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Bhagavad-gītā 4.12

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवता । क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥ १२ ॥
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
[kaankshantah karmanaam siddhim]
yajanta iha devatāḥ
[yajanta iha devataah]
kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
[kshipram hi maanushe loke]
siddhir bhavati karma-jā
[siddhir bhavati karma-jaa]
Word-for-word
kāṅkṣantaḥ — desiring karmaṇām — of fruitive activities siddhim — perfection yajante — they worship by sacrifices iha — in the material world devatāḥ — the demigods kṣipram — very quickly hi — certainly mānuṣe — in human society loke — within this world siddhiḥ — success bhavati — comes karma - jā — from fruitive work .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
kāṅkṣantaḥ
desiring
karmaṇām
of fruitive activities
siddhim
perfection
yajanta iha devatāḥ
yajante
they worship by sacrifices
iha
in the material world
devatāḥ
the demigods
kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
kṣipram
very quickly
hi
certainly
mānuṣe
in human society
loke
within this world
siddhir bhavati karma-jā
siddhiḥ
success
bhavati
comes
karma - jā
from fruitive work .
Important Words
  • kāṅkṣantaḥ — desiring
    Present active participle of √kāṅkṣ — 'to desire intensely.' Names the motivational state behind demigod worship: not surrender, not love, but a hot wanting of specific results.
  • siddhim — success, perfection
    Accusative — 'success' in the worldly sense. The same word in other verses names spiritual perfection; here it is qualified by karma-jā — born of action. Two different siddhis with the same name; context decides which.
  • devatāḥ — the demigods
    Plural — administrative deities, not the Supreme. The Gītā does not deny their existence; it ranks their offerings. They are real, they grant results, and their results are correspondingly bounded.
  • kṣipram — quickly
    Adverb. The temporal speed of the result is itself the diagnostic. Spiritual fruit ripens slowly; karmic fruit ripens fast. Speed-of-return is a clue to depth-of-source.
  • karma - jā — born of work
    Compound: karma (action) + jā (born from). The siddhi is the offspring of the act, not the offspring of the soul's eternal relation to Kṛṣṇa. It will share its parent's lifespan — short.
Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Why do most people worship demigods rather than the Supreme? Because the karma-born fruit comes fast. The verse diagnoses a sociological reality without condemnation: human appetite for quick results steers worship toward subordinate powers.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
A pragmatic observation, not a polemic. क्षिप्रम् हि (for it is quick) gives the psychological mechanism. The verse implicitly contrasts demigod-worship (fast, partial, lokic) with surrender to the Supreme (slow-seeming, total, transcendent). It also prepares the cātur-varṇya verse 4.13 by hinting that human work is naturally tied to outcomes.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
(मनुष्याः) कर्मणाम् सिद्धिम् काङ्क्षन्तः इह देवताः यजन्ते; मानुषे लोके कर्म-जा सिद्धिः हि क्षिप्रम् भवति।
(manuṣyāḥ) karmaṇām siddhim kāṅkṣantaḥ iha devatāḥ yajante; mānuṣe loke karma-jā siddhiḥ hi kṣipram bhavati|
Desiring success in works, people here worship the demigods; for in the human world the success born of action arises quickly.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणाम् सिद्धिम् यजन्ते इह देवताः । क्षिप्रम् हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिः भवति कर्म-जा ॥
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇām siddhim yajante iha devatāḥ | kṣipram hi mānuṣe loke siddhiḥ bhavati karma-jā ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
काङ्क्षन्तः kāṅkṣantaḥ √काङ्क्ष् pres. (present) active part. nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. desiring
कर्मणाम् karmaṇām कर्मन् (n.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) of works
सिद्धिम् siddhim सिद्धि (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) success
यजन्ते yajante √यज् pres. (present) 3pl.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) they worship
इह iha ind. (indeclinable), locative adverb here
देवताः devatāḥ देवता (f.) acc.pl. (accusative plural) the demigods
क्षिप्रम् kṣipram ind. (indeclinable), adverbial quickly
हि hi ind. (indeclinable), explanatory for, indeed
मानुषे mānuṣe मानुष (adj.) loc.sg. (locative singular)m./n. human
लोके loke लोक (m.) loc.sg. (locative singular) in the world
सिद्धिः siddhiḥ सिद्धि (f.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) success
भवति bhavati √भू pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) arises
कर्म-जा karma-jā कर्मन् + ज (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)f., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) born of action
Purport

