Gita 07.20 – Don’t let desire steal your knowledge

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-07-20-dont-let-desire-steal-your-knowledge/

kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ
prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya
prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā (Bg 7.20)

Word-for-word:
kāmaiḥ — by desires; taiḥ taiḥ — various; hṛta — deprived of; jñānāḥ — knowledge; prapadyante — surrender; anya — to other; devatāḥ — demigods; tam tam — corresponding; niyamam — regulations; āsthāya — following; prakṛtyā — by nature; niyatāḥ — controlled; svayā — by their own.

Translation:
Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.

Explanation:
kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ: Those whose knowledge has been stolen by various desires
prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ: Surrender themselves to other demigods
taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya: Following specific rules and regulations
prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā: Being controlled by their own nature.

Kṛṣṇa now continues the comprehensive overview of existence presented in this chapter. He has explained how the various elements that constitute material nature, along with the modes and everything manifested through them, ultimately rest in Him—and how those who surrender to Him can transcend the illusion of the modes (7.14).

In verse 7.15, He speaks of those who do not surrender to Him, and from verses 7.16 to 7.19, He discusses those who do. Then, beginning with verse 7.20, He addresses those who fall between these two categories. The ones who surrender and those who do not are two extremes; in between are those who surrender—but not to Him directly. Therefore, in verses 20 to 23, Kṛṣṇa speaks about those who surrender to the devatās (demigods).

Kṛṣṇa says:
kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
He uses the same word ‘prapadyante’ that appeared earlier in 7.14—mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te—“Those who surrender unto Me cross beyond māyā.” In that verse, ‘prapadyante’ signifies surrender that leads one beyond illusion. Here, however, prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ refers to those who surrender to other devatās.

Who are these people? Kṛṣṇa explains: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ—those whose knowledge has been stolen, or more precisely, abducted by self-centered desires.

The phrase ‘kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ’ is significant because, in the previous verse, Kṛṣṇa described those who surrender to Him as jñānavān—bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. There He speaks of those who are firmly fixed in devotion, who recognize Him as everything. Such people are jñānavān—truly wise. The implication, therefore, is that when a person possesses true knowledge, they naturally surrender to Him.

The suffix “-van” is often used to indicate possession. For instance, dhanavān means one who possesses wealth—dhana being wealth, and -vān signifying possession. Just as wealth can be stolen away, knowledge too can be lost. Thus, hṛta-jñānāḥ refers to those whose knowledge has been stolen. And what steals that knowledge? Desire—kāma.

The word ‘kāma’ is used in various contexts throughout the Bhagavad-gītā. In some places, it specifically refers to lust, distinct from other anarthas such as greed and anger. For instance, when Kṛṣṇa declares in 16.21 that lust, anger, and greed are the three gates leading to hell, lust is described as a particular form of selfish desire—the craving for sensual gratification.

In the third chapter, Kṛṣṇa explains that lust is the cause of bondage and our inner enemy. There, He uses the term in a broader sense—as an inclusive expression for selfish desire that begins with, but is not limited to, the pursuit of physical gratification.

In this very chapter, beginning from 7.8 onward, Kṛṣṇa describes how He is manifest as the essence of all things. He says, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo ’smi bharatarṣabha (7.11). Here, He refers to kāma not as a self-destructive impulse but as a natural human need—one that should be fulfilled in harmony with dharma.

In fact, kāma is not merely a need but one of the four puruṣārthas—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa—the recognized goals of human life. Thus, kāma represents not only sexual desire but the broader pursuit of material enjoyment and satisfaction. However, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes that such pursuit must not come at the cost of ethics; material prosperity should always be sought within the bounds of dharma.

Now, in 7.20, Kṛṣṇa says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ—those whose knowledge has been stolen by desire. This is a thought-provoking idea: knowledge being stolen by desire.

For example, someone may know that smoking is injurious to health. Yet, if there is an addictive craving for cigarettes, that desire can overpower one’s knowledge. Despite being advised by a doctor, reading about the dangers in health literature, or even personally experiencing the negative consequences, the person may still indulge in the habit. In such a case, desire effectively steals away knowledge.

In the same way, Kṛṣṇa here speaks about those who surrender to other devatās. He continues by saying, taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya—they follow particular rules and regulations—prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā—being guided by their own nature.

If someone begins smoking or engages in irreligious activities under the influence of kāma, that person abandons dharma entirely. In this verse (7.20), however, Kṛṣṇa presents a different situation. The people described here do not reject dharma altogether; rather, they follow certain disciplines according to their own nature—prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā.

In the Matsya Purāṇa, a classification is given: tāmasic people worship Lord Śiva, rājasic people worship Lord Brahmā, and sāttvic people worship Lord Viṣṇu.

In conclusion, Kṛṣṇa states here that those who possess true knowledge worship Him, while those who lack such knowledge—depending on how various desires have diminished their understanding—are driven by their nature to worship other devatās. We will understand this system of devatā-upāsanā more fully in the next three verses.

Thank you.