Gita Series – 106: Bhagavad Gita Chapter IX. Verse 22 – 24:

Those who always worship Me with mind steadfastly connected to Me and thinking nothing else, I always protect them and personally attend to all their needs. Even those who worship other gods by reposing faith in those gods, through this is not the right way, only worship Me alone, because I alone is the enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices. But they do not understand My real nature, hence they fall.” 

Krishna begins to unravel the true nature of the Brahman. He once again stresses the importance of faith. Spiritual advancement purely depends upon the level of faith one reposes on the Lord. Deep affirmation always creates positive vibrations, paving way for the fructification of the affirmation. Suppose one suffers from ailment and if he repeatedly affirms that his ailment has gone, he gets cured fast. On the contrary, if he begins to pray that his ailment should go soon, his prayers are not answered. Prayers are meant for those who do not have faith in the Lord. The one, who has surrendered unto Him, never asks for anything from the Lord, as the Lord Himself personally takes care of all the needs of his sincere devotees. For the Lord also, it is hard to find a true devotee.

When a person has too many desires, he tries to appease different gods and goddesses. For example, to get wealth, he prays to a god, for health he prays to another god, etc. Ultimately, he wastes his solid time by offering prayers to different gods and goddesses and in the process forgets the Lord, who is the Supreme and under whose control, these gods and goddesses function. A spiritually ignorant person does not understand this reality and fails to realise the Supremacy of the Lord. Upanishads repeatedly talk only about the Brahman and ways and means to known Him. They do not attribute any physical form to the Lord. They say that Truth, Knowledge and everything else is the Brahman. Brahman is the most potent energy on which the whole universe rests. Failing to understand this reality, spiritually ignorant men worship demigods and goddesses and prolong their period of transmigration. As the Lord of all beings, Krishna says that such worships are not in the direction of attaining liberation. The ultimate aim of any spiritual aspirant is to become one with the Lord. A person with any other desire, other than attaining liberation, is not a true spiritual aspirant.

Further Readings:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter IX. 20 - 21

Bhagavad Gita Chapter IX. 25 - 28

Bhagavad Gita Chapter IX. 29 - 32