FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 7.16

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन । आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ १६ ॥
catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
[chatur-vidhaa bhajante maam]
janāḥ su-kṛtino ’rjuna
[janaah su-kritino ’rjuna]
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
[aarto jijnaasur arthaarthee]
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
[jnaanee cha bharatarshabha]
Word-for-word
catuḥ - vidhāḥ — four kinds of bhajante — render services mām — unto Me janāḥ — persons su - kṛtinaḥ — those who are pious arjuna — O Arjuna ārtaḥ — the distressed jijñāsuḥ — the inquisitive artha - arthī — one who desires material gain jñānī — one who knows things as they are ca — also bharata - ṛṣabha — O great one amongst the descendants of Bharata .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
catuḥ - vidhāḥ
four kinds of
bhajante
render services
mām
unto Me
janāḥ su-kṛtino ’rjuna
janāḥ
persons
su - kṛtinaḥ
those who are pious
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
arjuna
O Arjuna
ārtaḥ
the distressed
jijñāsuḥ
the inquisitive
artha - arthī
one who desires material gain
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
jñānī
one who knows things as they are
ca
also
bharata - ṛṣabha
O great one amongst the descendants of Bharata .
Important Words
  • su - kṛtinaḥ — those who are pious
    Compound: su- (good) + kṛt (doer). The opposite of duṣkṛtinaḥ in 7.15. The two verses are a paired diagnostic: bad-doers don't surrender; good-doers do — and here are their four sub-types.
  • ārtaḥ — the distressed
    From √ṛ (to go, to be stricken). One who is afflicted, in pain, in danger. The most common entry-point to bhakti — and Kṛṣṇa explicitly honors it.
  • jijñāsuḥ — the inquisitive
    Desiderative of √jñā — 'one who wants to know.' The philosophical entry. Without distress, without need — just the wish to understand.
  • artha - arthī — one who desires material gain
    artha (wealth, purpose) + arthin (desirer-of). The transactional motive — coming to God for material benefit. Kṛṣṇa includes this in the pious list, which is itself a remarkable concession to human nature.
  • jñānī — one who knows things as they are
    From jñāna. The fully-informed seeker. Not jijñāsu (wanting to know) but jñānī (already knowing). The highest of the four, and the subject of the next two verses.
O best among the Bhāratas, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.
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)
Kṛṣṇa identifies four kinds of pious people who turn to Him: the distressed, the inquisitive, the wealth-seeker, and the genuine knower. All four are 'sukṛtinaḥ' — their varied motives are still good karma — and Kṛṣṇa welcomes each. Bhakti has many doors.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The classification is non-judgmental: even the wealth-seeker, if he turns to Kṛṣṇa, counts as sukṛtī. The list is ascending in purity — ārta (occasional, crisis-driven), arthārthī (purpose-driven), jijñāsu (intellectually serious), jñānī (already realizing). Each will be ranked in 7.17–18. The verse is foundational for Gauḍīya analyses of sakāma- vs niṣkāma-bhakti and underwrites a wide welcome for beginners.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे अर्जुन! हे भरतर्षभ! सुकृतिनः चतुर्-विधाः जनाः मां भजन्ते — आर्तः जिज्ञासुः अर्थ-अर्थी ज्ञानी च ।
he arjuna! he bharatarṣabha! sukṛtinaḥ catur-vidhāḥ janāḥ māṃ bhajante — ārtaḥ jijñāsuḥ artha-arthī jñānī ca |
O Arjuna, O best of the Bharatas, four kinds of virtuous people worship Me: the distressed, the inquisitive, the seeker of wealth, and the person of knowledge.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
चतुर्-विधाः भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनः अर्जुन । आर्तः जिज्ञासुः अर्थ-अर्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥
catur-vidhāḥ bhajante māṃ janāḥ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna | ārtaḥ jijñāsuḥ artha-arthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
चतुर्-विधाः catur-vidhāḥ चतुर् + विध (adj.) bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. of four kinds
भजन्ते bhajante √भज् pres. (present) 3pl. ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) they worship / serve
माम् mām अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular) Me
जनाः janāḥ जन (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) people
सुकृतिनः sukṛtinaḥ सुकृतिन् (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) the virtuous / pious
अर्जुन arjuna अर्जुन (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular) O Arjuna
आर्तः ārtaḥ आर्त (adj./p.p.p. (past passive participle)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. the afflicted
जिज्ञासुः jijñāsuḥ desid. (desiderative) of √ज्ञा → जिज्ञासु (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. one wishing to know
अर्थ-अर्थी artha-arthī अर्थ + अर्थिन् (adj.) tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. seeker of wealth
ज्ञानी jñānī ज्ञानिन् (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. knower / sage
च ca ind. (conj.) and
भरतर्षभ bharatarṣabha भरत + ऋषभ (m.) tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) voc.sg. (vocative singular) O bull of the Bharatas
Purport

