Bhagavad Gita 7.20 is Chapter 7, Verse 20, in Jnana Vijnana Yoga (Knowledge & Realization). Below are the Sanskrit text, a transliteration, a plain-English translation and an explanation.
kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā
"Those whose knowledge is stolen by various desires surrender to other gods, following different rules and rituals according to their own nature."
What This Means:
People worship various gods because specific desires drive them, wanting a child, wealth, success in war. Their particular nature (prakriti) pulls them toward deities who specialize in granting those desires.
Going Deeper:
This isn't condemning deity worship, it's explaining why it happens. Desires fragment attention; people seek the divine specialist for their particular need rather than the unified source of all.
How To Apply This:
Notice how desires shape your spirituality. Do you go to different 'sources' for different needs? While not wrong, recognize this as fragmented seeking. Integration comes from recognizing one source behind all.
Key Sanskrit Terms: