In the Bhagavad-gita’s seventh chapter, Krishna’s statement (07.23) is sometimes read to imply that the worshipers of the devatas (cosmic administrators) are less intelligent (alpa-medhasam). Such a reading might make Arjuna seem less intelligent — he appeased the devatas such as Indra to get celestial weapons.

Puzzlingly, Krishna himself encouraged Arjuna to worship a devi (goddess or female cosmic administrator) right after speaking the Gita. Just before the Kurukshetra war started, Krishna and Arjuna spotted the goddess Bhadrakali in the sky overhead. At Krishna’s direction, Arjuna worshiped her and sought her blessings for victory in the war because destruction was partly under her jurisdiction. Why did Krishna ask Arjuna to do something if he had deemed it less intelligent?

To understand, let’s consider what exactly Krishna considers less intelligent. 

  1. The craving for the temporary results of the worship of the devatas (07.23: antavat tu phalam tesham): 
  2. The worshipers’ failure to see that the devatas’ power to bless comes from Krishna (07.22: mayaiva vihitan hi tan). 
  3. The worshipers’ overpowering worldly desires that steal away their knowledge (07.20: kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah). 

What is the knowledge that worldly desires steal away? The knowledge of Krishna’s supreme position. Those who know that Krishna is everything  (07.19: vasudevah sarvam iti) are always enriched with knowledge (07.19: jnanavan).

Arjuna never deviated from his relationship with Krishna. Wanting to serve Krishna resourcefully, he sought the resource of celestial weapons that were under the devatas’ custody. Knowing that Arjuna wouldn’t get deviated, Krishna urged Arjuna to worship Bhadrakali, thus providing an example of religious piety for those people who aren’t yet ready.

Because of Arjuna’s fixity of purpose, he was enriched with knowledge (jnanavan), not deficient in knowledge (alpa-medhasam).

One-sentence summary:

Krishna’s ‘less intelligent’ describer refers to the craving for temporary things; the failure to see Krishna as the ultimate source of all blessings; and the deviation of devotion from Krishna to something else. 

Think it over:

  • Why might Arjuna seem less intelligent?
  • What does Krishna actually consider less intelligent?
  • Why is Arjuna not less intelligent? 

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07.23: Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.

Was Arjuna less intelligent in worshiping the devatas?

To know more about this verse, please click on the image