BG - 17.4

यजन्ते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः।प्रेतान्भूतगणांश्चान्ये यजन्ते तामसा जनाः।।17.4।।

yajante sāttvikā devān yakṣha-rakṣhānsi rājasāḥ pretān bhūta-gaṇānśh chānye yajante tāmasā janāḥ

• yajante - worship
• sāttvikāḥ - those in the mode of goodness
• devān - celestial gods
• yakṣha - semi-celestial beings who exude power and wealth
• rakṣhānsi - powerful beings who embody sensual enjoyment, revenge, and wrath
• rājasāḥ - those in the mode of passion
• pretān-bhūta-gaṇān - ghosts and spirits
• cha - and
• anye - others
• yajante - worship
• tāmasāḥ - those in the mode of ignorance
• janāḥ - persons

Translation

The sattvic, or pure, men worship the gods; the rajasic, or passionate, worship the yakshas and rakshasas; the others, the tamasic or deluded people, worship ghosts and hosts of nature-spirits.

Commentary