SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
yE thvanyadhEvathAbhakthA yajanthE SradhdhayAnvithA: |
thE’pi mAm Eva kaunthEya yajanthyavidhipUrvakam ||
word-by-word meaning
kaunthEya – Oh son of kunthI!
yE thu – those
anya dhEvathA bhakthA – having devotion towards other dhEvathAs (such as indhra, rudhra, brahmA et al)
SradhdhayA anvithA: – faithfully
yajanthE – worship them in yagya etc (considering them to be worshippable)
thE api – they too
mAm Eva – me only (who is the antharyAmi (indwelling super soul) of those dhEvathAs)
avidhi pUrvakam – as not ordained in vEdham (that one should engage in yAgam etc with the understanding that emperumAn is the antharyAmi of all dhEvathAs)
yajanthi – performing yAgam etc.
Simple Translation
Oh son of kunthI! Those who are having devotion towards other dhEvathAs (such as indhra, rudhra, brahmA et al) and faithfully worship them in yagya etc (considering them to be worshippable), they too are performing yAgam etc to worship me only but [are doing so] as not ordained in vEdham (that one should engage in yAgam etc with the understanding that emperumAn is the antharyAmi of all dhEvathAs).
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Even those who worship other divinities, in love and faith, worship Myself, Kaunteya!, but (they do so) in an informal manner.'[2. With reference to this verse, Annie Besant said in her address before the Theosophical Society in December 1895:— “The Christian writer said he envied Hinduism that phrase in its Scriptures, and he wished he was able to quote it from his own Bible instead of finding it in the language of another faith.]
Those also, who are worshippers of Indra and other lesser divinities —being followers of the Tri-Veda lines,— and who perform sacrifices directed to Indra etc., are in reality directing them to Myself. For, for reasons stated previously, all (Indra etc)., form My body, of which I am the Soul. And every term, Indra etc., finds its ultimate significance in referring to Myself.
They however perform sacrifices, ignorant of this form, or law. They do not worship Indra and other divinities in the manner that Vedānta passages such as :
‘Where (in Paramātma) the Four-Hotri-rituals, obtain their fulfilment through the devas’[3. Tait: Aran: III-11-2. (Chatur hotāro yatra sampadam gacchanti devaiḥ).] etc., inform how ceremonial worship applies to those divinities. For such Vedānta passages, while directly enjoining worship of Indra etc., as constituting the body of Paramapurusha, indirectly enjoin the worship of Paramapurusha Himself, as the Spirit ensouling that body.
(The meaning of the Vedānta passage quoted is this):
‘The Four-Hotri-service of rituals: Agnihotra[4. Keeping sacred fire, and daily throwing oblations into it, rice, ghee, etc.], Darśa[5. Darśa=A penance. Says Tait: Sam: I-6-8: (ya evam vidvān amāvāsyām yajate.], Pūrṇamāsa[6. Another penance. Says Tait: Sam: I-6-8 : (ya evam vidvān paurṇamāsīm yajate). See note under II-41 Bh:Gi: and Śruta-prakāśika, p.188 (Telugu Edition),=gloss on Śri: Bhāshya.], etc., find their fulfilment through Indra etc., constituting the body of Paramātma, by means of Paramātma Himself, Who is their Soul. That, of such (Paramātma-ensouled) Indra etc., these rituals being the worship, they (the rituals) obtain their fulfilment from Him. (sampat=fulfilment=fruition)
Hence, the votaries of the Traividya (or the Karma-Kāṇda of the Vedas) do not understand that rituals are but worship-services of Paramapurusha Himself having Indra etc., as His body, and that Paramapurusha Himself is the real Object of that worship.
Hence they are entitled to limited recompense, and possess the character to fall (from the place or state, gained).
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