Chapter 7 Verse 20
Jñāna Vijñāna Yog
कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः। तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया।।7.20।।
kāmais tais tair hṛita-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛityā niyatāḥ svayā
Word Meanings
| kāmaiḥ | by material desires |
| taiḥ taiḥ | by various |
| hṛita-jñānāḥ | whose knowledge has been carried away |
| prapadyante | surrender |
| anya | to other |
| devatāḥ | celestial gods |
| tam tam | the various |
| niyamam | rules and regulations |
| āsthāya | following |
| prakṛityā | by nature |
| niyatāḥ | controlled |
| svayā | by their own |
Translation
Those whose wisdom has been taken away by this or that desire, go to other gods, following this or that rite, led by their own nature.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
When desire takes over the mind, clear understanding is lost. People driven by wants turn toward different gods, rituals, or methods hoping to get what they want. These practices are chosen to serve particular aims, not to discover the deeper truth.
Everyone follows a pattern that matches their nature. That natural leaning shapes which rites or deities they trust. This verse explains how habit and craving guide spiritual choices, keeping a person tied to temporary results instead of freeing them.
This is not a blame, but a diagnosis: to move beyond limited goals we must see how desire steers our worship and choices, and steady the mind toward a higher purpose.
Life Application
- Notice when you act or pray mainly for a personal gain; pause and ask if the action builds inner steadiness or only secures a short-term benefit.
- Choose one steady practice (quiet prayer, short meditation, or honest self-check) and do it regularly without expecting immediate rewards.
- When following traditions or rituals, focus on their inner aim (cultivating virtue, calm, or devotion) rather than only on outward results.
Reflection Question
Are my spiritual practices driven by longing for outcomes, or by a desire to grow inwardly?