Chapter 7, Verse 16 (Bhagavad Gita 7.16)
Chapter 7: Jñāna Vijñāna Yog – Self-Knowledge and Enlightenment
Sanskrit Shloka
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन। आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ
Transliteration
chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha
Word Meanings
chatuḥ-vidhāḥ—four kinds; bhajante—worship; mām—me; janāḥ—people; su-kṛitinaḥ—those who are pious; arjuna—Arjun; ārtaḥ—the distressed; jijñāsuḥ—the seekers of knowledge; artha-arthī—the seekers of material gain; jñānī—those who are situated in knowledge; cha—and; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—The best amongst the Bharatas, Arjun
Translation
Four types of virtuous people worship Me, O Arjuna: those who are distressed, those who seek knowledge, those who seek wealth, and the wise, O best of the Bharatas.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Lord Krishna categorizes the various motivations that draw the human soul toward the Divine. Whether a person approaches Lord Krishna out of material desperation, intellectual curiosity, or a desire for worldly prosperity, they are all considered 'virtuous' because their focus has turned toward Him. Lord Krishna reveals that spirituality is not reserved for the perfect, but is an open path for anyone seeking refuge from their struggles. By acknowledging these four types, Lord Krishna teaches that even a worldly motive serves as a stepping stone toward ultimate wisdom. Ultimately, the transformation from a seeker of boons to a seeker of the Truth is the natural evolution of a devotee who keeps their heart connected to Shri Krishna.