अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च । न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ॥
ahaṃ hi sarvayajñānāṃ bhoktā ca prabhureva ca | na tu māmabhijānanti tattvenaātaścyavanti te ||
Translation
For I am the enjoyer and the Lord of all sacrifices. But they do not know Me in truth — therefore they fall.
Interpretation
The reason for the limitation: I am the true recipient (bhokta) and the true Lord (prabhur) of all sacrifices. When worshipers direct their offerings to other forms without knowing this, their worship is not wrong but incomplete — they do not recognize the true owner and true receiver. Not knowing the Divine in truth (tattvena — as it truly is), they fall (chyavanti) — not into punishment but back into the cycle, their temporary benefits exhausted. The highest benefit requires knowing the highest truth.