येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः | तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ||९-२३||
ye.apyanyadevatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ . te.api māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam ||9-23||
Chapter 9 · Verse 23
Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग
Translation
9.23 Even those who are devoted to other divinities with faith in their hearts, worship Me alone, O Arjuna, though not as sanctioned by the Sastras.
Meaning
They worship Me in ignorance. Their mode of worship is contrary to the ancient,rule. Hence they return to this world. People worship Agni. Indra. Surya. Varuna the Vasus etc. Even they attain Me because I am everywhere. But their devotion is not pure. It is vicarious. Water should be given to the root and not to the branches. If the root is satisfied the whole tree must be and is satisfied. Even so if I (the root of this world and all the gods) am satisfied all the gods must be and are satisfied. Though the messages from the five organs of knowledge reach the one consciousness will it be right and useful to place a sweetmeat in the ear and a flower in the eyes The function of eating must be done by the mouth alone and the function of smelling by the nose alone. Therefore I should be worshipped in My own nature. They should know Me as the Self in all beings. They should recognise Me in other worship. I am the root. I am the source of all the gods and of this whole world. (Cf. IV.11VII.20)
Word by word
ये who अपि even अन्यदेवताः other gods भक्ताः devotees यजन्ते worship श्रद्धया with faith अन्विताः endowed ते they अपि also माम् Me एव alone कौन्तेय O Kaunteya यजन्ति worship अविधिपूर्वकम् by the wrong method.