[If you sustain everything, why doesn’t everyone know about you?] Everyone in material existence is deluded by nature made up of the three modes – therefore, they don’t recognize me, who exists eternally above the modes (13).

[How does material nature delude everyone?] Divine indeed is this illusory energy of Mine, made up of the three modes – it is therefore difficult to surpass; only those who surrender to me can transcend this illusion (14).

[Then why doesn’t everyone just surrender to you?] Because some people are miscreants: they are either foolish, degraded (being the lowest among humankind), robbed of their knowledge by illusion, or attached to demonic existence (15).

[What kind of people do surrender to you?] Four kinds of pious people worship me: the distressed, the curious, the wealth-seekers and the wise (16).

[Are all these four kinds of people equally situated?] Among them, pre-eminent are the wise, being eternally steadfast and one-pointed in their devotion – they are exceedingly dear to me, and I am dear to them (17).

[What is the situation of the remaining three kinds of people?] Noble, they all certainly are; yet the wise are [like] my very self – being steadfast, they always abide in me, knowing me to be the supreme goal (18).

[Do the other kinds of people also come to know you similarly?] After many lifetimes, they too become wise and surrender to me, knowing me to be [the essence of] everything – such great souls are extremely rare (19). 

[What is the status of those who don’t fall into these two categories of the unsurrendered and the surrendered?] Some whose knowledge has been stolen by worldly desires surrender to other gods – accordingly, they follow the religious rules impelled by their own material natures (20).

[How do they get the faith to worship these other gods?] Whoever desires to faithfully worship whichever form, I instill in them firm faith toward that form (21).

[What do they get from such worship?] Equipped with that faith, when they worship that form, they get their desire fulfilled – for that fulfillment is arranged by me (22)

[If desire fulfillment can be got by worship of other gods, what’s wrong with such worship?] Short-lived are the fruits received by those of small understanding; the worshipers of the gods go to the gods, whereas my worshipers come to me (23).