Yajante Sattvika Devan

Now Krishna puts the principle into practice. What does each type of person actually worship? Sattvic people worship the devas — beings associated with light, knowledge, and well-being. Their devotion faces upward.

Rajasic people worship yakshas and rakshasas. Yakshas represent wealth and material power. Rakshasas represent aggression and domination. When a person craves only money, authority, and control, their faith naturally turns toward such forces.

Tamasic people worship pretas and bhutas — ghosts, spirits, and forces rooted in darkness and fear. This classification is not about judging anyone. It is a mirror. The object of a person's devotion reveals something about the forces operating within them.

This shloka is the first practical illustration of the threefold classification of faith. Krishna shows that what a person chooses to worship is a direct reflection of their inner constitution. The next two shlokas (17.5-6) turn to those who practice severe austerities that go against scripture.