Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17 Verse 4
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 17 श्लोक 4

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।
प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः।।17.4।।



English Translation - Swami Gambirananda
17.4 Those having the sattva ality worship the gods; those having rajas, the demi-gods and ogres; and other people possessed of tamas worship ghosts and the hosts of spirits.


English Translation - Swami Sivananda
17.4 The Sattvic or the pure men worship the gods; the Rajasic or the passionate worship the Yakshas and the Rakshasas; the others (the Tamasic or the deluded people) worship the ghosts and the hosts of the nature-spirits.


English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
17.4. The men of the Sattva (Strand) perform sacrifice intending for the gods ;  the men of the Rajas (Strand) do for the spirits and the demons;  and the men of the Tamas (Strand)  perform sacrifices intending for the imps, the dead, and the ghosts.


English Commentary  - Swami Sivananda
17.4 यजन्ते worship? सात्त्विकाः the Sattvic or pure men? देवान् the gods? यक्षरक्षांसि the Yakshas and the Rakshasas? राजसाः the Rajasic or the passionate? प्रेतान् ghosts? भूतगणान् the hosts of Bhutas or the naturespirits? च and? अन्ये the others? यजन्ते worship? तामसाः the Tamasic? जनाः people.Commentary Lord Krishna? after defining faith? tells Arjuna how this faith determines the object of worship. The nature of the faith (whether it is Sattvic? Rajasic or Tamasic) has to be inferred from its characteristic effects? viz.? the worship of the gods and the like. Each man selects his object of worship according to the ruling Guna of his being. The expression of a mans faith depends on the Guna that is predominant in him. A Sattvic man will give his faith the Sattvic expression? a Rajasic man the Rajasic expression and a Tamasic man the Tamasic expression.Sattvic persons or people with Sattvic faith who are devoted to the worship of the gods? are rare in this world.Yakshas are the brothers of Kubera? the lord of wealth gnomes? the spirits that guard wealth.Rakshasas Beings of strength and power such as Nairrita demons giants gifted with illusive powers.Bhutas Ghosts.


English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's
17.4 Sattvikah, those having the sattva ality, those steadfast in sattva; yajante, worship; devan, the gods; rajasah, those having rajas; (worship) yaksa-raksamsi, the demi-gods and ogres; and anye, other; janah, people; tamasah, possessed of tamas; yajante, worship; pretan, ghosts; and bhuta-ganan, the hosts of spirits-Sapta-matrkas (the Seven Mothers) and others.
Thus, in the context of abandonment of scriptural injunctions, the states of sattva etc. have been determined through their effects. As regards that, it is only one in thousands who, being established in sattva, becomes devoted to the adoration of gods.
But, to be sure, creatures are mostly rooted deeply in rajas or tamas. How?


English Translation of Commentary  - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
17.4 See Comment under 17.6


English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary
17.4 Those who have abundance of Sattva ality and are conjoined with Sattvika faith worship the gods. The meaning is this:  The faith in the worship (sacrifice) of the gods which causes supreme joy unmixed with pain is of Sattvika nature. The Rajasika types worship Yaksas and Raksasas. And the others, i.e., the Tamasika types, worship the departed ancestors and hosts of Bhutas. The faith born of Rajas brings about limited joy mixed with pain, while the faith born of Tamas gives rise to extremely limited joy which verges almost on pain.

Therefore, there is difference in fruits according to the Gunas regarding sacrifices etc., which are enjoined in the Sastras and associated with faith. However, no happiness whatsoever will result from penances, sacrifices etc., not enjoined in the Sastras and therefore antagonistic to My ?ndment. On the contrary, calamity results from them. Sri Krsna proceeds to explain this more fully.


Commentary  - Chakravarthi Ji
The Lord clarifies what he has said. Those with sattvika antah karana, with sattvika faith, with rules of sattvika scripture, worship devatas. Because of having faith in those devatas, they are said to be deva. In the same way, those with rajasic and tamasic antah karanas take up such faith, and worship raksasas and bhutas or pretas, and are said to be raksasas and bhutas.


Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary





The three fold nature of sraddha or faith can be determined by  a  jivas  or
embodied beings mode of worship. Those situated in sattva guna the  mode  of
goodness worship the Supreme Lord Krishna and His  authorised  incarnations.
Those situated in raja guna the mode  of  passion  pay  homage  to  demoniac
entities for power, wealth, fame and pleasure. Those situated in  tama  guna
the mode of ignorance pray to abstract gods with vague qualities as well  as
to ghosts and spirits. Thus by their actions their position and  quality  of
faith can be clearly discerned.


Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary



Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

Those who are imbued with sattva guna the mode of goodness become  attracted
to activities in purity and goodness and they  are  devoted  to  worshipping
the Supreme Lord with full faith, concerned  only  with  the  transcendental
bliss derived from bhakti or exclusive  loving  devotion  unto  the  Supreme
Lord Krishna which is completely transcendental to  material  existence  and
untainted by darkness and suffering. Those in raja guna or mode  of  passion
offer diabolical rituals to demoniac entities from the physical  and  astral
realms to gain pleasure, power, wealth and fame.  The  results  are   bitter
sweet when succeeding and bitterly painful when failing because one  has  to
give something physical in return such as the death of a  family  member  or
ones health. Those in tama guna or mode of  ignorance  pay  homage  to  the
ghosts and spirits which give no joy and is filled with  pain  and  anguish.
The results of these three gunas or modes of material nature are  determined
directly by whichever one is situated in  along  with  the  quality  of  the
faith in which the worshipper is performing even  if  it  is  in  accordance
with the Vedic scriptures. Lord Krishna  has  categorically  emphasised  and
declared that not even the most miniscule modicum of  happiness  is  derived
from any activity which is contrary and opposed  to  the  Vedic  scriptures;
which embody all that is for  the  highest  good  for  all.  Those  who  are
inimical to the Vedic scriptures which benefit all  creation  are  evil  and
possess a demoniac nature.


Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary
Those who are imbued with sattva guna the mode of goodness become  attracted
to activities in purity and goodness and they  are  devoted  to  worshipping
the Supreme Lord with full faith, concerned  only  with  the  transcendental
bliss derived from bhakti or exclusive  loving  devotion  unto  the  Supreme
Lord Krishna which is completely transcendental to  material  existence  and
untainted by darkness and suffering. Those in raja guna or mode  of  passion
offer diabolical rituals to demoniac entities from the physical  and  astral
realms to gain pleasure, power, wealth and fame.  The  results  are   bitter
sweet when succeeding and bitterly painful when failing because one  has  to
give something physical in return such as the death of a  family  member  or
ones health. Those in tama guna or mode of  ignorance  pay  homage  to  the
ghosts and spirits which give no joy and is filled with  pain  and  anguish.
The results of these three gunas or modes of material nature are  determined
directly by whichever one is situated in  along  with  the  quality  of  the
faith in which the worshipper is performing even  if  it  is  in  accordance
with the Vedic scriptures. Lord Krishna  has  categorically  emphasised  and
declared that not even the most miniscule modicum of  happiness  is  derived
from any activity which is contrary and opposed  to  the  Vedic  scriptures;
which embody all that is for  the  highest  good  for  all.  Those  who  are
inimical to the Vedic scriptures which benefit all  creation  are  evil  and
possess a demoniac nature.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 17.4Yajante saattwikaa devaan yaksharakshaamsi raajasaah;
Pretaan bhootaganaamshchaanye yajante taamasaa janaah.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 17.4yajante—worship; sāttvikāḥ—those in the mode of goodness; devān—celestial gods; yakṣha—semi-celestial beings who exude power and wealth; rakṣhānsi—powerful beings who embody sensual enjoyment, revenge, and wrath; rājasāḥ—those in the mode of passion; pretān-bhūta-gaṇān—ghosts and spirits; cha—and; anye—others; yajante—worship; tāmasāḥ—those in the mode of ignorance; janāḥ—persons