BhG 9.23

ye ‘py anya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
te ‘pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam

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syntax


he kaunteya (O son of Kuntī!),
ye anya-devatā-bhaktāḥ api (although those devotees of other divinities) śraddhayā anvitāḥ (endowed with faith) yajante (they worship),
te api (even they) avidhi-pūrvakam (not according to rule) mām eva (just me) yajanti (they worship).

 

grammar

ye – yat sn. 1n.3 m. – those who;
api – av. – although, moreover, besides, even;
anya-devatā-bhaktāḥ – anya-devatā-bhakta 1n.3 m.; TP: anyāsāṁ devatānāṁ bhaktā iti – devotees of other divinities (from: anya – other; √div – to shine, to play, deva – god, divinity, devatā – divinity; √bhaj – to share, to love, to rejoice, to worship, PP bhakta – distributed, divided, loved; worshipper, devotee, loving);
yajante – √yaj (to consecrate, to sacrifice, to worship) Praes. Ā 1v.3 – they worship, they offer in sacrifice;
śraddhayā – śrad-dhā 3n.1 f. – with faith (from: śrat – in compounds: faith; √dhā – to put [faith]);
anvitāḥ – anvita (anu-√i – to go along) PP 1n.3 m. – who are endowed (with what? – requires instrumental);
te – tat sn. 1n.3 m. – they;
api – av. – although, moreover, besides, even;
mām – asmat sn. 2n.1 – me;
eva – av. – certainly, just, merely;
kaunteya – kaunteya 8n.1 m. – O son of Kuntī (from: kunti – the people of Kunti, kuntī – Kuntī, mother of the sons of Pāṇḍu);
yajanti – √yaj (to consecrate, to sacrifice, to worship) Praes. P 1v.3 – they worship, they offer in sacrifice;
avidhi-pūrvakam – av. – not according to rule (from: vidhi – a rule, formula, injunction; pūrvaka – previous, ancient, suffix: according to;

 

textual variants


ye ‘py anya-devatā-bhaktā → ye tv anya-devatā bhaktā (but those who worship other divinities);
yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam → yajaṁti vidhi-pūrvakam / yajante ‘vidhi-pūrvakam (they worship according to rule / they worship not according to rule);

The second pada of verse 9.23 is the same as the second pada of verse BhG 17.1;

 
 



Śāṃkara


nanv anyāpi devatās tvam eva cet tad-bhaktāś ca tvām eva yajante | satyam evaṃ—

ye’py anya-devatā-bhaktā anyāsu devatāsu bhaktā anya-devatā-bhaktāḥ santo yajante pūjayanti śraddhayā āstikya-buddhyānvitā anugatāḥ, te’pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam avidhir ajñānaṃ tat-pūrvakaṃ yajanta ity arthaḥ

 

Rāmānuja


ye tv indrādidevatābhaktāḥ kevalatrayīniṣṭhāḥ śraddhayā+anvitāḥ indrādīn yajante, te ‚pi pūrvoktena nyāyena sarvasya maccharīratayā madātmakatvena, indrādiśabdānāṃ ca madvācitvād vastuto mām eva yajante; api tv avidhipūrvakaṃ yajante / indrādīnāṃ devatānāṃ karamsvārādhyatayā anvayaṃ yathā vedāntavākyāni, „caturhotāro yatra saṃpadaṃ gacchanti deaiḥ” ityādīni vidadhati, na tatpūrvakaṃ yajante / vedāntavākyajātaṃ hi paramapuruṣaśarīratayā+avasthitānām indrādīnām ārādhyatvaṃ vidadhad atmabhūtasya paramapuruṣasyaiva sākṣād ārādhyatvaṃ vidadhāti / caturhotāraḥ agnihotradarśapūrṇamāsādīni karmāṇi, yatra paramātmany ātmatayā+avasthite saty eva taccharīrabhūtendrādidevaiḥ; saṃpadaṃ gacchanti indrādidevānām ārādhanāny etāni karmāṇītīmāṃ saṃpadaṃ gacchantītyarthaḥ

 

Śrīdhara


nanu ca tvad-vyatirekeṇa vastuto devatāntarasyābhāvādindrādi-sevino ‚pi tvad-bhaktā eveti kathaṃ te gatāgataṃ labheran ? tatrāha ye ‚pīti | śraddhayopetā bhaktāḥ santo ye janā anya-devatā indrādi-rūpā yajante te ‚pi mām eva yajantīti satyaṃ kintu avidhi-pūrvakam | mokṣa-prāpakaṃ vidhiṃ vinā yajanti | atas te punar āvartante

 

Madhusūdana


nanv anyā api devatās tvam eva tvad-vyatiriktasya vastv-antarasyābhāvāt | tathā ca devatāntara-bhaktā api tvām eva bhajanta iti na ko ‚pi viśeṣaḥ syāt | tena gatāgataṃ kāma-kāmā vasu-rudrādityādi-bhaktā labhante | ananyāś cintayanto māṃ tu kṛta-kṛtyā iti katham uktaṃ tatrāha ye ‚pīti | yathā mad-bhaktā mām eva yajanti tathā ye ‚nya-devatānāṃ vasv-ādīnāṃ bhaktā yajante jyotiṣṭomādibhiḥ śraddhayāstikya-buddhyā ‚nvitāḥ | te ‚pi mad-bhaktā iva he kaunteya tat-tad-devatā-rūpeṇa sthitaṃ mām eva yajanti pūjayanti | avidhi-pūrvakam avidhir ajñānaṃ tat-pūrvakaṃ sarvātmatvena mām ajñātvā mad-bhinnatvena vastv-ādīn kalapayitvā yajantīty arthaḥ

 

Viśvanātha


nanu ca jñāna-yajñena cāpy anye ity anena tvayā svasyaivopāsanā trividhoktā | tatra bahudhā viśvato-mukham iti tṛtīyāyā upāsanāyā jñāpanārtham | ahaṃ kratur ahaṃ yajñaḥ ity ādi svasya viśva-rūpatvaṃ darśitaṃ | ataḥ karma-yogena karmāṅga-bhūtendrādi-yājakās tathā prādhānyenaiva devatāntara-bhaktā api tvad-bhaktā eva | kathaṃ tarhi te na mucyante ? yad uktaṃ tvayā gatāgataṃ kāma-kāmā labhante iti | antavat tu phalaṃ teṣām iti ca | tatrāha ye ‚pīti satyaṃ mām eva yajantīti | kintv avidhi-pūrvakam mat-prāpakaṃ vidhiṃ vinaiva yajanty ataḥ punar āvartante

 

Baladeva


nanv indrādi-yājino ‚pi vastutas tvad-yājina eva teṣāṃ kuto gatāgatam iti cet tatrāha ye ‚pīti | ye janā anya-devatā-bhaktāḥ kevaleṣv indrādiṣu bhaktimantaḥ śraddhayā ataeva phala-pradā iti dṛḍha-viśvāsenopetāḥ santo yajante yajñais tān arcayanti | te ‚pi mām eva yajanti iti satyam etat | kintv avidhi-pūrvakaṃ te yajanti yena vidhinā gatāgata-nivartakā mat-prāptiḥ syāt taṃ vidhiṃ vinaiva | atas tat te labhante
 
 



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