Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 16
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 7 श्लोक 16

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ।।7.16।।



हिंदी अनुवाद - स्वामी रामसुख दास जी ( भगवद् गीता 7.16)
।।7.16।।हे भरतवंशियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अर्जुन पवित्र कर्म करनेवाले अर्थार्थी आर्त जिज्ञासु और ज्ञानी अर्थात् प्रेमी  ये चार प्रकारके मनुष्य मेरा भजन करते हैं अर्थात् मेरे शरण होते हैं।


Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary

Only those who  are  virtuous  and  righteous  have  the  qualification  for
devotion to the Supreme Lord. There are four categories  of  such  qualified
beings according  to  differences  in  their  virtue.  Those  who  performed
virtuous deeds in previous lives worship Lord Krishna  and  fall  into  four
categories:
1) artto are those  distressed  such  as  persecuted  by  disease.  If  they
performed virtuous activities in past  lives  then  they  will  have  the
opportunity to worship Lord Krishna otherwise they  will  be  limited  to
worshipping minor gods and formless illusionary gods.
2) atharthi are the seekers of wealth who desire to have full  facility  for
enjoyment in this life and their next. If they performed  virtuous  deeds
in their past lives then they too will have the  opportunity  to  worship
Lord Krishna. 
3) jijnasuh are those who desire self realisation to end the cycle of  birth
and death. If they performed virtuous actions in their  past  lives  they
will also have the opportunity to worship Lord Krishna.
4) jnanis are those who have achieved atma  tattva  or  realisation  of  the
soul  and  know  the  Supreme  Lord.  If  they  have  performed  virtuous
activities in their past lives then they will  have  the  opportunity  of
advancing further and worshipping Lord Krishna.

It should be understood that  aspirants  in  all  four  categories  will  be
forced to experience endless reincarnation  until  one  finally  evolves  to
attainment of devotion to Lord Krishna.


Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary



Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary





Only humans who are sukritino meaning righteous and  virtuous  surrender  to
the Supreme Lord Krishna becoming exclusively devoted to  Him.  Such  humans
are of four classes distinguished by their different grades  of  virtue.  In
the order they are given each succeeding  class  is  more  superior  to  the
preceding one due  to  being  more  elevated  and  exalted  making  it  more
meritorious. The four are:





artto are those impoverished and distressed after losing all  wealth  and
power and desires to have the Supreme Lord recover it for  them  and  re-
instate it.


atharthi are those who having never enjoyed power and fortune desire  the
Supreme Lord to give them the ability to acquire them.


jijnasur are the seekers of self-realisation who are anxious to know  the
atma or soul in its  state  separate  from  matter  for  the  benefit  of
escaping transmigration the cycle of birth and  death  and  pray  to  the
Supreme Lord for the benediction to discover this.


jnani are the seekers  of  knowledge  concerning  the  Supreme  Lord  who
realise that the atma  is  essentially  characterised  by  its  being  an
eternal ingredient of the  Supreme  Lord  residing  within  all  embodied
beings. Such a one considers the Supreme Lord as their goal of  life  and
attainment of Him the fulfilment of all ambitions.


Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary
Only humans who are sukritino meaning righteous and  virtuous  surrender  to
the Supreme Lord Krishna becoming exclusively devoted to  Him.  Such  humans
are of four classes distinguished by their different grades  of  virtue.  In
the order they are given each succeeding  class  is  more  superior  to  the
preceding one due  to  being  more  elevated  and  exalted  making  it  more
meritorious. The four are:





artto are those impoverished and distressed after losing all  wealth  and
power and desires to have the Supreme Lord recover it for  them  and  re-
instate it.


atharthi are those who having never enjoyed power and fortune desire  the
Supreme Lord to give them the ability to acquire them.


jijnasur are the seekers of self-realisation who are anxious to know  the
atma or soul in its  state  separate  from  matter  for  the  benefit  of
escaping transmigration the cycle of birth and  death  and  pray  to  the
Supreme Lord for the benediction to discover this.


jnani are the seekers  of  knowledge  concerning  the  Supreme  Lord  who
realise that the atma  is  essentially  characterised  by  its  being  an
eternal ingredient of the  Supreme  Lord  residing  within  all  embodied
beings. Such a one considers the Supreme Lord as their goal of  life  and
attainment of Him the fulfilment of all ambitions.