rajaḥ-sattva-tamo-niá¹£á¹hÄ
rajaḥ-sattva-tamo-juṣaḥ
upÄsata indra-mukhyÄn
devÄdÄ«n na yathaiva mÄm
rajaḥ - in the mode of passion; sattva - goodness; tamaḥ - or ignorance; niá¹£á¹hÄḥ - established; rajaḥ - passion; sattva - goodness; tamaḥ - or ignorance; juá¹£aḥ - who manifest; upÄsate - they worship; indra-mukhyÄn - headed by Lord Indra; deva-ÄdÄ«n - the demigods and other deities; na - but not; yathÄ eva - in the proper way; mÄm - Me.
Although the demigods are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, demigod worship fosters the false idea that the demigods exist apart from the Supreme Lord. Such worship is avidhi-pÅ«rvakam, or an improper approach to the Absolute Truth. ÅšrÄ«la MadhvÄcÄrya quotes from the Hari-vaá¹Å›a that among those primarily in the mode of ignorance there are sometimes manifestations of passion and goodness. Ignorant persons possessing a tendency toward goodness may go to hell but are also allowed a little heavenly pleasure. Thus it can be seen that a man suffering in miserable financial or political conditions sometimes enjoys the company of a beautiful wife, though his general condition is hellish. Those in ignorance mixed slightly with passion simply go to hell, and those purely in the mode of ignorance glide down to the darkest region of hell. Those devoid of devotion to the Supreme Lord are in ignorance in these three categories. Sometimes persons situated in the mode of goodness accept the supremacy of the Supreme Lord but are more attracted to the demigods, believing that through Vedic rituals they can achieve the same standard of living as the demigods. This proud tendency is certainly an obstacle in the loving service of the Supreme Lord and ultimately causes falldown.