Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 23

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

What does the Lord do, with these men of mean mentality and foolish endeavours? He delineates his dispensation:

The Votaries of Minor Gods 20-23

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 23

Antavat tu phalam tesham tad bhavati alpa medhasam I
Devan deva yajah yanti madbhaktah yanti mam api II sloka 23
अन्तवत् तु फलं तेषां तद भवति अल्प मेधसां ।
देवान् देव यजः यन्ति मद्भ क्ताः यान्ति माम अपि ।। श्लोक २३

But the fruit that accrues to those men of small intellect is finite. The worshippers of the gods go to the gods; My devotees come to me.

Endeavours are practically the same in all the mines. But there is a difference between seekers of iron and seekers of diamonds. All men seek to enrich life  and to add to happiness. Men of small intellect are they who are unable to distinguish between the fleeting happiness and the lasting happiness. The earthly temperament attainments and happinesses deified are called the little gods; whereas the permanent spiritual attainments and bliss ever belong to Iswara. The ignorant seek the former while the enlightened seek the latter.

Why is that all do not seek Iswara? This is answered in the next sloka.