There is a great misconception about the gods or demigods of this material world, and men of less intelligence, although passing as great scholars, take these demigods to be various forms of the Supreme Lord. Actually, the demigods are not different forms of God, but they are God’s different parts and parcels. God is one, and the parts and parcels are many. The Vedas say, nityo nityānām: God is one. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. The Supreme God is one – Kṛṣṇa – and the demigods are delegated with powers to manage this material world. These demigods are all living entities ( nityānām ) with different grades of material power. They cannot be equal to the Supreme God – Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. Anyone who thinks that God and the demigods are on the same level is called an atheist, or pāṣaṇḍī. Even the great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva cannot be compared to the Supreme Lord. In fact, the Lord is worshiped by demigods such as Brahmā and Śiva ( śiva-viriñci-nutam ). Yet curiously enough there are many human leaders who are worshiped by foolish men under the misunderstanding of anthropomorphism or zoomorphism. Iha devatāḥ denotes a powerful man or demigod of this material world. But Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, does not belong to this world. He is above, or transcendental to, material creation. Even Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, the leader of the impersonalists, maintains that Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, is beyond this material creation. However, foolish people ( hṛta-jñāna ) worship the demigods because they want immediate results. They get the results, but do not know that results so obtained are temporary and are meant for less intelligent persons. The intelligent person is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he has no need to worship the paltry demigods for some immediate, temporary benefit. The demigods of this material world, as well as their worshipers, will vanish with the annihilation of this material world. The boons of the demigods are material and temporary. Both the material worlds and their inhabitants, including the demigods and their worshipers, are bubbles in the cosmic ocean. In this world, however, human society is mad after temporary things such as the material opulence of possessing land, family and enjoyable paraphernalia. To achieve such temporary things, people worship the demigods or powerful men in human society. If a man gets some ministership in the government by worshiping a political leader, he considers that he has achieved a great boon. All of them are therefore kowtowing to the so-called leaders or “big guns” in order to achieve temporary boons, and they indeed achieve such things. Such foolish men are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the permanent solution to the hardships of material existence. They are all after sense enjoyment, and to get a little facility for sense enjoyment they are attracted to worshiping empowered living entities known as demigods. This verse indicates that people are rarely interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are mostly interested in material enjoyment, and therefore they worship some powerful living entity.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
12. Among men, those desiring results from their work worship the devatās. The results coming from such actions appear quickly.
Commentary

However, among men, those who are full of desire give up the path of bhakti even though it is coming directly from Me, and follow the path of karma which gives quick results. That is explained in this verse. The results of their actions (karma-jā siddhiḥ) such as going to Svarga, come quickly.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
12. Among men, those desiring results from their work worship the devatās. The results coming from such actions appear quickly.
Commentary

Having spoken on a related topic, the Lord will now speak on the original topic, explaining how niṣkāma karma transforms to jñāna. In this verse the Lord speaks about the rarity of such practitioners. In this world (iha), living entities under the sway of beginningless impressions of enjoyment, hanker for results to their actions, in the form of domestic animals and sons. They worship devatāṣ such as Indra who can give temporary things in small quantity, by actions filled with desire. They do not worship Me, the master of those devatās, who can give eternal bliss, by their performance of desireless actions. They act in this way because (hi) in this world of men, results of such actions come quickly. The other result in the form of liberation, from knowing Me through worship by niṣkāma karma, comes slowly. All men, whose discrimination of temporary and eternal is eclipsed by desire for enjoyment, wanting quick enjoyment, worship My servants, the devatās, for that purpose. And even the person who has attained discrimination of the temporary and is fearful of suffering in this world does not worship Me, the lord of the devatās, through niṣkāma karma, in order to extinguish that suffering. In other words, such qualification for worship is very rare.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

When one worships Krsna for material things, he will get material things for sure but, Krsna is so kind that He will purify his heart. But purification take some time and people don't want that, therefor when they want their material things they worship the demigods because the results are quickly achieved. That is the difference between karma‑kanda and sakama karma because in this last stage people have some transcendental knowledge and even though they have material desires, they worship Krsna, or Visnu or the Vedic system.

