Bhagavad Gita BG 17.4
Chapter 17, Verse 4 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान् यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः ॥
yajante sattvika devan yaksha-rakshAmsi rajasah pretaan bhuta-ganAmsh canye yajante tamasa janah
Meaning
Sattvic people worship the gods; the rajasic worship the yakshas and rakshasas; others — the tamasic — worship the pretas (spirits of the dead) and the bhutas.
Understanding
The expression of each shraddha in worship: Sattvika — yajante devan (worship the devas — the divine, luminous beings). Rajasic — yaksha-rakshAmsi (worship the yakshas and rakshasas — powerful but not divine beings, associated with power, wealth, and aggression). Tamasic — pretan bhutas (worship spirits of the dead, dark forces). The nature of one's faith determines the direction of worship: what one is oriented toward, what one considers worthy of one's deepest reverence. Rajasic worship seeks power; tamasic worship fear-management; sattvic worship is truly directed toward the Divine.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| यजन्ते | yajante | worship, offer sacrifice to |
| यक्षरक्षांसि | yaksha-rakshAmsi | yakshas and rakshasas (power-beings, not divine) |
| प्रेतान् | pretan | spirits of the dead, pretas |
| भूतगणान् | bhuta-ganan | groups of elemental spirits, bhutas |
| सात्त्विकाः | sāttvikāḥ | those in goodness |
| देवान् | devān | the gods |
| यक्ष-रक्षांसि | yakṣa-rakṣāṃsi | Yakshas and Rakshasas |
| राजसाः | rājasāḥ | those in passion |
| प्रेतान् | pretān | ghosts |
| भूत-गणान् | bhūta-gaṇān | hosts of spirits |
| च | ca anye | and others |
| तामसाः | tāmasāḥ | those in ignorance |
| जनाः | janāḥ | people |