Unlike the miscreants, these are adherents of the regulative principles of the scriptures, and they are called su-kṛtinaḥ, or those who obey the rules and regulations of scriptures, the moral and social laws, and are, more or less, devoted to the Supreme Lord. Out of these there are four classes of men – those who are sometimes distressed, those who are in need of money, those who are sometimes inquisitive, and those who are sometimes searching after knowledge of the Absolute Truth. These persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service under different conditions. These are not pure devotees, because they have some aspiration to fulfill in exchange for devotional service. Pure devotional service is without aspiration and without desire for material profit. The Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11) defines pure devotion thus: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā “One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” When these four kinds of persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service and are completely purified by the association of a pure devotee, they also become pure devotees. As far as the miscreants are concerned, for them devotional service is very difficult because their lives are selfish, irregular and without spiritual goals. But even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees. Those who are always busy with fruitive activities come to the Lord in material distress and at that time associate with pure devotees and become, in their distress, devotees of the Lord. Those who are simply frustrated also come sometimes to associate with the pure devotees and become inquisitive to know about God. Similarly, when the dry philosophers are frustrated in every field of knowledge, they sometimes want to learn of God, and they come to the Supreme Lord to render devotional service and thus transcend knowledge of the impersonal Brahman and the localized Paramātmā and come to the personal conception of Godhead by the grace of the Supreme Lord or His pure devotee. On the whole, when the distressed, the inquisitive, the seekers of knowledge, and those who are in need of money are free from all material desires, and when they fully understand that material remuneration has nothing to do with spiritual improvement, they become pure devotees. As long as such a purified stage is not attained, devotees in transcendental service to the Lord are tainted with fruitive activities, the search for mundane knowledge, etc. So one has to transcend all this before one can come to the stage of pure devotional service.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
16. Four types of religious persons worship Me, O Arjuna: the sufferer, the inquirer, the enjoyer and the jñānī.
Commentary