Different people worship Krsna for different reasons and Krsna is the Supreme Lord, Isvara the "Controllor of everything", therefore He is controlling everyone's desires. So is Krsna who is controlling everyone and making one person a good devotee, another person a bad devotee, another person a worst materialist..., is that Krsna? Is that the kind of Supreme Lord He is? Krsna first had described that He is the One who gives the fruits of everyone's work ultimately. But now a very interesting question about what Krsna's relationship to one's karma is. Although He is giving the fruit of work, is He who give everyone the desire too? To address this question Krsna says:

[ 2. Although Krsna creates the varnasrama system according to the modes and their accompanying work (so that people can attain the fruits of work that they desire), He is beyond the system. No work affects Him nor does He aspire the fruits. (13‑14) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

They worship demigods or some powerful man of this world because they want quick results in their

fruitive acts

One who worships Krishna for material benefit, does obtain his desire, but first Krishna purifies his heart. Purification may take some time. Also when reward is achieved devotee no longer wants it e.g. Dhurva Maharaja
Analogy: Boons of demigods are like bubbles in Cosmic Ocean

Focus of Learning

(a) Are demigods equal to God? – No, To consider so is “Pashandi” or atheist mentality

They are parts and parcels – Ref. Brahma-samhita / Vedas
They are living entities with material powers
Even Brahma and Siva worship Vishnu
Meaning of ‘Iha-devatah’ – Any powerful man or demigod in this material world

(b) Narayana or Visnu does not belong to the material world – Ref. Sankaracharya

(c) Madness of human society

Mad after temporary things
Worship temporary leaders – Kowtowing to so called big-guns
Not interested in Krishna consciousness for permanent solutions

(d) Conclusion: People are rarely interested in Krishna consciousness

(a) Everyone is searching for Krishna in different aspects of ‘His manifestation’

(b) 3 levels of realizing Absolute Truth – Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan

(c) Who realizes Krishna fully – Only pure devotees

(d) Krishna is the object of everyone’s realizations – Anyone and everyone is satisfied according to

one’s desire to have Him.

Examples of Lord’s reciprocation to various degrees:
With Fruitive workers: Lord as Yajnesvara
With Impersonalists: Lord as Brahmajyoti
With Yogis: Mystic powers
With Devotees: 5 primary rasas

(e) Without coming to highest perfection of Krishna consciousness all attempts remain imperfect

Everyone depends upon on His mercy for success
All kinds of spiritual processes are but different degrees of success on the same path
Ref. Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.10: “Akamah sarva kamo…”

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 4.12 & 4.13: Some worship demigods, some worship Brahman, some worship

Krishna. Thus Krishna the Supreme Isvara controls everyone’s desires. Is He responsible for the suffering

and enjoyment of everyone in this world? How can such people become free from excessive attachment?

