The verse

Bhagavad Gita 7.20BG 7.20 · Chapter 7, Verse 20

Jnana Vijnana Yoga

A core teaching · reflective in mood · a little context helps

“Desire clouds judgment and sends the mind toward smaller refuges.”

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

The verse

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः ।
तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया ॥

Driven by desire, people whose understanding has been taken away turn to other radiant beings. They follow the rules of each, shaped by their own nature.

— Krishna

Bhagavad Gita · 7.20

Hindi · हिन्दी

उनउन कामनाओंसे जिनका ज्ञान अपहृत हो गया है, ऐसे वे मनुष्य अपनीअपनी प्रकृतिसे नियन्त्रित होकर देवताओंके उनउन नियमोंको धारण करते हुए उनउन देवताओंके शरण हो जाते हैं ॥

Themes:Kama Prakriti

Word by word

The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.

कामैःby desiresतैः तैःby those variousहृत-ज्ञानाःwhose understanding is taken awayप्रपद्यन्तेthey take refugeअन्य-देवताःother radiant beingsतम् तम्that eachआस्थायhaving taken upप्रकृत्याby natureनियताःgovernedस्वयाby their own

Read literallyby desires · by those various · whose understanding is taken away · they take refuge · other radiant beings · that each · having taken up · by nature · governed · by their own

Understanding the verse

Desire steals people's understanding, Krishna says, and they turn to other gods, following rules shaped by their own nature.

Built onkama23 jnana24 prakriti31

In plain words

What this verse means

When desire overwhelms clear thinking, people begin seeking help from other powers and follow whatever practices fit their own nature.

On the battlefield

Context & commentary

After praising the rare knower who sees the supreme reality, Krishna explains the opposite case: minds captured by desire turn away and seek smaller forms of support.

In your life

What it looks like today

A family buys every remedy the man at the mela recommends: an amulet for the son's exams, a ring for the father's loan. Krishna describes this: when wanting runs the mind, people turn to whatever promises a quick result.

The takeaway

“It warns that craving can quietly redirect your faith before you notice.”

Carry it with you