, which is known as philosophized Vishnu. Vishnu is the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the impersonalists, because they do not ultimately believe in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, imagine that the Vishnu form is just another aspect of the impersonal Brahman; similarly, they imagine that Lord Brahma is the impersonal form in the material mode of passion. Thus they sometimes describe five kinds of gods that are worshipable, but because they think that the actual truth is impersonal Brahman, they dispose of all worshipable objects at the ultimate end." 

Please read the Sanskrit Verse and the Prabhupada's Purport.


--

One's memory of Krishna is revived by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. By this practice of chanting and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one's ear, tongue and mind are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one attain the Supreme Lord.

Chant:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

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