Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 22

Chapter 7 – Jnana Vijnana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते ।
लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् ॥

Transliteration

sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhate .
labhate ca tataḥ kāmānmayaivavihitānhi tān ॥

Meaning

Endowed with that faith, he engages in the worship of that deity and from it obtains his desires — but those benefits are in truth granted by Me alone.

Word meanings

सः – he
तया – with that
श्रद्धया – faith
युक्तः – endowed
तस्य – of that (deity)
आराधनम् – worship
ईहते – engages in
लभते – obtains
च – and
ततः – from that
कामान् – desired objects
मया – by Me
एव – alone
विहितान् – ordained, granted
हि – indeed
तान् – those

Anvaya (word order)

सः तया श्रद्धया युक्तः तस्य आराधनम् ईहते, ततः च मया एव विहितान् तान् कामान् हि लभते ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna said He makes the faith of the worshipper of deities unwavering. Now He explains the result of that faith. The worshipper, with steady faith, worships that deity and does receive the desired fruits.

But the most important part of the verse is mayaiva vihitan hi tan — those fruits are in truth ordained by Me alone. The deities are not independent givers of reward; they act within the Lord's order, just as ministers of a kingdom grant benefits to citizens only through the authority given them by the king. The final dispenser of all fruits of action is the Supreme Lord, for He is omniscient and knows what fruit is fitting for each action.

Shankara says that the Lord, being omniscient, knows the distribution of the fruits of action, and therefore it is He who ordains them. Ramanuja makes it clear that the deities are the Lord's body and that the Lord, their inner controller, accepts the worship and grants the fruit — whether or not the worshipper is aware of it.

This understanding teaches two things. First, worship of any deity ultimately reaches the Supreme. Second, if all fruits are given by the Supreme, why not worship Him directly? The next verse carries this comparison further.

Context

In 7.21 Krishna said He steadies the faith of the worshipper of deities; here He says that the fruits gained through that faith are also given by Him. In the next verse (7.23) He says such fruits are perishable, while His devotees come to Him.

Life lesson

Whatever you receive in life — through whatever channel — its ultimate source is God. This understanding deepens gratitude and also awakens the wish to go beyond the channels and connect with the source itself.

Key terms

Aradhana: worship, adoration
Vihita: ordained, appointed
Kama: here, the desired fruit
Ihate: engages in, strives for