The fruit acquired by these men of little understanding is
limited. The worshippers of the devas (’bright ones’) go to the devas, but my
devotees come unto Me. (Gita Chapter 7 Verse 23)
Those who worship specific deities for desire fulfillment will
get what they want, but they are deluded people. They do not know how to desire
the highest. They are satisfied with
small things when they could as well have the best.
They are like the child that prefers five shining pennies to
one gold piece. Such people are after limited desires, perishable things. They are
happy with wealth or name or success, but not freedom. Had they directed the
same devotion towards Me (Sri Krishna), they would have attained the highest,
eternal and universal Bliss. But they are satisfied with the little, perishable
things.
And when they pass out of this world, they will not be free,
but will go to the god they worshipped during their lifetime. They will go to
his heaven, the heaven of their ishta. There they will enjoy for some time.
Therefore it is said, ‘Worship the Lord, the Universal, which
is thy own divine Self. Then the result will be everlasting, infinite, supreme
Bliss.’ God alone is Real. He is free, eternal and infinite, and worshipping
Him alone will make us free forever.
But we repeat the process time and again, being born and
dying, and enjoying for a while in heaven, and then beginning all over again.
‘My devotees come unto Me,’ says Krishna. ‘I am eternal; I am universal; I am Bliss
itself. And those who come to Me will partake of My nature.’
Why do so few choose the higher path? Why is it that we are
satisfied with the lesser? It is because we are ignorant. Our minds are not
pure. We have too many desires clamouring for satisfaction. Therefore, our
discrimination is clouded. We do not recognize divinity even when we meet it. When
God Himself incarnates, we pass Him by unrecognized. Says Sri Krishna:
Source – Prabhudha Bharata October 2003 page 38 – Reflections
on Bhagavad Gita by Swami Atulananda