Gita 9.25
Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः। भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम्॥
yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām
In essence: You become what you worship - worship the infinite, become infinite; worship the limited, remain limited.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "But the worship of devas is also worship of God, is it not? They say all paths lead to the same destination."
Guru: "Tell me - when you travel to Delhi, do you book a ticket to Delhi or to a suburb you will pass through?"
Sadhak: "To Delhi, of course. But in spirituality..."
Guru: "In spirituality, the principle is the same but more precise. Your intention, your devotion, your love - these are your ticket. Where you consistently direct them is where you will arrive. If you worship Indra for rain, you get rain and perhaps Indra's realm after death. If you worship Krishna for Krishna, you get Krishna - which includes everything."
Sadhak: "So worshipping devas is wrong?"
Guru: "Wrong? No. Incomplete? Yes. If a child asks father for candy when father would give him the entire inheritance, is the child wrong? He simply doesn't know what's available. The devas are real, their blessings are real, their realms are real - but all are within creation, within time, subject to dissolution. Only the Supreme is beyond dissolution."
Sadhak: "But I don't feel ready to approach the Supreme directly. The devas feel more accessible."
Guru: "And who created that accessibility? Krishna says He is seated in all hearts. The devas are His limbs. When you worship any aspect sincerely, Krishna receives it. But why accept the branch when you can embrace the trunk? Why drink from a river when you can drink from the source?"
Sadhak: "What if I worship devas but with Krishna in mind?"
Guru: "Then you are a Krishna-devotee using deva-worship as a stepping stone. Your destination will be determined by the deepest current of your heart, not the surface ritual. This verse reveals the law: consciousness follows its own direction of flow. Direct it to the ocean, not the wells."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin your day by consciously choosing your destination. Before prayer or meditation, state clearly: 'My devotion is directed to the Supreme, the totality, the source of all. I seek not gifts from the Divine but the Divine itself.' Then proceed with your practice. This intention-setting aligns your consciousness with the infinite rather than scattered toward limited goals.
Notice where your mind habitually worships throughout the day. When you anxiously check your investments, you're worshipping wealth-deva. When you obsess over others' opinions, you're worshipping approval-deva. When you constantly scheme for advancement, you're worshipping success-deva. Each time you catch yourself, gently redirect: 'This too is Krishna's play. May my heart's deepest devotion remain with the Source.' This practice gradually unifies scattered worship toward the One.
Before sleep, review your day and honestly assess: where did my heart's devotion flow today? Was it scattered among many limited objects, or did it remember its true home? Without judgment, simply acknowledge and recommit. Then practice: imagine your consciousness as a river that has been flowing through many channels. Now, let all streams merge and flow toward the infinite ocean. Fall asleep with this image, programming your deepest mind toward the Supreme destination.