“Then, who worships You?” Four types worship Me. Those who follow the rules of varṇāśrama (sukṛtinaḥ), worship Me. Among them some desire relief from affliction, from calamities like sickness; some desire knowledge of ātmā or desire knowledge of scriptures with grammar; and some desire enjoyment in this life and the next with land, elephants, horses, women, gold and other such things. These persons worship Me. These three are sakāma gṛhasthas. The fourth type, the jñānī, a sannyāsī with pure heart who worships Me with devotion, is niṣkāma, without material desire. [Note: In this definition the jñānī does not have a desire for liberation. The devotee desiring liberation is mentioned at the end of the chapter as a sakāma-bhakta.] These four types of devotees, qualified for pradhānī bhūtā bhakti (in which bhakti is the principle component), have been enumerated. The first three types of persons have karma-miśra-bhakti. The fourth type has jñāna-miśra-bhakti. Later in the book, yoga-miśra-bhakti will also be described in verse like sarva dvārāni saṁyamya (BG 8.12). But kevalā bhakti, unmixed with karma or jñāna, was also described in the beginning of this chapter with the words mayyāsakta manaḥ pārtha (BG 7.1). Kevalā bhakti will also be described in the eighth chapter with ananya cetāḥ satatam (BG 8.14), in the ninth with mahātmānas tu mām pārtha (BG 9.13) and with ananyāś cintayanto mām (BG 9.22). The Lord describes these two types of bhakti, pradhānī bhūtā and kevalā bhakti, in the middle six chapters of the Gītā. A third type of bhakti, guṇī bhūtā bhakti (processes in which bhakti is a secondary element) is seen in the karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs, who predominantly desire results for their actions (bhukti and mukti). Because of the lack of predominance of bhakti, and instead a predominance of karma, jñāna or yoga, this guṇī bhūtā bhakti it is not classed as bhakti. As things should be classed by predominance of quality, these processes are classed as karma, jñāna and yoga, and the practitioners are not classed as bhaktas, but as karmīs, jñānīs or yogīs. The result of sakāma-karma is Svarga, the result of niṣkāma-karma is jñāna-yoga, and the result of jñāna and aṣṭāṅga-yoga is nirvāṇa mokṣa, impersonal liberation. The results of the two types of pradhānī bhūtā bhakti are described as follows. Among the types of pradhānī bhūtā bhakti, the first three are karma-miśra-bhakti, or sakāma-bhakti. The result of this bhakti is attainment of the respective desires (deliverance from suffering, attainment of scriptural knowledge with materialistic method, gain of material benefits). And after that, because the superior nature of their object of worship (the Lord), those devotees attain liberation in the form of sālokya (attaining the same planet) with predominance of happiness and powers (sukha and aiśvarya). And there is no fall down as in the case of exhausting enjoyment in Svarga as a result of karma. It will be said, “Those who worship Me come to Me.” (BG 9.25) The result of jñāna-miśra-bhakti, which is superior to the other three types, is śānta rati (bhāva), as in the case of Sanaka and others. Sometimes, because of exceptional mercy of the Lord and His devotee, the result of jñāna-miśra-bhakti is the supreme position of prema, as in the case of Śukadeva. If sakāma-bhakti (the first three types) becomes niṣkāma, without desires, the result is jñāna-miśra-bhakti, and the result of that jñāna-miśra-bhakti is as stated above (śānta-rati). Sometimes, those who have jñāna-miśra-bhakti or karma-miśra-bhakti attain prema in dāsya and higher rasas on their own (with no apparent association of devotees in this life), because of influence of association with devotees in previous lives. However, that prema is predominated by a mood of reverence (aiśvarya). The result of pure bhakti unmixed with jñāna, karma or yoga, called ananyā bhakti akiñcanā bhakti or uttamā bhakti, which has many types, is that one becomes an associate of the Lord with dāsya, sākhya, and other rasas. This is explained elaborately in the commentaries on the Bhāgavatam. As it is a matter related to the topic at hand, the distinctions in perfected bhakti have been briefly discussed. [Note: Though the topic is sādhana, the results of sādhya, prema, are also described here to illustrate the difference in the sādhanas.]

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
16. Four types of religious persons worship Me, O Arjuna: the sufferer, the inquirer, the enjoyer and the jñānī.
Commentary

“Then who surrenders to You?” Those who are actually learned (sukṛtinaḥ), who engage in their designated activities according to varṇāśrama, and have love for Me alone, worship Me. [Note: It would appear that these four types are all classed as pariniṣṭhita devotees. They worship the Lord alone, and also do prescribed duties but without much attachment. Even if they have material desires, they still only worship the Lord and no one else.] They are of four types. Some are afflicted by disaster (arthaḥ), such as pain from enemies. They desire to eliminate that suffering. Gajendra is an example of this type. Others desire knowledge of the nature of ātmā distinct from the body (jijñāsuḥ). Śaunaka is an example of this type. Ohers desire wealth such as kingdom (arthārthī). Dhruva is an example of this type. The jñānī already knows his self as ātmā, the part (śeṣa), and Me as paramātmā, the shelter of the part (śeṣī). Śuka is an example of this type. Of these, the first three are called sakāmaḥ, having desires. The jñānī however is niṣkāma, without desire. The inquisitive type is placed between the sufferer and the desirer of wealth in the sequence in the verse because of hope of the future presence of inquisitiveness in those two types.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