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
4.12 Kanksantah, longing for, praying for; siddim, fruition, fructification of the results; karmanam, of actions; yajante, they worship; iha, here, in this world; devatah, the gods, Indra, Fire and others- which accords with the Upanisadic text, 'While he who worships another god thinking, "He is one, and I am another," does not know. He is like an animal to the gods' (Br. 1.4.10). [This text points out that the reason for adoring other deties is the ignorance of the Self, which gives rise to the ideas of difference between the worshipped and the worshipper. As animals are beneficial to human beings, so also is the sacrificer to the gods, because through oblations he works for their pleasure!] Hi, for, in the case of those, indeed, who sacrifice to other gods and long for results; (siddhih, success; karmaja, from action;) bhavati, comes; ksiparm, ickly; manuse-loke, in the human world, because the authority of the scriptures extends only over the human world. By the specific statement, 'For, in the human world, success comes ickly,' the Lord shows that results of actions can accrue even in the other worlds. The difference lies in this that, in the human world eligibility for [Ast. and A.A. omit 'adhikara, elegibility for', and read karmani.-Tr.] actions is according to castes, stages of life, etc. The fruition of the results of those actions of persons who are eligible according to castes, stages of life, etc. comes ickly. What is the reason for the rule that the competence for rites and duties according to castes, stages of life, etc. obtains only in the human world, but not in the other worlds? Or:-It has been said, 'Human beings, having such divisions as castes, stages of life, etc., follow My path in every way.' For what reason, again, do they as a rule follow Your path alone, but not of others? This is being answered:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
4.12 All men, desirous of the fruits of their actions, 'sacrifice', i.e., worship or propitiate Indra and other divinities only. But nobody worships Me abandoning attachment to fruits - Me, who am the Self of Indra and other divinities and the real enjoyer of all sacrifices. Why is this so? Because in this world of men, fruits in the form of sons, cattle, food etc., follow soon from their performance of such sacrificial rites. The phrase, 'the world of men' implies heaven etc., also. Because the unending accumulation of evil heaped up from beginningless time has not been exhausted, all those worldly people lack discernment. Therefore they want rapid results and perform those rituals which consist of the worship of Indra and other divinities for the sake of sons, cattle, food etc., and for the sake of heaven etc. But none with his mind anguished by Samsara and aspiring for final release, practises Karma Yoga of the kind described above. Real Karma Yoga is My worship. Sri Krsna now speaks of the cause which annuls the evil obstructing the starting of Karma Yoga.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
4.11-12 Ye yatha etc. and Kanksantah etc. Different persons with differents forms in their mind take refuge in Me. Assuming the same [respective] forms for them I favour the. Only in this manner, those who are full of Me and those who are not so-all just follow my Path. For [even the performance of sacrifices] Jyotistoma and so on, is not a different path; that is also My own will of that nature. Indeed it is going to be declared [by the Lord] as 'the four-fold caste-structure has been created by Me'. Some one says : The Present Tense (anuvarttante) is in the sense of Potential. Just as in the sentence 'They take hold of the group of sixteen in the Atiratra [sacrifce]', the expression 'They take hold of' means 'They should take hold of' in the same way in the present sentence too 'they follow', means 'they should follow'. The success [of the action] viz., the enjoyment and emancipation is [achieved] here alone in this word of men and not anywhere else.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
4.12 Those who long for success in action in this world sacrifice to the gods; because success is ickly attained by men through action.
Commentary

4.12 काङ्क्षन्तः those who long for? कर्मणाम् of actions? सिद्धिम् success? यजन्ते sacrifice? इह in this world? देवताः gods? क्षिप्रम् ickly? हि because? मानुषे in the human? लोके (in the) world? सिद्धिः success? भवति is attained? कर्मजा born of action.Commentary It is very difficult to attain to the knowledge of the Self or Selfrealisation. It demans perfect renunciation. The aspirnat should possess the four means and many other virtues? and practise constant and intense meditaion. But worldly success can be attained ickly and easily.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
4.12 Longing for the fruition of actions (of their rites and duties), they worship the gods here. For, in the human world, success from action comes ickly.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
4.12 Those who look for success, worship the Powers; and in this world their actions bear immediate fruit.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 7.20 BG 7.23 BG 9.25 SB 2.3.2 SB 2.3.10 SB 10.24.23 CC Madhya 9.263 CC Madhya 19.149 CC Madhya 22.142 Īśa Upaniṣad 9 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.2
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
In this world, those desiring success in fruitive activity worship the demigods — quickly indeed do results follow.
Practical Applications
  • Notice the temptation to bargain with secondary deities for short-term results.
  • Distinguish between quick material results and slow spiritual fruit.
  • Choose the latter even when impatience pushes you toward the former.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I bargaining with lesser powers for quick fixes?
  • What slower fruit am I refusing to wait for?
Analogy

A traveler in a hurry buys snacks from roadside stalls — quick, cheap, immediately satisfying — instead of waiting for the slow-cooked meal at the inn. Demigod worship is the roadside stall: results come fast precisely because the goods are not deep. The Gītā does not condemn the stall; it names what kind of fruit grows there.

Stories
Hiraṇyakaśipu's quick boons

Through severe austerity Hiraṇyakaśipu pleased Brahmā and extracted a long, cleverly-worded boon: not by man or beast, not in day or night, not inside or outside, not by weapon. The result came swiftly. Within a generation he was the master of the three worlds.

But the verse's diagnosis held. Kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhiḥ bhavati karma-jā — quickly the karma-born siddhi comes, and quickly it ends. Nṛsiṁha's appearance was the cosmic correction that the boon's own structure had invited.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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