Commentary

Commentary

This verse makes a remarkable theological claim: all worship, even that directed to other deities, is ultimately worship of Krishna — but performed incorrectly. It is both inclusive and exacting. Krishna claims all sincere worship as His own, yet distinguishes between direct and indirect approach.

The Water and the Root

Krishna’s statement can be understood with a simple analogy. When someone waters the root of a tree, all the branches and leaves are nourished naturally. When someone waters only the leaves and branches, without watering the root, the effort is real but the method is flawed. The devas are like the branches and leaves of a great tree whose root is Krishna. Those who worship the devas are sincere but misdirected — they pour water on the branches instead of the root.

Similarly, the different devas are like different officers and directors in a government, and Krishna is the supreme authority. When a person follows the laws established by the government, they are indirectly obeying the head of state. But if they approach the head of state directly, it is far more effective.

Shraddhaya Anvitaah — With Faith

Krishna acknowledges the faith (shraddhaa) of those who worship other devas. Their devotion is genuine. Their sincerity is not in question. The problem is not the quality of their heart — it is the direction of their worship.

Avidhi-Poorvakam — The Wrong Method

Avidhi-poorvakam — “not according to the proper rules,” or “by the wrong method.” The method is wrong because it does not go to the source. In other words, Krishna does not support the worship of other devas because those devas are merely His representatives. To worship them as independent is to misunderstand the structure of reality.

The Practical Implication

This verse does not condemn worship of other devas as sinful — it identifies it as incomplete. The worshipper of Indra or Surya is reaching toward the Divine, but stopping short. The invitation is to recognize the source behind all forms and direct one’s worship there. This is not sectarianism — it is a call to completeness.