These four: (1) Artah, the distressed (ex. Gajendra); (2) Artha‑arthi, the desirous of wealth (ex. Druhva Maharaja) (3) Jijnasuh, the curious (ex. Saunaka Rsi) (4) Jnani, the one in search of knowledge (ex. Sukadeva Goswami, the Four Kumaras) Jijnasur, the curious, in this text, is mentioned in the middle of the 'artah' and the 'artha‑arthi', because these two must come to the platform of 'jijnasur' curiosity to actually make advancement towards surrender. They have to become curious about Krsna consciousness. The 'jijnasur' is inquisitive about the soul, about self‑ realization. He is interested in 'nyaya" or logic, or 'vyakarana' or sanskrit grammar. This is all in the category of 'jijnasur'. The 'artha‑arthi' the wants pleasure in this world or in the next. He is a sakama devotee. Actually, all the first three are sakama devotees because they have desires. The 'jnani' is a niskama devotee because he has no material desires. He desires knowledge of Krsna, then he surrenders to Krsna. The next text answers the question: Out of these four who is the best?

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

Describes Sukritinas, 4 kinds of pious peope who surrender unto the Lord

Focus of Learning

(a) Sukritinas – Defined as follows:

Pious people
Adherent of regulative principles of Scriptures
Follow moral and social laws
More or less devoted to the Supreme Lord

(b) 4 categories of Sukritinas (pious men)

Artah – Distressed
Artharthi – wealth seeker
Jijnasu – inquisitive
Jnani – One who desires knowledge of Absolute truth

(c) Are they pure devotees – No, because they have some aspiration to fulfil in exchange for

devotional service

(d) Pure devotional service explained

Render transcendental loving service favorably
Without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculations

(e) Destiny of Sukritinas

They follow devotional service for above 4 reasons
In due course, they associate with pure devotees and get purified
Achieve pure devotional service (Ref. Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.1.11)
SUMMARIZED THEME 7A continued…
FOUR CATEGORIES OF ‘DUSKRITNAS’ (MISCREANTS)

4. ‘ASURAM BHAVAM ASRITAH’ – Envious towards God/Atheistic demons

Their arguments:
Supreme Lord can never descend in material world

▪ but, they are unable to give tangible reasons as to why Lord cannot descend

He is subordinate to impersonal features
Present illicit incarnations from factory of their brain
Yamunacarya’s comment on “knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead”
He is unknowable to persons involved with atheistic principles
Various proofs of Lord’s Supremacy

▪ Krishna – His uncommon qualities, features and activities

▪ Sastra – Confirmation by all the revealed scriptures in the quality of

goodness

▪ Sadhu – Acknowledgement by famous authorities on the transcendental

science

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 7.16 & 7.17:

“Who is the best of the four pious people?”

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
7.16 Again, O Arjuna, foremost of the Bharata dynasty, caturvidhah, four classes; of janah, people; who are eminent among human beings and are pious in actions, and are sukrtinah, of virtuous deeds; bhajante, adore; mam, Me; artah, the afflicted-one who is overcome by sorrow, who is in distress, ['One who, being in distress and seeking to be saved from it, takes refuge (in Me).'] being over-whelmed by thieves, tigers, disease, etc.; jijnasuh, the seeker of Knowledge, who wants to know the reality of the Lord; artharthi, the seeker of wealth; and jnani, the man of Knowledge, [i.e. one who, already having intellectual knowledge, aspires for Liberation.] who knows the reality of Visnu.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
7.16 'Men of good deeds,' i.e., those who have meritorious Karmas to their credit, and who resort to Me and worship Me alone - they too are divided into four types according to the degrees of their good deeds, each subseent type being better than the preceding, because of the greatness of their good deeds and gradation in respect of their knowledge. (i) The 'distressed' is one who has lost his position in life and his wealth, and who wishes to regain them (ii) He who 'aspires for wealth' is one who desires for wealth which he has not till then attained. Between them the difference is very little, as both of them seek wealth. (iii) He 'who seeks after knowledge' is one who wishes to realise the real nature of the self (in Its pure state) as an entity different from the Prakrti. He is called 'one who seeks to secure knowledge,' because knowledge alone is the essential nature of the self. (iv) And the 'man of knowledge' is he who knows that, it is the essential nature of the self to find happiness only as the Sesa (subsidiary or liege) of the Lord, as taught in the text beginning with, 'But know that which is other than this (lower nature) to be the higher Prakrti' (7.5). Without stopping with the knowledge of the self as different from the Prakrti, he desires to attain the Lord. He thinks that the Lord alone is the highest aim to reach.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
7.16 See Comment under 7.19
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
7.16 Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, O Arjuna, and they are the distressed, the seekr of knowledge, the seekr of wealth and the wise, O lord of the Bharatas.
Commentary

