Bg. 9.23

येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥२३॥

ye ‘py anya-devatā-bhaktā
yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
te ‘pi mām eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam

yeplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigye

all; all of them; all of them who; all of which (duration of life, opulence, etc.); all of which; all of which persons; all of whom; all of you; all of you who; all such; all such devotees who; all that; all these; all they; all those; all those persons who; all those who; all who; also others who; although; anyone; anyone who; as also others; as we are; both of whom; certainly; even those; he who; his; indeed; one; one who; one who is; others; others who; persons who; since; so that; some of the demons who; such persons; such persons who; that; that one who; that which; the devotees who; the one who; the one who is; the person who; they; they who; those brāhmaṇas who; those; those devotees; those devotees of Mine who; those devotees who; those persons; those persons who; those Vaikuṇṭha persons; those which; those who (are); those who; those who are; what; whatever; whatever they are; which; which desires; which others; which personalities; which persons; which two parts; who; who are; who is; who were; whoever.—those; apiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigapi

also; api; a still more secluded place; again; alas; also (confirms); also (the human beings); also; although (I am in such a position); although; although apparently different; although he is; although He is so; although it is so; although not exposed to common eyes; although one; although there is; although there was; and also; as also; as He is; as well as; as you have stated; at the same time; better than that; certainly; definitely; despite; either; else; especially; even; even if; even if the body is so exalted; even though; even though it is so; even though new calves were present; even though there is; even with; exactly; for the sake of; I am wondering; if; if also; if so; in due course; in spite of; in spite of this situation; including; indeed; it may be; just now; may be; moreover; of the word api; or; others; over and above; so; still; surely; the word api; then; though; thus; verily; virtually; whether.—also; anyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganya

another; any other; anyone else; anything else; different; diverted; else; for others; from others; other; other types; other,; others; others'; someone else; that other.—other; devatāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdevatā

demigods; goddess; of a demigod; of predominating deities; predominating Deities; the demigods; the Lord; the Supreme Lord; the worshipable Lord; worshipable Lord.—demigods; bhaktāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhaktah

a devotee; a great devotee; devotee.—devotees; yajanteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyajante

do worship; perform sacrifices; they worship; worship (the goddess Kālī or Bhadra Kālī); worship; worship by sacrifices; worships.—worship; śraddhayaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsraddhaya

because of the attitudes; by eagerness; by faith; by great faith; faith; faith and confidence; full faith; in earnestness; respectfully; with devotion; with faith; with faith and conviction; with faith and devotion; with faith and love; with faith and reverence; with faith and veneration; with great faith; with great faith and allegiance; with great faith and care; with great faith and devotion; with great respect; with love and affection; with reverence.-anvitāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganvitah

along with; being absorbed in; being accompanied; being surrounded, Lord Rāmacandra; endowed; endowed with; surcharged; thus being absorbed.—with faith; teplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigte

all; all of them (the demigods and demons); all of them (the demigods and the demons); all of them; all of those; all the gopas; all the asuric ministers; all the demigods; all the demigods and demons; all the demons; all the great sages; all the Pracetās; all the sons; all the sons of Jamadagni; all the watchmen; all those; all those persons who arrived; also from you; as desired by you; by him; by them; by You; for you; for your; from you; in your possession; Lord Paraśurāma's mother and brothers; of the two divisions; of them; of you (mother Ganges); of You (O dear Lord); of you; of Your good self; of Your Lordship; of yourself; speaking to you; such; such as you; such austerity and knowledge; such household life; such persons; such pure devotees are fully satisfied; that; that is; the gopīs and gopas; the hotā, brahmā and other priests; the cowherd men and ladies; the demigods; the demons (Yakṣas and Rākṣasas); the demons; the Gandharvas; the great sages (the Kumāras); the husbands; the men of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Pracetās; the Pāṇḍavas; the sages; the sons of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Yakṣas; their; therefore; these; these sons (the Savalāśvas); they; they are; to you; unto you; with you; You; your; Your Lordship; your request; Your service; yours; yourself.—they; apiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigapi

also; api; a still more secluded place; again; alas; also (confirms); also (the human beings); also; although (I am in such a position); although; although apparently different; although he is; although He is so; although it is so; although not exposed to common eyes; although one; although there is; although there was; and also; as also; as He is; as well as; as you have stated; at the same time; better than that; certainly; definitely; despite; either; else; especially; even; even if; even if the body is so exalted; even though; even though it is so; even though new calves were present; even though there is; even with; exactly; for the sake of; I am wondering; if; if also; if so; in due course; in spite of; in spite of this situation; including; indeed; it may be; just now; may be; moreover; of the word api; or; others; over and above; so; still; surely; the word api; then; though; thus; verily; virtually; whether.—also; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—Me; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—even; kaunteyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkaunteya

O son of Kuntī.—O son of Kuntī; yajantiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyajanti

duly perform; sacrifice; they worship; worship.—sacrifice; avidhiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavidhi

in a wrong way; without following any rules and regulations.-pūrvakamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpūrvakam

in a wrong way; without following any rules and regulations.—in a wrong way. ¶

Whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kuntī, is really meant for Me alone, but it is offered without true understanding. ¶

“Persons who are engaged in the worship of demigods are not very intelligent, although such worship is done to Me indirectly,” Kṛṣṇa says. For example, when a man pours water on the leaves and branches of a tree without pouring water on the root, he does so without sufficient knowledge or without observing regulative principles. Similarly, the process of rendering service to different parts of the body is to supply food to the stomach. The demigods are, so to speak, different officers and directors in the government of the Supreme Lord. One has to follow the laws made by the government, not by the officers or directors. Similarly, everyone is to offer his worship to the Supreme Lord only. That will automatically satisfy the different officers and directors of the Lord. The officers and directors are engaged as representatives of the government, and to offer some bribe to the officers and directors is illegal. This is stated here as avidhi-pūrvakam. In other words, Kṛṣṇa does not approve the unnecessary worship of the demigods. ¶