श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता

मूल श्लोकः

yajantē sāttvikā dēvānyakṣarakṣāṅsi rājasāḥ.

prētānbhūtagaṇāṅścānyē yajantē tāmasā janāḥ৷৷17.4৷৷

English Translation By Swami Gambirananda

17.4 Those having the sattva ality worship the gods; those having rajas, the demi-gods and ogres; and other people possessed of tamas worship ghosts and the hosts of spirits.

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda

17.4 Sattvikah, those having the sattva ality, those steadfast in sattva; yajante, worship; devan, the gods; rajasah, those having rajas; (worship) yaksa-raksamsi, the demi-gods and ogres; and anye, other; janah, people; tamasah, possessed of tamas; yajante, worship; pretan, ghosts; and bhuta-ganan, the hosts of spirits-Sapta-matrkas (the Seven Mothers) and others. Thus, in the context of abandonment of scriptural injunctions, the states of sattva etc. have been determined through their effects. As regards that, it is only one in thousands who, being established in sattva, becomes devoted to the adoration of gods. But, to be sure, creatures are mostly rooted deeply in rajas or tamas. How?