7.16 चतुर्विधाः four kinds? भजन्ते worship? माम् Me? जनाः people? सुकृतिनः virtuous? अर्जुन O Arjuna? आर्तः the distressed? जिज्ञासुः the seeker of knowledge? अर्थार्थी the seeker of wealth? ज्ञानी the wise? च and? भरतर्षभ O lord of the Bharatas.Commentary The distressed is he who is suffering from a chronic and incurable disease? he whose life is in jeopardy on account of earthake? volcanic eruption? thunder? attack by a dacoit or enemy or tiger? etc. When Draupadi and Gajendra were in great distress they worshipped the Lord. These are the instances of Aarta Bhakti.Jijnasu is the enirer. He is dissatisfied with this world. There is a void in his life. He always feels that sensual pleasure is not the highest form of happiness and there is yet pure eternal bliss unmixed with grief and pain? which is to be found within. Janaka and Uddhava were devotees of this type.Seeker of wealth is he who craves for money? wife? children? position? name and fame. Sugriva? Vibhishana? Upamanyu and Dhruva were all devotees of this type.The wise are the men of knowledge who have attained to Selfillumination. Sukadeva was a JnaniBhakta.Kamsa? Sishupala and Ravana thought of the Lord constantly on account of fear and hatred (VairaBhakti). Hence they are also regarded as devotees.Be devoted to God? whatever be your motive. Devotion will purify the motive in due course.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
7.16 O Arjuna, foremost of the Bharata dynasty, four classes of people of virtuous deeds adore Me: the afflicted, the seeker of Knowledge, the seeker of wealth and the man of Knowledge.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
7.16 O Arjuna! The righteous who worship Me are grouped by stages: first, they who suffer, next they who desire knowledge, then they who thirst after truth, and lastly they who attain wisdom.
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)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)
Related verses
BG 7.17 BG 9.30 BG 4.11 SB 8.3.1 SB 9.4.18 SB 1.5.17 CC Madhya 24.92 CC Madhya 19.149 CC Madhya 22.30 BRS 1.2.15 BRS 1.2.22
Concepts
BhavaNirvana
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Four kinds of pious people surrender to Me: the distressed, the desirers of wealth, the inquisitive, the seekers of the Absolute.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize that even imperfect motives bring people to Kṛṣṇa.
  • Don't disqualify yourself based on motivation.
  • Use whatever brings you, then let the motivation refine.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the four am I right now?
  • Is my motivation refining over time?
Analogy

Four people enter a temple at dawn: one weeping from a recent loss, one anxious about a failing business, one curious about what's inside, one simply seeking truth. All four cross the threshold. Kṛṣṇa does not turn anyone away for the reason they came. The threshold matters more than the motive — and the motive will refine inside.

Stories
Gajendra (distressed), Dhruva (artha-arthī), Uddhava (jijñāsu), Śukadeva (jñānī)

The Bhāgavatam offers one figure per category. Gajendra, the elephant king caught by a crocodile in a lake, surrendered in pure distress — ārtaḥ — and the Lord came running. Dhruva, the five-year-old prince, began austerities wanting a position higher than his father's — artha-arthī — and was given a position higher than the seven sages. Uddhava, the cousin, came inquiring — jijñāsu — and received the Uddhava-gītā as parting instruction. Śukadeva, born realized, was the jñānī, and spoke the entire Bhāgavatam to a dying king.

Four motives, four trajectories, one Lord. Kṛṣṇa accepted them all — and refined the lower motives into the higher as the relationship matured.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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