sa tayā śhraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate
labhate cha tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān
saḥ — he;
tayā — with that;
śhraddhayā — faith;
yuktaḥ — endowed with;
tasya — of that;
ārādhanam — worship;
īhate — tries to engange in;
labhate — obtains;
cha — and;
tataḥ — from that;
kāmān — desires;
mayā — by me;
eva — alone;
vihitān — granted;
hi — certainly;
tān — those
In this verse, Lord Krishna is explaining to Arjuna how people often worship different demigods to get things they want, like wealth, health, or happiness. When someone has strong faith, they go to a specific demigod (like a smaller deity) asking for blessings or help in achieving their desires. However, even though they think they are getting what they want from these demigods, it is actually the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who is the one making it all possible.
Think about it like this: if you want to borrow a car, you might ask a friend for help. Your friend might lend you the car, but it belongs to someone else, maybe your friend's parents. In the same way, the demigods can only act with God's permission; they don't have the power to give blessings independently.
Many people don’t realize this. They think the demigods are the primary source of their blessings and often forget that all these gifts ultimately come from Krishna. When people are filled with desires, they tend to overlook the higher power and focus only on their immediate needs and wants. Thus, they miss out on understanding the bigger picture.
For pure devotees, it is different. They understand that instead of running after smaller gains from demigods, they should go directly to the Supreme Lord for help. A true devotee doesn’t usually ask for material benefits like wealth or success. They seek a deeper, spiritual connection. This is because wanting material things can create a conflict within them; it's like trying to serve two masters at once—one who is spiritual and one who is focused on temporary, material gain.
The teaching here emphasizes that pure devotion to the Supreme Lord is more fulfilling and leads to lasting peace. When people focus only on seeking temporary pleasures, they get caught up in a cycle of desires. But when they realize that their true needs can be met by connecting with the Supreme, they experience true contentment.
In summary, while it’s common for people to ask for favors from demigods, it’s essential to remember that all blessings truly come from the Supreme Lord, and true peace is found in connecting with Him rather than getting lost in material desires.