Gita Verse 17.4

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 4

Sanskrit Verse

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

Transliteration

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣha-rakṣhānsi rājasāḥ

pretān bhūta-gaṇānśh chānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ

Word meanings

yajante—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

Swami Sivananda's translation

The sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and hosts of nature-spirits.

Chapter link: Gita Chapter 17

Related Gunas: Rajas

Related Gunas: Tamas